CROOKSTON, Minn. - The University of Minnesota Crookston soccer team will hit the road this weekend as the Golden Eagles open up play in the NSIC against Minnesota State University Moorhead and Northern State University. The Golden Eagles will play MSU Moorhead Friday, September 17 at 3 p.m., and Northern State Sunday, September 19 at 1 p.m.
The Golden Eagles come into the weekend with an 0-3 mark. They have shown improvement but are looking to get into the win column this weekend. MSU Moorhead enters with an 0-3 mark, while Northern State is 1-1 on the season.
SETTING THE SCENE
MINNESOTA CROOKSTON AT MSU MOORHEAD
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 - 3 P.M.
NEMZEK SOCCER FIELD
MINNESOTA CROOKSTON AT NORTHERN STATE
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 - 1 P.M.
ATHLETIC & RECREATION FIELDS
• THE GOLDEN EAGLES ARE LOOKING TO GET IN THE WIN COLUMN AFTER OPENING THE REGULAR-SEASON WITH LOSSES TO DAKOTA
WESLEYAN, MICHIGAN TECH, AND CONCORDIA COLLEGE.
• MINNESOTA CROOKSTON IS LOOKING FOR THEIR FIRST REGULAR-SEASON WIN SINCE A 3-2 VICTORY OVER MINOT STATE NOVEMBER 5, 2019.
SERIES
• THE GOLDEN EAGLES SEEK THEIR FIRST WIN OF THE RIVALRY ROCK SINCE SEPT. 1, 2016 AGAINST MSU MOORHEAD. THEY TIED THE
DRAGONS 0-0 IN 2017.
• MINNESOTA CROOKSTON LAST PICKED UP A WIN OVER NORTHERN STATE OCT. 18, 2015 WITH A 2-1 WIN IN ABERDEEN.
SCOUTING THE DRAGONS
• MSU MOORHEAD COMES IN WITH AN 0-3 MARK DURING THE 2021 SEASON. THEY HAVE AVERAGED 0.33 GOALS PER GAME AND ALLOWED 2.67 GOALS PER TILT.
• THE DRAGONS HAVE AS MANY SHOTS ON GOAL AS THEIR OPPONENTS BUT HAVE PUT JUST ONE IN THE BACK OF THE NET THIS SEASON.
• IN GOAL, KAYLEIGH SEDLACEK IS LEADING THE WAY WITH A 2.00 GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE AND EIGHT SAVES ON THE SEASON.
• THE DRAGONS ARE LED BY FORMER GOLDEN EAGLE AND UMN CROOKSTON HALL OF FAME CHRISTIE (CHAPPELL) KOPIETZ
FETTY
• ABBY FETTINGER IS TRYING TO SET THE TONE OFFENSIVELY FOR THE GOLDEN EAGLES. SHE MOVED TO THE FRONT OF UMN CROOKSTON'S LINE-UP LAST WEEK AND LEADS THE TEAM WITH FOUR SHOTS ON GOAL AND IS TIED FOR THE LEAD WITH FIVE SHOTS OVERALL FETTINGER IS A FRESHMAN AND HAS STARTED ALL THREE GAMES.
SETTING THE TONE
• MINNESOTA CROOKSTON HAS ALLOWED THE FIRST GOAL IN ALL THREE GAMES THIS SEASON. THE GOLDEN EAGLES HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO SET THE TONE EARLY LAST SUNDAY AGAINST
MICHIGAN TECH BUT WERE UNABLE TO PUT CHANCES AWAY.
IN THE NAVY
• KATHRYN BRAINERD HAS A UNIOUE STORY AS SHE PLAYED GOALIE AT ROCHESTER COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE IN 2013 AND 2014 AND THEN JOINED THE NAVY FOR FIVE YEARS. BRAINERD WAS DEPLOYED IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND DID A SWIM QUALIFICATION AT THE MARIANA TRENCH. NOW SHE IS BACK IN MINNESOTA AND PURSUING HER LOVE OF SOCCER. BRAINERD WILL SHOW OFF HER VERSATILITY AS SHE CAN BE USED IN THE FIELD AND AS A GOALIE FOR THE GOLDEN EAGLES.
IN GOAL
• ABBY OLSEN LEADS THE WAY FOR THE GOLDEN EAGLES WITH A 3.20 GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE. SHE STARTED LAST SUNDAY'S GAME BUT DID NOT PLAY THE SECOND HALF. SHE COMES IN WITH A .619 SAVES PERCENTAGE AND 13 SAVES ON THE SEASON.
CONVERTED GOALIES
• MINNESOTA CROOKSTON HAS UTILIZED BROOKLYN FISCHBACH AND KATHRYN BRAINERD IN THE FIELD THIS SEASON. BOTH PLAYERS ARE CONVERTED GOALIES AND HAVE SHOWN GREAT ENERGY IN THE FIELD. FISCHBACH HAD THE ASSIST ON WEDNESDAY'S GOAL AGAINST THE COBBERS. SHE ALSO ACCOUNTED FOR A GOAL IN THE SCRIMMAGE AGAINST ST. SCHOLASTICA.
CREATING CHANCES
• MINNESOTA CROOKSTON HAS BEEN EARNING CORNER KICKS THIS YEAR AS THEY HAVE 14 THIS SEASON, WHICH HAS BEEN A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AS THEY ARE GETTING SET PIECES IN FRONT OF THE NET. NOW THEY JUST NEED TO PUT THE CHANCES AWAY.
FINDING THE NET
• NORTHERN STATE, LIKE MSU MOORHEAD AND MINNESOTA CROOKSTON HAS FOUND THE BACK OF THE NET JUST ONCE THIS SEASON.
KEYING ON FASTENAU
• MEGAN FASTENAU IS THE LOAN GOAL SCORER FOR THE WOLVES THIS SEASON. FASTENAU HAS ACCOUNTED FOR ONE GOAL AND THREE SHOTS TO LEAD THE TEAM IN BOTH CATEGORIES.
STRONG IN NET
• ALEXUS TOWNSEND HAS GIVEN NORTHERN STATE AN OPPORTUNITY IN BOTH OF THEIR GAMES BECAUSE OF HER PLAY IN GOAL. SHE HAS A 1.50 GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE WITH 15 SAVES THIS SEASON AND A 0.833 SAVES PERCENTAGE.
NEW COACH
• BOB CASPER IS THE NEW MAN IN CHARGE FOR NORTHERN STATE. HE COMES TO THE WOLVES AFTER EIGHT SEASONS AS THE ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH AND ASSISTANT COACH FOR WYOMING. CASPER IS FAMILIAR WITH THE NSIC, SERVING AS AN ASSISTANT COACH AT BEMIDJI STATE.
