WARRENSBURG, Mo. – During the 2011 season, Minot State University soccer decided to redshirt now seniors Lexy Kidd (M, Sutter, Calif.), Marie Torres (GK, San Bruno, Calif.) and Tara McPartland (F, Sandy, Utah).

There were some definite low spots during that season of just watching.

“It was mentally draining,” Torres said. “You just want to get on that field. I really think it was worth it. Everyone wants to play in an NCAA tournament and while the waiting was getting long, it is so worth it now.”

The redshirt season is now paying off for the trio as all three have had a big hand in Minot State's run to the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer National Tournament. The No. 5 seeded Beavers begin their tournament Friday with a Central Region first-round match up with No. 8 Southwestern Oklahoma State, the fourth seed, at 1 p.m. at No. 1 seed Central Missouri's home field. The winner plays Central Missouri Sunday.

“It has definitely been worth it,” Kidd said of redshirting. “There are so many people who overlooked us and didn't think we could make it to a national tournament this early in our history. Getting here kind of validates all of the hard work we have put in this year and the past couple of seasons.”

McPartland enters the NCAA tournament as the team's second-leading scorer with five goals on 18 shots on goal.  Kidd has been a mainstay in the midfield, netting two goals, while flying all over the midfield. Finally, there is Torres, who finished fourth overall in the conference in both goals against average (.53) and save percentage (.896).

The Beavers (15-3-3) enter their first NCAA Division II tournament riding an 11-game unbeaten streak (0-2) and have won 11 of 14 matches since a loss at Upper Iowa Sept. 22. It was that loss that set the Beavers on this path towards the tournament.

“When we lost that game against Upper Iowa, the whole team discussed that we can't break down on the road. After that game, we beat Winona (State) on the road and that was a big win,” Torres said. “After that, traveling to Makato (for the NSIC tournament), we had a huge mental edge since the win at Winona. I think it will help here.”

According to Kidd, there haven't been many nerves so far during their first trip to the NCAA tournament. She figures some will start before the opening kick Friday but it might hit her down the road.

“I always get nervous before games so I figure it will hit me a little (tomorrow),” she said. “I think when I get a chance to look back on all of this, then I will understand how big it really was.”

Minot State doesn't know a lot about its first-round opponent as the teams have never played a soccer game and don't have a common opponent this season. Torres figures she knows plenty about the 19-0-1 team.

“They are undefeated so you know they are a good team. That's all you really need to know – that means they are really good,” she said.

“They are an intense team and are a lot like us,” Kidd added. “That should make for a good match. We feel like no one prepares or goes as hard as we do.”
While Torres and her teammates are looking to move on to the finals in Georgia, she also understands how big it has been for the Beavers to be playing in a national tournament this year.

“I'm really excited to be here and to get a chance to be in an NCAA tournament,” she said. “It has been a long journey, but it is so worth it. Everybody wants to win a conference championship and move on to a national tournament and with this being an NCAA tournament, it's just amazing.”