BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Bemidji State University Women's Soccer team will kick-off a historic weekend at Chet Anderson Stadium Friday afternoon as the Beavers host Emporia State University for the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Central Region Championship.
 
Chet Anderson Stadium will play host to the regional championship match and quarterfinal match for the first time in its 82-year history and will be expecting a winter atmosphere with forecasted snow and high of 13 degrees for Friday's games.
 
The second-seeded Beavers (16-2-5) play host to the fourth-seeded Hornets (13-6-4) with kick-off slated for a 3:00 p.m., start. The Beavers also welcome Grand Valley State University and Ferris State University with the two teams kickstarting the weekend's action at 12:00 p.m. The winners of both matches will then face one another Sunday, Nov. 20 for a trip the Final Four in Seattle, Wash.
 
All games will be broadcast live at NSICNetwork.com with play-by-play provided by the Beaver Radio Network. Live stats will also be available for all matches at: https://bsubeavers.com/sidearmstats/wsoc/summary
 
Bemidji State will have the opportunity to claim the program's first Central Region Championship Friday evening after falling to University Central Missouri last year in the program's first ever attempt.
 
The Beavers are fresh off NCAA Tournament victories over University of Central Oklahoma and Minnesota State University, Mankato in the first two rounds of the tournament while Emporia State makes its first ever trip to Bemidji, Minn., after defeating Fort Hays State University and University of Central Missouri.
 
Bemidji State and Emporia State met for the first time in the two program's histories last season in the second round of the central region tournament in Warrensburg, Mo. The Beavers earned a 1-0 win in that game with Mariah Nguyen scoring in the 34^th minute and Alyssa Stumbaugh stopping all three shots by the Hornets to send the Beavers to victory.
 
Notables

• The Beavers are 16-2-5 on the 2022 season and have won their last six matches and have outscored their opponents 13-2 during that streak.
• Bemidji State is the second highest scoring team in the national tournament and its seven goals during the tournament is only second to College of Saint Rose's eight goals.
• During post season play, Bemidji State has outscored opponents 12-2 over six games and has held opponents to just a 0.17 goals per game average while averaging 2.00 goals per game.
• On the season, Bemidji State has scored 38 goals and held opponents to just 13 for an average of 1.65 goals per game and 0.57 goals allowed per game.
• The Beavers' offense is led by fifth-year senior Sara Wendt who has posted 29 points off 13 goals and three assists. Her 13 goals this season are tied for 24^th in Division II.
• Wendt is followed by graduate student Allyson Smith who has posted 20 points off eight goals and four assists. Smith is trailed by fifth-year senior Erin Becker with 16 points off six goals and four assists.
• Wendt is fifth in Division II with six game-winning goals this season. She is the program's career record holder with 23 winning goals.
• Bemidji State is seventh in the nation with a team save percentage of .882.
• The Beavers are tied for the Division II lead with 15 shutouts.
• Bemidji State is one of 13 teams in the nation with two or less losses on the season. Its 16 wins is tied for 11^th in DII.
• Bemidji State has logged the second most team minutes in Division II this season with 2110 trailing University of Bridgeport by 20 minutes.
• Of teams that have played over 2000 minutes this season, Bemidji State has allowed the fewest goals at just 13

Eyeing Program records

• Bemidji State's Sara Wendt is closing in on Rachel Norton for the program's career goal scoring list. She has 48 career goals, one shy of Norton.
• Senior goalkeeper Alyssa Stumbaugh has 34 career wins under her belt and is five shy from tying Anna Fobbe (39) as the program's winningest keeper. She is also one shutout shy of tying Fobbe for most career shutouts at 22.7.
• The Beavers are three wins shy of tying last season's program record for most wins in a season (19).
• BSU's 15 shutouts this season is already a program record.
• Bemidji State is one game shy of tying a program record for most games played in a season at 24.

For more information on the Bemidji State soccer program, follow the Beavers on Twitter (@BSUBeaversSoccer), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) and follow them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversSoccer)
 
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and women's hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
 
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