DULUTH, MINN. – Only once this season has the Minot State University soccer team been scored on first. It looked as if Minnesota Duluth would become the second team to score first as the ball hit the back of the MSU net, but the whistle blew and the Bulldogs were ruled offside.
 
From that point on the Beavers took control of the game as they scored the game's first goal at the 35-minute mark. Chloe Melton scored off of a perfectly accurate pass from Ashley Franco.
 
Melton scored the game's second goal as well just 90 seconds into the second half. This time off an assist from Ninfa Ramirez.
 
The assist was both Ramirez and Franco's sixth and puts them at No. 5 all-time in career assists at MSU. Melton's two goals moves her up in the MSU ranks as well as she is now tied for fourth-most career goals (14) and moves up to third all-time in points (41).
 
"Team's tend to try and guard Ninja as tight as possible and we know that if you are going to double her then Chloe will take care of business," head coach Jason Spain said.
 
The third and final goal of the game came from Ramirez as she put in her 12th goal of the year from a throw in by Kyara Brown. Brown, a freshman, uses a flip throw to put the ball back in bounds and the Beavers were able to take advantage of it against the Bulldogs.
 
The defense also played well as they secured their fourth shutout in a row and sixth shutout of the year. But this was a team win as Spain wanted to give credit to a group that is sometimes overlooked.
 
"Our midfield was exceptional tonight," Spain said. "Dalia Tapia, Meagan Kawahara and Carrisa Schlesinger were amazing."
 
As a team, with great defensive, midfield and offensive play and of course consistent goalkeeper play from Leila Torres and Erin Rafferty, the Beavers haven't let an opponent score in 433 minutes.
 
With the win, MSU also ties their best NSIC start at 7-0 which was set last season.
 
Minot State will look to continue this streak when they host St. Cloud State on Sunday, October 9, at Herb Parker Stadium. Kickoff for the game is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
About Minot State
Minot State University is a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and NCAA Division II offering 14 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletics programs. The NSIC is a premier NCAA DII, 16-member conference featuring teams in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. The Beavers are the only public NCAA Division II institution in the state of North Dakota.