BEMIDJI, Minn. — The second NCAA DII Women's Soccer Regional rankings were announced Wednesday afternoon and the (RV) Bemidji State University Women's Soccer team comes in at fifth in the latest Central region ranking ahead of the regular season finale Thursday.
 
The Beavers hold a 12-2-3 record against Division II opponents this season trailing just Minnesota State University, Mankato (15) and Pittsburg State University (13) for most DII wins in the region. The No. 2 Mavericks lead the Central region rankings with Washburn, Pittsburg State and Central Missouri above the Beavers. The Beavers are one of four teams five teams from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in the rankings.
 
The NSIC, the Mid-America Athletic Association (MIAA) and the Great American Conference (GAC) make up the 36-team NCAA Central Region. The top eight teams in the region will advance to the NCAA region tournament. The two top-seeded teams in each region shall be offered the opportunity to host, provided minimum site selection criteria are met and a bid has been submitted.  Automatic bids are granted to the winners of the MIAA, GAC and NSIC postseason tournaments, with the remaining five spots awarded on an at-large basis.
 
The NCAA Women's Soccer selection show will be streamed online on Monday, Nov. 17 at NCAA.com at 5:30 p.m. (CT).
 
The Beavers look to end the regular season red-hot after having won their last six matches and are unbeaten in their last 10 (8-0-2). Bemidji State has allowed just one goal over the last six matches, a penalty-kick goal on Oct. 26, and have outscored their opponents 20-1 during that span.
 
The month of October saw great success for the Beaver Soccer program going 7-0-2 during the month and averaging 2.22 goals per game while holding opponents to just 0.56 goals per game. Senior Katrina Barthelt led the Beavers during the month with 15 points and scored seven goals. She scored a goal in five-of-nine matches in October including two multi-goal efforts.
 
Graduate goalkeeper Sonia Alfieri was nearly flawless during the month with an unbeaten 7-0-1 record between the posts for the Beavers. She allowed just four goals in October, totaled four shutouts, made 23 saves and boasted a 0.52 goals against average and .852 save percentage.
 
On the season, Bemidji State averages 2.00 goals per game while averaging just 0.59 goals per game to rank second in the NSIC with a 1.41 scoring margin. The Beavers' 34 goals scored is third most in the NSIC while their 10 goals against is tied for the third least in the conference. BSU has scored first in 13-of-17 matches this season, tied for second most in the NSIC.
 
The Beavers have clinched home-field advantage for the first round of the NSIC Tournament and will be seeded either second or third in the conference tournament. BSU can clinch the second seed with a victory against Minnesota Duluth or St. Cloud State loss.
 
No. 2 Minnesota State secured its eighth NSIC regular season championship this past weekend and clinched the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage in the tournament.
 
Bemidji State is led by senior Katrina Barthelt who has a conference-high 29 points this season. Her 12 goals are tied for the most in the NSIC with Augustana's Madelyn White and are tied for 13^th in Division II. She has scored in nine-of-17 matches this season and the Beavers are 7-0-2 when she scores. She has scored 35-percent of the team's goals this season.
 
13 different Beavers have scored this season with eight scoring two or more goals. Senior Kenzie Harer and junior Ella Wade follow Barthelt with each posting a career high nine points. Wade is tied with Barthelt for the team lead with five assists and are tied for the fourth most in the NSIC.
 
The Beavers' defense has allowed just 10 goals on the season, third least in the NSIC, and is anchored by senior captain Emma Huelznitz who leads the team with 1,401 minutes logged on the pitch. Bemidji State's defense ranks fourth in the NSIC limiting opponents to just 9.1 shots per game.
 
Alfieri has started 11 matches in goal for the Beavers and boasts a 9-0-2 record on the season. She is second in the NSIC with a .488 goals against average and second with a .878 save percentage. Five of her 11 starts she has shutout the opponent ranking fourth in the conference averaging .455 shutouts per game.
 
Bemidji State is 11-16-5 all-time against Minnesota Duluth but is on a seven-match win streak versus the Bulldogs dating back to the 2018 season. The Beavers and Bulldogs met earlier this season on Sept. 12 in Duluth with BSU earning a 3-1 victory.
 
The match will be streamed exclusively online at NSICNetwork.com/bsubeavers with play-by-play provided by the Beaver Radio Network.
 
For more information on the Bemidji State soccer program, follow the Beavers on X (@BSUBeaverSoccer), 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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