MOORHEAD, Minn. -- MSUM women's soccer hopes to continue their positive start to the season after a successful first weekend of play. The Dragons will host the Parkside Rangers on Friday in a 4 p.m. tilt. In the second game of the weekend, they will travel down I-94 to play the St. Cloud State University Huskies in a Sunday afternoon contest that kicks off at 1:30 p.m.

Live stats and video are available on msumdragons.com
 
About the Dragons

After going 1-1 in their first weekend of play, a lot of positives can be taken from the first couple games from head coach Christie Kopietz's squad. In their season opener against Western Colorado, the Dragons came out on top winning 2-0. However, some of the stats may be a bit deceiving with the Mountaineers having more shots than the Dragons did, but most of them weren't of the dangerous variety and were easy saves for the Dragon senior goalie Simone Lewald. The MSUM defensive line looked stout in their first game of the year, with junior defender Sara Alfrida Munk Nielsen leading the way for that group. She played the full 180 minutes over MSUM's two matches, defending against 33 total shots. Her performance last weekend was under consideration for the NSIC's Defensive Player of the Week award. 

The Dragons scored two goals in the heat, the first was scored by senior defender Allison Tharp in the 61stt minute, assisted by senior midfielder Tabea Czech. The second goal of the day was off the right foot of sophomore forward Blayke Hurley in the 85th minute, she was assisted by senior defender Jessica Carlson. In their second game of the weekend against Mary, a soccer powerhouse in the NSIC, the Dragons held tough, but they came up one goal short. 
 
Scouting Parkside 

Hailing from Kenosha, Wis., the 1-0 Rangers are an experienced team much like the Dragons, with 10 seniors on their squad. That experience helped lead them to a win in their first and only game so far in the 2023 season. The duo of senior forwards, Alexis Baker and Alexis Bolger, combined for two goals in the second half to come back and secure the win 2-1 last week against Lewis University. Sophomore forward Grace Breuchel and senior midfielder Sarah Swonger, added assists in their victory.
 
Scouting St. Cloud State University 

The Huskies were picked eighth in the NSIC preseason poll, and they have opened the season going 1-1. With a 1-0 victory over Michigan Tech, and then a 3-0 loss against Northern Michigan. In their game against Michigan Tech, junior forward Ariel Hawkey scored their only goal of the season so far, and she was assisted by sophomore defender Ellie Primerano. Freshman goalkeeper Jaylee Strickland made three saves and recorded her first career shutout. Three goals were scored against her in the game against Northern Michigan. The Dragons will hope to replicate this in their matchup with the Huskies on Sunday.