THIS WEEK: Minot State finally gets to play a home game as the Beavers started the season with three straight road games. MSU entertains rival University of Mary Tuesday for its first home contest, starting at 7 p.m. The Beavers head back on the road right away as they travel to Minnesota Crookston Saturday and Bemidji State Sunday, both 1 p.m. start times. The three contests are all NSIC matches.

RECORDS: Minot State is 2-1 overall and 0-0 in the Northern Sun after suffering a 1-0 loss against No. 8 Central Missouri. Mary (0-1-1, 0-0) played its last game against Central Missouri as well,  falling 7-0. Minnesota Crookston (0-3-1, 0-1) was outscored 7-1 in its last three games played. Crookston played its first conference game in its season opener against Bemidji State (4-0, 1-0) losing 2-1. Bemidji State remains undefeated after a 4-0 victory against Northwest Missouri State.

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. In her fourth season at the helm for Mary is head coach Sarah Cook. Cook, a former University of Mary All-American, coached at the high school level from 2007 through 2012 at Century High School in Bismarck, N.D. winning two state championships. Joe Alianiello is in his fourth season as head coach for Minnesota Crookston. The Golden Eagles have improved their record in every year Alianiello has been coaching. They finished the 2014 season with a record of 6-6-6 missing the NSIC playoffs by just one spot. Returning for his 14th season as head coach for Bemidji is Jim Stone. Stone accounts for 127 of the programs 140 wins in its history. With an overall win percentage of .602 Stone has coached his team to finish above .500 for nine straight seasons.

RANKINGS: None of the four teams involved this week were ranked in last week's National Soccer Coaches of America Poll, but Minot State did receive votes. This week's poll is scheduled to be released Tuesday. Minot State was also ranked in the NSCCA Central Region poll.

NOTING THE MSU 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. So far in the 2015 season the veterans have been able to mix well with the newcomers allowing just nine shots on goal in three games while taking 23 themselves. Although they have been able to score three goals the Beavers have yet to record an assist.

NOTING THE MARAUDERS: Although the Mary soccer team has not recorded a win this season they were able to defeat the University of North Dakota 1-0 in an exhibition match before the regular season. In their first two games the Marauders have not been able to attain a goal having taken 15 shot attempts. Mary gave up seven goals to No. 8 Central Missouri two days before Minot State's 1-0 loss to the Jennies. The Marauders have recorded just seven shots on goal while allowing 17.

NOTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES: Having yet to record a victory the Golden Eagles have been outscored 9-2 in 2015. Despite allowing nine goals goalkeeper Lexi Gauger has been able to tally 32 saves, 23 coming in the last two games. Allowing 40 shots with 29 on goal the Minnesota Crookston defense has struggled to keep opponents from pressuring the goal. On the offensive end UMC has faced similar struggles over the past two games only being able to get three shots on goal.

NOTING THE BSU BEAVERS: The Bemidji State offense has seen success early this season scoring eight goals in four games. The Beavers have been able to average 13.75 shots in each game with a 60 percent shot on goal rate. Matching the success of the offense the BSU defense has only allowed one goal all season on 29 shot attempts. The Beavers also play a clean game with no penalties so far in 2015.

SERIES HISTORY: Minot State has a 1-2-3 record against Mary with a 2-2-1 record against Minnesota Crookston and a 3-4 record when playing Bemidji State.

LAST TIME OUT: In a game with five total yellow cards Minot State tied Mary 0-0 in 2014. With a late game score in minute 87 Minnesota Crookston pulled out a 1-0 victory against Minot State last season. The last time Bemidji State and Minot State played MSU was able to win the game 1-0 with a lone goal from Chloe Melton (Jr., Fleet, England).

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 three 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.

10: Shots on goal from junior Ninfa Ramirez (Perris, Calif.). Twice as many as the next leading player.

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.