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#15 Minnesota State-Mankato at SWOSU Friday, September 5, 3:00 pm Minot State at SWOSU Sunday, September 7, 1:00 pm Live Stats  |  Watch Live  |  SWOSU Weekly Notes

Setting the Scene
After finishing the 2013 season as the back-to-back GAC Champions, the Bulldogs return to the field to defend their title. The Bulldogs will play number 15 Minnesota State - Mankato on Friday, Sept. 5 at 3pm and Minot State Sunday, Sept. 7 at 1 PM. Both games will be played in Weatherford.
 
The Team      
The team consists of many new faces, but optimism is high for a third consecutive conference title. In fact, the Bulldogs were picked by the GAC coaches' poll to finish first.
 
After losing joint leading goal scorer Alexis Russell, the Bulldogs will look to junior Cori Kelly to lead the attack. Kelly scored three goals in eighteen appearances last fall, and hopes to improve on those numbers this season. She will look for help on the wing from Eva Rule, who contributed four goals and two assists of her own last season. Ashley Beitinger returns to direct the midfield after starting all nineteen games for the Bulldogs last season. She will look to build on her five career assists, which are tied for ninth all time in the program.
 
On defense, the Bulldogs lost veteran leadership in first team All-Central Region defender Kira Bertrand. They will now look to Charlotte Eastman, who started 18 of the 19 games she appeared in last season, to anchor the defensive front. She will be joined by senior Randa Castleberry to provide veteran leadership for the youthful defense.
 
Reigning GAC Freshman and Goalkeeper of the year, Courtney Flores, will look to build on her great run of form from last season in which she collected an 8-3-2 record with .80 goals against average and 6 shutouts. Her GAA ranks first in program history for career and third for a single season.
 
The Coaches
Mark Persson returns for his sixth season at the helm for SWOSU soccer. Since taking over the program in 2009, Persson has amassed a 53-36-8 record, good enough to become the all-time winningest coach in program history. A two time All-Conference Coach of the Year, Persson holds an impressive 16-1-2 in conference play. Not only has Persson himself received post-season accolades, but he has coached six National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Region players, and numerous All-Conference players.
 
Brian Bahl took over for Mankato in 2013, becoming the fourth head coach in program history. In his first year overseeing the program, he earned a 17-3-2 record, good enough to earn the Central Region's top seed in the NCAA II tournament. His first year's output was good enough to earn NSCAA Central Region Coach of the Year accolades.
 
Jason Spain has coached Minot State program since its inception in 2010. In their first season, Spain led the Beavers to a 9-7-3 record and a berth in the NAIA regional. From there he oversaw the transition from the NAIA to the NCAA. Overall, Spain has earned a 42-27-9 record, including a NCAA II tournament appearance in 2012 season.
 
The Opponents
The Mavericks ended the season reaching the second round of the NCAA II tournament after posting an impressive 17-3-2 record. They won both the NSIC regular season title, as well as the NSIC tournament, the first time they took  both titles in program history. This season they are returning three of their top five scorers, and will look to go even further in the tournament this season.
 
First team All-Central Region and NSIC Offensive Player of the Year Korey Kronfrost returns after recording 18 goals and seven assists last season. She will look to connect with Emily Morris who returns to command the middle of the park for the Mavericks after contributing and additional five goals and five assists last season.
 
The defense that allowed just .75 goals per game will return first team All-Central Region defender Bre Steele. Steele started all 20 games in which she appeared in, and also contributed on offense with one goal and one assist. In goal will be Molly McGough, whose 32 career shutouts ranks 15th all-time in the NCAA II records books. This will be the first ever meeting between the two sides.
 
Minot State's campaign ended when they met the Mavericks in the first round of the NSIC tournament. The compiled a 7-8-3 record, good for eighth place in the conference. The Beavers return a youthful team, headlined by forward-turned-keeper Gemma Biasseto who allowed just 1.45 goals per game in her first season in goal.
 
After last season, Minot lost career leading goal scorer in Zoe Fisher. They will look to sophomore Chloe Melton to increase goal output from the four she scored last season. She will receive help from the midfield in the form of Emilie Rebelo, who chipped in with four goals and two assists last season.
 
The back line for Minot returns four upperclassmen, and will be led by sophomore All-NSIC honorable mention Kellie Creese. She started 14 of 18 games she appeared in last season, and was second on the team in minutes played with 1531. This will be the second meeting between the two sides, with SWOSU holding a 1-0 series lead after defeating the Beavers in the first round of the NCAA II tournament 3-0.