Match Central

Weekly Match Notes (PDF)

Friday, Sept. 18 at Northern Arizona (3-4-0)
NAU MOUNTAIN CLASSIC
Lumberjack Stadium | Flagstaff, Ariz.
7 p.m. MST (9 p.m. CT)
Live Stats | Live Video | TV: Fox Sports Arizona PLUS, Fox College Sports Central, Fox Sports North PLUS
For television channel listings, click here.

Sunday, Sept. 20 vs. Grand Canyon (3-3-1)
NAU MOUNTAIN CLASSIC
Lumberjack Stadium | Flagstaff, Ariz.
Live Stats | Live Video | TV: None

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This Week in @NDSUsoccer:
 
NDSU Soccer Treks to Arizona for NAU Mountain Classic
The North Dakota State University women's soccer team will put its three-match winning-streak on the line when it travels to Flagstaff, Ariz., for a pair of matches in the NAU Mountain Classic this weekend. The Bison will face the host Northern Arizona Lumberjacks on Friday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. MST (9 p.m. CT) before concluding the classic on Sunday, Sept. 20, with a match against Grand Canyon at 10 a.m. MST (12 p.m. CT).
 
Media Coverage
Friday's match at Northern Arizona will be aired live on Fox Sports Arizona PLUS, Fox College Sports Central and Fox Sports North PLUS beginning at 9 p.m. CT. For channel listings, please visit www.FoxSports.com/tv-listings. In addition, live statistics and a live webcast will be available for both NDSU matches in the NAU Mountain Classic.
 
The Series Against Northern Arizona
Friday's match against Northern Arizona will be the inaugural meeting in the all-time series between the Bison and Lumberjacks.
 
The Series Against Grand Canyon
Sunday's contest with Grand Canyon will mark the first-ever encounter in the all-time series between NDSU and GCU.
 
Herd Quick Hits

• The Bison enter Friday's NAU Mountain Classic opener with Northern Arizona at 4-3-0 overall after defeating Iowa State in overtime on Sunday, Sept. 13, 3-2, in Ames, Iowa. NDSU has won three straight matches entering the weekend.
• Through seven matches, Lauren Miller has a team and Summit League-high six goals and 14 points, while Amy Yang has a team and Summit League-high four assists. Yang is second on the team in scoring with three goals, while seven other Bison have each netted one goal. 
• Goalkeeper Sierra Bonham has started all seven matches for NDSU, compiling a 4-3-0 record with two shutouts. The Red Deer, Alberta, native ranks second in The Summit League in saves with 45 and third in GAA at 1.36. Bonham has allowed 10 goals in 660:52 minutes between the pipes.
• As a team, NDSU is averaging 2.29 goals per game while holding its opponents to 1.43 per game. The Bison boast a 35-20 advantage in corner kicks taken through seven matches.  
• The Bison welcome back eight starters and 13 letterwinners from last season's team, including All-Summit League performers in Sierra Bonham, Lauren Miller, Meghan Johnston and Amy Yang.
• NDSU welcomes seven newcomers in freshmen Hanna Norman (D), Roxy Roemer (MF), Holly Enderle (F), Mallory Fenske (D), Taylor Turner (D) and Britney Monteon (F), and transfer Julia Edelstein (GK).
• Seven of the Bison's first nine matches will be played away from the friendly confines of Dacotah Field. NDSU's lone home matches during that span will be the regular season home opener on Aug. 28 with St. Cloud State and against North Dakota on Sept. 11.
• NDSU was picked third out of nine teams for the second consecutive year in The Summit League Preseason Coaches Poll.
• North Dakota State returns 77 percent of its goal scoring from last season.

 
About Northern Arizona

• Northern Arizona enters the weekend at 3-4-0 overall after defeating Loyola on Sept. 13, 3-0. The Lumberjacks have won three of their last four matches entering Friday's showdown with the Bison.
• NAU was picked to finish first out of 11 teams in the 2015 Big Sky Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll. 
• Last season, Northern Arizona posted an overall record of 12-6-4 and finished third in the Big Sky with a mark of 5-2-3.
• Through seven matches, Haley Wingender leads the Lumberjacks offensively with five goals, one assist, 11 points and 13 shots on goal, while Adrian Nixt is second on the team in scoring with three goals. Nixt leads NAU in game-winning goals with two.
• Goalkeeper Natalie Gilbertson has started six of seven matches for NAU, compiling a 3-4-0 record. She has given up 11 goals while making 29 saves for a goals-against average (GAA) of 1.76.
• As a team, NAU is averaging 2.00 goals per game while holding its opponents to 1.57 per game.
• The Lumberjacks are under the direction of 15th-season head coach Andre Luciano (112-120-40 record at Northern Arizona).   

