SIOUX FALLS – As one of five unbeaten teams in the league, University of Sioux Falls Soccer has a tough slate of games this weekend when they take on two more squads with unblemished Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference records. The Cougars (3-2-1, 2-0-1 NSIC) travel to Mankato, Minn. to face league favorite and No. 14 ranked Minnesota State (4-1, 2-0 NSIC) on Friday, Sept. 22 at 1 p.m. Returning to the USF Sports Complex on Sunday, Sept. 24, the Cougars host Concordia-St. Paul (3-1-1, 1-0-1 NSIC) at 1 p.m.
 
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Cougars remain unbeaten in NSIC play, grab four points in pair of overtime games
With their non-conference schedule completed, USF returned to NSIC competition and earned four points over the weekend with a win and tie. Morgan Lovato scored an early goal against MSU Moorhead off of a Jackie Montes assist, but the Dragons equalized in the second half. Neither team could break the 1-1 score in both overtime periods which left each to walk away with a point. The following day, USF had a dominating performance on the ball, but struggled to finish as they out-shot Northern State 22-10 overall and put 10 of their shots on frame. Leading the offense all day, Lauren LaFavre's sixth shot of the game curled in past the NSU keeper. McKayla Philippi connected with LaFavre to earn the assist as USF and goalkeeper Morgan Perkins made five saves to post her second shutout of the season.
 
Early season offense has USF on pace to break D2 era records
Highlighted by USF's single game record for shots in their win over Southwest Minnesota State and the No. 2 performance against Northern State the following week, the Cougar offense has taken a big step forward early in 2017. With nine goals this season, the Cougars are well on their way of breaking the Division II-era season scoring record. The 2013 USF Soccer team scored 13 goals, the most in their Division II era while six different Cougars have combined for seven goals thus far in 2013. The mark of six different goal scorers is already tied for the second-most in a season behind the 2013 team's eight players who tallied a goal for USF. Individually, Lauren LaFavre's seven points this year (three goals, one assist) ties her total from last year and moves her to second in the USF annals for career points. Morgan Lovato, who has two goals and an assist just six games into her collegiate career, is 10th in USF's D2 history for points in a season. Chessa Novotny has added four points this year and her 11 career points is tied with Jackie Montes for fourth in USF history.
 
Perkins wraps up eighth career shutout, tied for conference lead
Through three NSIC games, junior goalkeeper Morgan Perkins has allowed one goal and posted two shutouts, making her one of the top goalies in the conference. With more than 292 minutes in goal, Perkins has accrued a 0.31 goals against average, which is third among NSIC goalies who have played in at least two NSIC contests. She now has multiple shutouts in each season at USF and would reach double digit career shutouts if she matches her total of four clean sheets from last year. On the season, the Liberty, Mo. native has a .929 save percentage (fourth in NSIC) on 13 total saves in NSIC play (seventh).
 
Series Histories
                Minnesota State leads series 5-0-0
Sioux Falls looks to continue to close the gap against perennial NSIC and national power Minnesota State. The Cougars also look for their first point against the Mavericks, who hold a 5-0-0 series lead over USF. MSU is ranked No. 14 entering Friday's game, the fifth time they've held a top-25 ranking before facing USF. On the road, USF is 0-2 at Minnesota State and all five meetings have come in NSIC regular season play.
 
                Concordia-St. Paul leads series 4-1-0
Sioux Falls snapped a four-game losing skid to Concordia-St. Paul last year when Lauren LaFavre's goal lead the Cougars to a 1-0 win on the road. USF hopes to continue to close the gap of the 4-1 lead that CSP holds over the Cougars in the series that began in 2012 when USF joined the NSIC. In the first three matchups, Concordia-St. Paul recorded three straight 3-1 victories then shut out USF in 2015 by a 3-0 margin. Last year, Lauren LaFavre scored her first career goal in the 38th minute and Morgan Perkins made nine saves to preserve the lead, helping USF snap their losing streak to CSP. At home, USF is 0-2 against the Golden Bears.
 
USF picked 13th in NSIC preseason poll
Coming off a year in which the Cougars recorded the most wins and points since their move to NCAA Division II, USF Soccer was picked to finish a program-best 13th in the NSIC preseason coaches' poll. The Cougars finished 14th in the final 2016 standings with a 3-10-2 record in NSIC play. Of the Cougars' 10 conference losses last season, eight were by a one-goal difference. The conference coaches took notice of USF Soccer's improvement under third-year head coach Brittany Domino and USF was slated 13th in the NSIC preseason coaches' poll, the highest in the poll since they joined the league in 2012. The Cougars collected 51 points in the poll while Minnesota State was the favorite with 11 first-place votes and USF's crosstown rival Augustana picked up the remaining five first-place nods to help them to second place.
 
Leader of the pride
In her third season at the helm of University of Sioux Falls Soccer, Brittany Domino looks to continue the growth of her program. Despite the 8-28-5 record in three seasons, Domino has turned the Cougars around with eight one-goal losses in 2016 and cutting her team's goals allowed by more than 30 in two years. A four-year starter for University of Nebraska, Domino is assisted by Kyle Halfpop and Gabe Wortman.