CROOKSTON, Minn.- The UMC soccer team (5-4-3, 4-3-2) hits the home pitch for a pair of NSIC games this weekend as they look to better their seventh place spot in the conference standings in the comforts of their own field. After playing most of the first half of the season on the road, the Golden Eagles will play five of their final six games at home.
 
In the battle for "the Rock" the Golden Eagles will take on Minnesota State University Moorhead, Saturday at 11:00 am. The second annual Highway 75 clash will be part of a full day of homecoming festivities on the Crookston campus. The Dragons enter the game with an overall record of 2-9, 1-8 in conference play, with an MSUM offense that has struggled to get the ball in the net this year. As a team, the Dragons have only scored six goals through 11 games played, while UMC has found the back of the net 20 times through their 12 games. Junior forward, Courtney Armborst (West St. Paul, Minn./Biology) has led the Golden Eagle attack as she has netted eight goals, good enough for fifth place in the conference.
 
"It's nice to get back home after another full weekend on the road," said head coach Joe Alianiello. We've positioned ourselves very well after our first 12 games, but our work isn't done and we have a big weekend ahead of us with a pair of tough teams in Moorhead and Northern State. Everyone will have to raise their performance from last Sunday. We've had to shuffle some people around due to injuries but we had a great week of practice and we are looking forward to this weekend."
 
Northern State University will make the trip to Crookston on Sunday with the NSIC game starting at 1:00 pm. The 4-8 Wolves enter the conference match with a conference mark of 3-6 and sit four places behind the Golden Eagles in the conference standings. NSU will be led by Anna Bondy (Pierre, S.D.) who has scored six total goals in 2014 to go along with her three assists.