FARGO, N.D. - The North Dakota State soccer team will open up the 2023 season Thursday evening at Dacotah Field, welcoming in Boise State for a non-conference battle in the season opener for both sides. The Bison, who begin their 29th season in program history, and Broncos are slated for a 6:33 p.m. kickoff, with the game being televised locally on WDAY Xtra.
 
Game Coverage
Thursday's game will be streamed live online on The Summit League Network. The game will also have live statistics. Links for coverage will be available on GoBison.com.
 
On The Xtra
The season opener is the first of four Bison soccer games this season that will be televised across North Dakota and parts of Minnesota on WDAY Xtra. Dom Izzo (play-by-play), Michael Breker (color analyst) and Logan Campbell (sideline reporter) will have the call for the game. A full list of coverage areas and channels is available on gobison.com.
 
The Series
Thursday's match up will be the fourth meeting between North Dakota State and Boise State and the second meeting in Fargo. The Bison trail 0-2-1 in the all-time series, but the two teams have not met since September of 2013, a 1-0 loss in Fargo. The teams tied 1-1 in the first-ever meeting in 2009 and Boise State won 4-1 in 2012, both matches coming in Boise.
 
Preseason Notables
The Bison closed out exhibition play with a 2-0 victory over Manitoba at Dacotah Field on Monday, Aug. 14. Olivia Lovick's left-footed strike in the sixth minute put NDSU ahead 1-0, and the Bison scored again in the 42nd minute on an own-goal off Devon Kavanagh's corner kick. It was the second of two exhibition games for North Dakota State, which lost 2-0 at Minnesota the previous Monday, Aug. 7.
 
Season Openers
NDSU is 16-11-1 all-time in season openers dating back to the program's first match in September of 1995. In NDSU's Division I era, the Bison are 10-8-1 overall in season openers. Thursday will be the 16th time the Bison open the season at home, holding an 8-7 record all-time and a 5-5 record in DI play. The last time the Bison opened the season at home, NDSU fell to Idaho 0-1 in 2021.
 
Picked Fifth in Summit League
North Dakota State was picked fifth overall in the preseason coaches' poll announced on Tuesday, Aug. 15, recording 36 points in the voting. The Bison finished tied for fourth last season after a 4-5 record, including a return to the postseason with a trip to the Summit League Tournament.
 
Bison Return Three Postseason Honors
Three returning Bison earned postseason recognition in the Summit League Women's Soccer All-League Awards in 2022. Paige Goaley headlined the honors for NDSU, as she was named to the All-Summit League Second Team. Goalkeeper Abby Wilkinson earned All-Summit League Honorable Mention honors, while then transfer Elana Webber was named to the All-Summit League Newcomer Team.
 
Team Captain
Head coach Mike Regan announced senior Paige Goaley will serve as the team captain in 2023. Goaley, who was one of two captains last season (alongside Dani Stuber) is in her fifth year with the Bison.
 
Goaley, Wilkinson Named Summit League Players to Watch
Paige Goaley and Abby Wilkinson have been named Summit League Players to Watch in the league preseason release. Both seniors on the Bison squad, the duo was a part of a watch list that included 18 total players released along with the Summit League Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll.
 
Goaley returned to the lineup last season after missing the previous two years with an injury and was named to the All-Summit League Second Team and was also named a United Soccer Coaches All-West Region team honoree. She started all 20 games last season, logging 1,316 minutes on the pitch and recorded seven goals on 44 shots. Goaley also scored the fastest goal in NDSU history (37 seconds) in the season opener against Tarleton State (Aug. 19) and assisted on three goals tallying 17 total points.
 
Wilkinson garnered All-Summit League Honorable Mention honors and two Defensive Peak Performer of the Week awards last season, also in a return from injury the previous year. Wilkinson started in goal in 14 matches, logging over 1,252 minutes. She allowed just a 1.29 goals against average, recording four shutouts and made 70 saves for a .795 save percentage.
 
Iron Woman
Senior defender Ashleigh Heely wrapped up the 2022 season having played all 1820 minutes on the season at the heart of the Bison defense. Heely helped guide the Bison to seven cleansheets in 2022, after moving back from the midfield last year. NDSU had just one cleansheet in 2021.
 
That Goaley Scores
Paige Goaley, who missed two seasons with a leg injury, has been a goal-scoring threat since her return to the lineup in the 2022 season. She jumped straight into the action, scoring 37 seconds into her official return against Tarleton. Goaley added five goals in the last month, jumping toward the top of the Summit League in goals and points in league play and finished the year with seven total goals.
 
The Bison at Home
NDSU has a 47-27-5 record at Dacotah Field since moving from the Ellig Sports Complex at the start of the 2013 season. Heading into 2023, the Bison have had a .500 or better winning percentage at home in eight of the 10 seasons.
 
On The Day
The Bison will play for just the second time on August 17, with the only other game on the date coming in another season opener against Idaho State in Boise. The Bison scored twice but fell 3-2 in overtime in 2012.
 
Against the state of Idaho
NDSU will face a team from Idaho for the third-straight season after a home-and-home with Idaho the last two years. All-time, NDSU has played 10 games against Boise State, Idaho and Idaho State, all coming since 2007. NDSU is just 1-7-2 against teams from the "Gem" state.
 
Twins On the Roster
North Dakota State will dress a set of twins this season in freshmen Amaya and Gabrielle Garrett. The duo is one of just 12 sets of twins competing on the same team at the Division I level this season and the only set of twins in the Summit League. Of the 12 sets, six are true freshman, including Amaya and Gabrielle.
 
Experience on Backline
The Bison produced seven cleansheets last season, with experience on the backline providing dividends in front of goal. The four main players on the backline, who all return in 2023, (McKenna Strand, Kaitlyn Hanson, Ashleigh Heely, and Jess Hanley) have combined to play in 207 games with 155 starts and 13,736 minutes, with all over 3,200 career minutes.
 
What's Next?
The Bison will remain at home for the second of three-straight home games to begin the regular season, taking on Montana on Sunday, Aug. 20. Kickoff is slated for 1:33 p.m., with the game being televised on WDAY Xtra and the Summit League Network.