THIS WEEK: Minot State goes back on the road at a tough MIAA opponent in nonconference play. After starting in Kansas last week, MSU travels to Missouri to take on No. 7 ranked Central Missouri in a single match on Saturday.

RECORDS: Minot State is 2-0 after winning its two opening games against Washburn (0-1-1) and Fort Hays State (1-1). No. 8 Central Missouri is 2-0 as well after playing Minnesota Duluth (0-1) and Augustana (1-1). MSU finished 2014 with a 10-7-2 record while UCM finished with a record of 21-1-2.

COACHES CORNER: Jason Spain is in his sixth season as head coach of the women's soccer program at Minot State. Spain has done impressive work in his four seasons with the team, sporting a highly successful 52-34-11 record. Last season, Spain led the Beavers to their third consecutive birth in the NSIC postseason tournament. In 2012, the Beavers won the NSIC tournament and claimed the automatic bid into the NCAA Division II tournament. Lewis Theobald is in his ninth season as the head coach of Central Missouri. Theobald has been named the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Coach of the Year seven times. With a record of 130-23-17 in his first eight years he is the third-winningest active coach in Division II women's soccer with an .815 winning percentage. Before being named the head coach Theobald spent time as an assistant coach at the Division I level with Indiana State.

RANKINGS: Central Missouri is the eighth ranked team in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America top 25 poll from September 8. Minot State moved into the receiving votes category with one vote.

NOTING THE BEAVERS: Minot State finished the 2014 season winning three of its last four games and six of its final eight. Despite graduating three players last season, two of which started every match last season, the Beavers retain a lot of experience. With seven seniors on the roster and 17 upperclassmen total veteran leadership is something MSU has an abundance of. In the first two games of this season Minot State has outshot its opponents 27 shots to nine including an 18 to six difference in shots on goal.

NOTING THE JENNIES: Central Missouri has been a premiere program over the last decade. Since 2006 the Jennies have won seven conference titles and are currently on a five year title streak. They have been to the NCAA Tournament eight out of the last nine years and have been eliminated from the tournament in the Sweet 16 twice. Last season UCM made it to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history. To begin their season they have beaten two NSIC opponents by outscoring the other teams 8-1. The Jennies have only allowed one shot on goal in their first two games.

SERIES HISTORY: The Beavers and Jennies have played each other three times beginning in 2012. MSU trails in the series with a record of 0-2-1.

LAST TIME OUT: The last time Minot State and Central Missouri played the Beavers lost 2-0. At the time UCM was ranked 21st in the country. The Jennies scored early at the nine minute mark and then again late at the 76 minute mark. They held the Beavers to just five shots allowing only one on goal.

LONG'S JUMP: Kristin Long (Sr., Mesa, Ariz.) saw a big shift in playing time from her sophomore to junior year. Playing over double the minutes she had previously, 516 in 2013 to 1,248 in 2014, Long was able to show off her skills by scoring four goals and three assists.

RECORD BOOK WATCH: Emilie Rebelo (Sr., Sacramento, Calif.) has already proven herself to be one of the better players to come through Minot, but if she keeps up the pace she could find herself as the number one or two on the all-time career list in the following categories: points, goals, assists, shots, shots on goal and games played. Rebelo scored a goal in the first game of the season moving her total to 13 which ranks her third all-time. She needs one goal to tie with two other for second and two to surpass them.

COWABUNGA: Ninfa Ramirez (Jr., Perris, Calif.) has started off the season with two goals in two games. Ramirez, who goes by "Ninja," scored the first goal of the season against Washburn and scored the game winning goal against Fort Hays State in minute 83.

SISTER, SISTER: Minot State will field two sets of sisters on its roster this season. With Ryann Rafferty (Jr., Littleton, Colo.) and Erin Rafferty (Fr.) making up the first pair and twins Andrea Franco (Fr., Long Beach, Calif.) and Ashley Franco (Fr.) making up the second. Ryann used a redshirt in 2014 after making appearances in 38 games in her first two seasons. Both Franco sisters started the first two games in 2015.

BY THE NUMBERS
2: Goals needed by senior Emilie Rebelo (Sr., Sacramento, Calif.) to move up to sole ownership of the number two spot on the all-time list. She currently has 13 goals in her career.

9: Games Celene Johnson (Sr., Rocklin, Calif.) won last year after moving to the starting position. That was the second best mark by a goalie in MSU history.

17: Yellow cards the Beavers received in 2014, a jump from the 10 they earned in 2013. MSU opponents were given 14 yellow cards. Minot State has received one yellow card in 2015.