BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Women's Soccer season officially gets underway and the Bemidji State University Women's Soccer team begins the conference season by hosting its first two home matches of the season this weekend. The Beavers kick-off conference play by hosting Southwest Minnesota State University Friday, Sept. 19 and then hosts University of Sioux Falls Sunday.
 
The Beavers (2-1-0, 0-0-0 NSIC) make their Chet Anderson Stadium debut against the Mustangs (1-2-0, 0-0-0 NSIC) Friday at 7 p.m., and conclude the weekend's action Sunday against the Cougars (2-1-0, 0-0-0 NSIC) at 1 p.m. It is Senior/Parent's Weekend for the Beavers and Bemidji State will recognize its eight seniors prior to Friday's match and then honor its Beaver Soccer parents prior to Sunday's match.
 
Each match will be streamed online at the NSICNetwork.com/bsubeavers and a radio broadcast will be available provided by the Beaver Radio Network at 94.3 FM or online at www.beaverradionetwork.com.
 
The Beavers concluded non-conference play with a road trip to University of Minnesota Duluth last weekend where the Beavers erased a 1-0 deficit with three second-half goals against the Bulldogs. Led by the NSIC's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Katrina Barthelt factored in on all three goals including scoring two goals, including the game-winning goal, and assisted on the game-tying goal. She recorded her third career five-point match and was named the NSIC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time this season and fifth of her career.
 
Barthelt leads the Beavers in her senior season averaging a goal per match and leads the NSIC with seven points. Her three goals this season is tied for most in the conference. Barthelt has scored three of the Beavers' four goals this season with freshman Molly Burkstrand netting her first collegiate goal last weekend at UMD.
 
Between the posts, freshman Payton Kropp has started two matches for the Beavers with sophomore Rozlyn Buettner starting one. Kropp has made 12-of-15 saves for a .800 save percentage and 1.50 goals against average and is 1-1-0 while Buettner is 1-0-0 and made a five-save shutout in her only start. The Beavers' goalkeepers are tied for third in the NSIC with 17 saves while Kropp is third averaging 6.00 saves per game.
 
Bemidji State is 13-11-5 all-time against the Mustangs and earned a 2-1 victory last year in Bemidji. The Beavers are 8-0-2 versus SMSU over the last 10 matches with their last loss to the Mustangs on Oct. 11, 2014.
 
The Beavers are a perfect 12-0-0 against the Cougars since their all-time series started in 2012. BSU defeated the Cougars 1-0 last year in Sioux Falls and have outscored USF 31-3 in the series.
 
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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