 
About Grand Canyon

• Entering the weekend, Grand Canyon is 3-3-1 overall after falling to No. 2 Florida State, 3-0, on Sept. 13 in Tallahassee, Fla. GCU will face Robert Morris Friday before taking on the Bison Sunday in the NAU Mountain Classic.
• The Lopes were picked to finish second out of eight teams in the 2015 WAC Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Last season, Grand Canyon tallied an overall record 8-9-1 and finished fourth in the WAC at 7-3-0.
• Through seven matches, GCU is paced offensively by Milla Benedetti with four goals, one assist, nine points, eight shots on goal and one game-winning goal, while Kelsie Roberts and Cassie Beckwith are second on the team in scoring with two goals each.
• Goalkeeper Blakely Fraasch has started all seven matches for the Lopes, compiling an overall record of 3-3-1. She has surrendered 11 goals while making 34 saves for a 1.81 GAA.
• As a team, GCU is averaging 1.71 goals per game while giving up 1.86 per game to its foes.
• The Lopes are under the leadership of eighth season head coach Stevie Gill.

 
NDSU in The Summit League Statistics (As of Sept. 16)
Relevant Team Statistics (All Matches):
Goals - 2nd (16) ... Assists - 2nd (15) ... Shots - 3rd (98) ... Goals per game - 2nd (2.3/game) ... Goals Allowed - 7th (10) ... Shot percentage - 1st (.163) ... GAA - 3rd (1.36) ... Corner kicks - 2nd (35) ... Yellow Cards - T3rd (5).
 
Relevant Individual Statistics (All Matches):
Lauren Miller - Goals: 1st (6), Points: 1st (14), Shots: 1st (24), SOG: T-2nd (12) ... Amy Yang - Assists: 1st (4), Goals: T-4th (3), Points: 2nd (10), Shots: T-4th (20) ... Britney Monteon - Assists: T-2nd (3) ... Sierra Bonham - Saves: 2nd (45), GAA: 3rd (1.36), Save percentage: 4th (.818), Goals allowed: T-6th (10), Minutes: 1st (660:52).
 
Bonham Named Summit League Defensive Player of the Week
North Dakota State University senior goalkeeper Sierra Bonham was named The Summit League Defensive Player of the Week for her performance Sept. 7-13.

Bonham, a native of Red Deer, Alberta, earns her second career Defensive Player of the Week award after posting a perfect 2-0 record with a 0.89 goals-against average and .875 save percentage during the week.

In NDSU's thrilling 1-0 double overtime win over North Dakota Friday, she tallied four saves, including three crucial stops in the second overtime to preserve the win and earn her second shutout of the season between the pipes.

At Iowa State Sunday, Bonham made a match-high 10 saves to help North Dakota State to a 3-2 triumph over the Cyclones.
 
Making History
NDSU's overtime victory at Iowa State on Sunday marked the first-ever win over a Big 12 Conference opponent in program history. 
 
Overtime Success
After their 3-2 overtime triumph at Iowa State Sunday, the Bison are now 2-1-0 in overtime this season. Their only loss in extra time came at then No. 14-ranked Wisconsin on Aug. 23.
 
Instant Impact
NDSU freshmen Roxy Roemer, Britney Monteon, Holly Enderle, Hanna Norman and Mallory Fenske have each netted one goal through seven matches. Monteon also has three assists, while Enderle and Roemer each have one assist so far this season.  
 
Head Coach Mark Cook
Mark Cook is in his fourth season at the helm of the North Dakota State soccer program after being named head coach in 2012.  He is the fourth head coach in the 20-year history of the program.

Last season, Cook led the Bison to an 8-8-2 overall record and a fourth place finish in The Summit League with a league mark of 4-2-2. North Dakota State made its sixth consecutive appearance in The Summit League tournament and had five student-athletes named All-Summit League, including goalkeeper Sierra Bonham, who was named the league's Goalkeeper of the Year after compiling a 0.94 goals-against average with 5.1 shutouts and a save percentage of .827. Bonham was the first-ever NDSU student-athlete to earn the honor.

Cook came to NDSU after serving as the Director of Coaching at the Minnesota Thunder Academy for 11 years, where he grew a four-team program into one of the premier club programs in the Twin Cities with 65 teams in 2012.

Cook holds the United States Soccer Federation 'A' coaching license, the highest certification available in the U.S.  He also has the NSCAA Premier License and Director of Coaching Diploma.

He graduated from Alfred (N.Y.) University in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in communications. He was the starting goalkeeper at Alfred for two years.
 
Up Next
The Bison return home to Dacotah Field to host UC Riverside on Sunday, Sept. 27, at 1 p.m. in their final non-conference match before beginning Summit League play.