NDSU Opens Home Slate vs. Bemidji St., Travels to North Dakota

After five games on the road to open the 2012 season, the North Dakota State University women's soccer team will play its first home match on Friday, Sept. 7, at 4 p.m. against Bemidji State at the Ellig Sports Complex. On Sunday, Sept. 9, the Bison will travel to Grand Forks, N.D., to face in-state rival North Dakota at 1 p.m.                                     

The Series vs. Bemidji State

North Dakota State has never lost to Bemidji State in soccer, with the Bison building a 5-0-0 lead in the all-time series. In the last meeting between the two schools on Sept. 1, 2007, NDSU claimed a 1-0 victory.

The Series vs. North Dakota

The Bison are tied with UND in the all-time series, 3-3-1. Last season, the two schools played to a 2-2 double-overtime draw in Fargo. Abbey Moenkedick and Holly Christian tallied NDSU's goals, as the Bison held a 34-16 advantage in shots and a 16-9 edge in shots on goal.

About the Bemidji State Beavers

Bemidji State (2-0-0) opened the season with home wins over Northern Michigan (1-0) and Michigan Tech (3-2, OT). The Beavers have been outshot 43-35 through two matches, but hold a 15-14 edge in shots on goal.  They were picked sixth in the 2012 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference preseason poll. Head coach Jim Stone is entering his 11th season after leading the Beavers to an 8-8-3 record in 2011.

            Junior Jessie Voeller leads Bemidji State with four points this season (1 G, 2A). Sophomore goalkeeper Sonja Barr has played the majority of time in goal, allowing no goals in 135 minutes.

About North Dakota

UND (1-2-1) has been outscored 12-8 this season. After dropping its first two matches to Northern Iowa (5-0) and Iowa (3-0), UND recovered to defeat Minnesota-Crookston 4-0 and earn a 4-4 draw at South Dakota. UND was picked to tie for ninth in the Big Sky Conference preseason poll.

            Senior forward Rhaya Bailon leads the UND offense with two goals and one assist this season. Sophomore goalkeeper Kristi Hestdalen owns a goals against average of 2.79.

Catching Up with the Bison

NDSU (1-4-0) has wrapped up its season-opening five-game road swing and is now left with six home and six road matches for the remainder of the regular season. Sophomore forward Anisha Kinnarath leads the Bison with two goals and 10 total shots on the season. Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Sierra Bonham has racked up 32 saves and a 2.20 goals against average in four matches.           

Last Time Out

The Bison fell 2-1 in overtime at Drake University on Sept. 2. Anisha Kinnarath scored NDSU's lone goal in the 75th minute to tie the match at 1-1, but Drake's Laura Moklestad notched the game-winner in the 96th minute. Sierra Bonham recorded 11 saves against the Bulldogs.

Save Machine

In four matches this season, NDSU redshirt freshman goalkeeper Sierra Bonham has totaled 32 saves. She has single-game totals of six, seven, eight and 11 saves, and her average of 8.00 saves per game is on pace to set the Bison single-season record. The current record of 5.88 saves per game was set by Karli Kopietz in 2005.

NDSU Single-season records

Saves per game (minimum 10 games)

    8.00 - Sierra Bonham (4 games) - 2012

1. 5.88 - Karli Kopietz (17 games) - 2005

2. 5.84 - Kalani Bertsch (19 games) - 2008

3. 5.60 - Kelly Tierney (10 games) - 1999

4. 5.55 - Patricia David (11 games) - 1998

5. 5.50 - Tara Sweeney (10 games) - 1999

6. 5.16 - Kelly Tierney (19 games) - 2002

7. 5.00 - Kelly Tierney (15 games) - 2001

8. 4.95 - Margaret Palo (19 games) - 1996

9. 4.87 - Margaret Palo (15 games) - 1997

10. 4.63 - Monica Morgan (19 games) - 2007

Cook Tallies First Victory as Head Coach

NDSU first-year head coach Mark Cook earned his first career victory on Aug. 24 when the Bison defeated Eastern Washington, 3-2.

Lukas Scores the Game-Winner

North Dakota State freshman Lizzie Lukas picked an opportune time to notch her first career goal, scoring the game-winner in the 84th minute on Aug. 24 to give the Bison a 3-2 road victory over Eastern Washington. The Bison traded goals with EWU twice before Lukas took a pass from redshirt freshman Mary Krambeer and found the back of the net for the deciding goal in the 84th minute.

NDSU Picked Fourth in Preseason Summit League Poll

In a preseason poll of The Summit League's nine head coaches, North Dakota State was picked to finish fourth in the league. One year after finishing conference play with a 7-1-1 mark and advancing to the title game of The Summit League tournament, the Bison garnered 46 points in the poll. Defending tournament champion Oakland and defending regular season champion South Dakota State came in first and second, respectively, in the poll. Kansas City (47 points) edged NDSU by one point for the No. 3 spot.

Cook Takes the Helm of NDSU Soccer

Mark Cook is in the midst of his first season as the head coach of the Bison, having taken over on Jan. 25, 2012. He is the fourth head coach in the 17-year history of the program. Prior to NDSU, Cook served as the Director of Coaching at the Minnesota Thunder Academy for 11 years, building one of the premier club programs in the Twin Cities.