Minnesota Crookston Soccer Set for Road Tilts in Winona and St. Paul

By: Shawn D. Smith, Assistant Athletic Director

Women's Soccer | 10/8/2025 9:18:00 AM

• THE MINNESOTA CROOKSTON soccer team enters the weekend with a 1-6-2 mark (0-5-1 NSIC). The Golden Eagles are coming off their first point in NSIC play with a 0-0 tie with Northern State Sunday. Minnesota Crookston has played strong defensively the last three games, allowing just two goals. Minnesota Crookston is looking for their first goal since September 21 versus Augustana. The Golden Eagles are just one goal shy of their total goals from 2024. Minnesota Crookston is tallying 0.33 goals per game, and allowing 1.78 goals per tilt to their foes. The Golden Eagles are notching 5.9 shots per game, compared to 15.2 for their foes.

• AGAINST BOTH SQUADS. Minnesota Crookston is 0-26-2 all-time versus Winona State. The Golden Eagles are
looking for their first positive result against the Warriors since a 1-1 tie September 21, 2018. Minnesota Crookston has won five-straight games. The Golden Eagles have a 6-19-2 mark against Concordia-St. Paul. The Golden Bears have won eight-straight tilts. Minnesota Crookston had a 0-0 tie with Concordia-St. Paul in 2016 in Crookston. The Golden Eagles won 2-0 over the Golden Bears in 2015, and the two tied 0-0 in 2014.

• SHUTTING THEM DOWN. Payton King (Fr., GK, Fairfield, Calif.) has put forth a strong effort in net as a freshman for the Golden Eagles. King had a NSIC Goalkeeper of the Week accolade earlier this season. She comes in with a 1.33 goals against average, with 52 saves, and a .839 saves percentage. King is coming off a shutout against Northern State. She has three shutouts this season, and has started eight games in net for Minnesota Crookston.

• AUTUMN IS HERE. The season of Autumn has arrived, as has Autumn Rabe (R-So., MF/F, Kewaskum, Wis.), who scored her first-ever goal at Minnesota Crookston putting a cap off a strong free kick from Riley Edemann (Fr., D, Santa Clarita, Calif.) against Augustana. Rabe has five starts with one goal on four shots, and three shots on goal.

• E IS FOR ELISE. Elise Lefers (So., F, Brookings, S.D.) scored a beautiful goal, the first of her career, to help the Golden Eagles to a 1-0 win over the Dragons. Lefers has six shots, with five on frame. The sophomore has started three games, and played in all nine. She has one goal, on eight shots, and five shots on goal.

• FINCHTASTIC. Julia Finch (Sr., D/MF, Woodbury, Minn.) scored her first career goal against Black Hills State. The goal was the first of her career. Finch is tied for the team goal-lead with Lefers, and Rabe. Finch has two shots, with one on frame. Finch has started eight games, with one goal, three shots, and two shots on goal.

• NEWCOMERS HELPING OUT. All three assists for the Golden Eagles this season have come from freshmen. Riley Edemann (Fr., D, Santa Clarita, Calif.) added the assist last week off a free kick to secure Rabe's goal. Lily Goehring (Fr., MF,
Hartford, S.D.), and Payton King (Fr., GK, Fairfield, Calif.) also have helpers for the U of M Crookston in 2025.

• NEWCOMERS. Minnesota Crookston has several newcomers who have jumped in and made a positive impact through two games. In addition to Phoenix DeBrusk (Fr., GK, Thunder Bay, Ontario) and King in goal, Edemann has started all nine games at center back, Goehring has started two games, Aleisha Cortez started seven games, Norah Lutz a transfer from Aquinas College has started seven games in the back line for the Golden Eagles.

• SETTING THE TONE. Minnesota Crookston captains Tessa VanOverbeke (Jr., D/MF, Hartford, S.D.), Emmah Burnes (Jr., MF, Tulare, Calif.), and Sarah Burgum (Sr., F, Mandan, N.D.) all have vast amounts of experience and are trying to set the tone for a young Golden Eagle squad. VanOverbeke, and Burnes have each started all five games, VanOverbeke as an outside back, and Burnes as a defensive midfielder. Burgum has started three games, and has six shots, with four on goal during the 2025 slate.

• NEW ERA. Minnesota Crookston is in a new era of soccer with Head Coach Danny Burstein. Burstein is five games into his time as head coach for the Golden Eagles. Burstein has been an experienced coach. He is coming off a year as an assistant coach at the University of Nevada. He previously spent three seasons at North Dakota. Burstein was the head men's soccer coach in 2020 for the University of Providence in Montana. He has also been an assistant at the University of Providence, and Adams State University. Burstein earned his first win as the Golden Eagle boss last weekend against the Dragons.

• ON THE ROAD. The Golden Eagles hit the road to face Winona State, and Concordia-St. Paul. They will have three-consecutive road games. Minnesota Crookston has a 1-2-1 mark on the road, including a win at MSU Moorhead, and a tie against Upper Iowa.

• WINONA STATE. Winona State comes in with a 3-2-3 (2-2-2 NSIC) mark. The Warriors had a 2-1 win at Wayne State, and a 4-1 loss to Augustana last weekend. The Warriors are averaging 1.38 goals per game, while also allowing 1.38 goals per game. Winona State is notching 12.9 shots per game, with 8.6 shots per game allowed to their foes.

• GET IT TO KYLEIGH. Kyleigh Jannish, a sophomore midfielder from Aurora, Ill., leads the team with three goals in seven games. Jannisch has 13 shots, with nine shots on goal. Jannish had two goals against Jamestown, and one goal versus Wisconsin-Parkside.

• MAKE IT ABOUT MADISON. Madison Barnick, a sophomore from Fargo, N.D., has two goals for Winona State.
Barnick has 15 shots, with five shots on goal. Barnick has started seven goals. She scored last weekend against Wayne State, and scored against Northern State.

• CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL. The Golden Bears come in with a 5-1-2 record, and a 2-1-2 mark. Concordia-St. Paul is
averaging 1.75 goals per game, and allowed 0.75 goals to their foes. They are averaging 15.6 shots per game, and 7.8 shots per game to their foes.

• GIVE ME SOME MOORE. Nicole Moore leads the Golden Bears with three goals, and an assist. Moore notched 12 shots, with 10 shots on goal. Moore has four starts for Concordia-St. Paul.

• THREE GOALS. Sophia Haase and Brooke Nelson each have three goals and no assists this season. Haase has a team-high 24 shots, with 12 on goal. Nelson has 14 shots, with eight on goal.

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON GOLDEN EAGLES
Head Coach: Danny Burstein
Career Record: 1-5-1 (First Season at Minnesota Crookston

WINONA STATE Warriors
Head Coach: Delaney Marier
Career Record: 9-10-5 (Second Season at Winona State)

CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL GOLDEN BEARS
Head Coach: Steve Bellis
Career Record: 148-155-43 (14th Season at Concordia-St. Paul)

WEEKLY SNAPSHOT

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON
Projected Starters
Fr. GK 77 Payton King (Fairfield, Calif.) 1.33 GAA, 52 SV, .839 saves pct.
Fr. D 3 Riley Edemann (Santa Clarita, Calif.) 9 starts, 1 assist
So. D 21 Norah Lutz (Dewitt, Mich.) 9 games played, 7 starts
So. D 20 Anna Kuecker (Marshall, Minn.) 1 start, 1 shot
Sr. D 6 Julia Finch (Woodbury, Minn.) 8 starts, 1 goal
Jr. MF 10 Emmah Burnes (Tulare, Calif.) 9 starts, 3 shots
So. MF 13 Andrea Cuenca Medina (South St. Paul, Minn.) 9 starts, 2 shots
Jr. MF 9 Tessa VanOverbeke (Hartford, S.D.) 9 starts, 2 shots
So. MF 7 Sydney Christopherson (Sioux Falls, S.D.) 6 starts, 3 shots
Fr. MF 33 Aleisha Cortez (South St. Paul, Minn.) 7 starts, 9 shots
Sr. F 12 Sarah Burgum (Mandan, N.D.) 6 starts, 13 shots

WINONA STATE
Projected Starters
So. GK 99 Abigail Rounds (Mundelein, Ill.) 1.46 GAA, 16 SV, .593 saves pct.
Jr. D 27 Adrianna Bixby (Saint Peter, Minn.) 8 starts, 2 shots
Jr. D 12 Annika Groendal (New Berlin, Wis.) 8 starts, 1 shot
R-Fr. D 16 Reese Trebilcock (Norwalk, Iowa) 3 starts, 1 shot
So. MF 8 Kyleigh Jannisch (Aurora, Ill.) 7 starts, 3 goals
So. MF 17 Faith Quinn (Winona, Minn.) 5 starts, 1 goal
Sr. MF 26 Madelynn Drasher (Plymouth, Minn.) 7 starts, 1 goal
Sr. MF 20 Grace Seim (Waconia, Minn.) 6 starts, 7 shots
Sr. F 7 Johanna Shubert (Batavia, Ill.) 5 starts, 1 goal
Sr. F 13 Madisson Watts (Des Moines, Iowa) 8 starts, 1 assist
Fr. F 19 Sam Perez (Saint Charles, Minn.) 1 start, 1 goal

CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL
Projected Starters
Jr. GK 99 Sydney Potter (South St. Paul, Minn.) 0.83 GAA, 12 Saves
Sr. D 18 McKayla Stockness (Mahtomedi, Minn.) 6 starts, 1 assist
Sr. D 24 Belle Abruzzo (Eagan, Minn.) 1 goal, 1 assist
Fr. D 26 Maddison Balashaitis (Ankeny, Iowa) 8 games played, 6 starts
Sr. MF 4 Jada Cannady (Blaine, Minn.) 1 goal, 1 assist
Jr. MF 8 Lexi Pettit (Mount Pleasant, Wis.) 1 goal, 3 assists
Sr. MF 27 Clare Snapko (New Hope, Minn.) 7 starts, 4 shots
Fr. MF 28 Brooke Nelson (Waunakee, Wis.) 8 starts, 3 goals
So. MF 30 Stella Nielsen (New Richmond, Wis.) 4 starts, 1 goal
Jr. MF 17 Sophia Haase (Monticello, Minn.) 8 starts, 3 goals
So. F 11 Lainie Wehmhoff (Zimmerman, Minn.) 2 starts, 3 shots

GAMEDAY

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON AT WINONA STATE
DATE: Friday, October 10
TIME: 5 p.m.
SITE: Winona, Minn.
FIELD: Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium
LIVE STATS: https://winonastatewarriors.com/sidearmstats/wsoc/summary
LIVE VIDEO: https://nsicnetwork.com/winonastatewarriors/
X: @UMNCrookstonATH/@UMNCrookstonSOC

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON AT CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL
DATE: Sunday, October 12
TIME: 1 p.m.
SITE: St. Paul, Minn.
FIELD: Sea Foam Stadium
LIVE STATS: https://cspbears.com/sidearmstats/wsoc/summary
LIVE VIDEO: https://nsicnetwork.com/cspbears/
X: @UMNCrookstonATH/@UMNCrookstonSOC

KEYS TO THE WEEKEND

- Can Minnesota Crookston find the back of the net for the first time since September 21?

- Can the Golden Eagles get a win on the road?

- Can Payton King continue to be strong in goal for Minnesota Crookston?

- Who will step up with big plays for the Golden Eagles?

- Can the Golden Eagles tie or move past their goals mark (four) from the 2024 season?

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