SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University women's soccer team looks to snap a 3-game losing streak this weekend as they face their first of two nationally ranked opponents this weekend when they travel to No. 15 UCCS on Friday, October 10. The match-up will be the second against a top-25 opponent for BHSU this season, and second in as many weekends. Along with seeking their first-ever top-25 victory, the Yellow Jackets will look for their first-ever win over the Mountain Lions.
 
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Date/Time/Location: Friday, October 10 / 11 a.m. / Colorado Springs, Colo. / Mountain Lion Stadium
RMAC Network: Beginning in the 2025-26 season the RMAC Network will now move to Pay-Per-View. Fans can purchase a single game pass ($10), monthly ($25) or annual subscription ($130). Individuals with bhsu.edu or yellowjackets.bhsu.edu email address can still take advantage of the Peak Pricing Promotion by using the code Y26-RMACEDU.
 
BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES

• Black Hills State enters the contest with a record of 4-4-2 (1-3-0 RMAC), as they fell to CSU Pueblo (2-1) last Sunday afternoon.
• The Yellow Jackets currently sit in a tie for eighth place with three points on the year. Also tied with them is Fort Lewis and Westminster. After being in the hunt to make the conference tournament last season, the Yellow Jackets were picked to finish 11^th in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• The Green & Gold opened conference play with a come from behind 2-1 win at New Mexico Highlands on Friday, September 26, marking their first win in an RMAC opener since 2023. The fourth win on the year also broke the school single-season record and notched the best start to a season in program history. The win marked the final of a 3-game win streak, which marked the longest in program history.
• With wins over Dakota State (4-0) and Montana State Billings (1-0), on Thursday, September 18, and Saturday, September 20, the Green & Gold improved to 2-0 to begin the year at home for the first time in program history. The win over the DSU notched the first-ever home opening victory in program history, and the win over MSUB marked the first-ever win over the Yellowjackets in six tries.
• The opening weekend of the 2025 season was just the second time in program history in which the Green & Gold finished undefeated in the opening week of play, drawing at MSU Moorhead (0-0) on Friday, September 5, and defeating Minnesota Crookston (4-1) on Sunday, September 7. In 2023 they also went unbeaten on opening weekend, defeating Dakota Wesleyan (6-0) and Mount Marty (5-0).
• The Yellow Jackets five assists against UMC on opening weekend matched the program single game record which was set last fall against New Mexico Highlands.
• BHSU has scored four goals twice this season, each time with four different players against UMC and DSU.
• Through ten games this season Black Hills State has recorded 13 goals, 14 assists, 40 points, 161 shots, 60 shots on goal, 54 corner kicks and 32 saves, while on the other hand their opponents have notched eight goals, eight assists, 24 points, 79 shots, 40 shots on goal, 31 corner kicks, and 47 saves.
• BHSU enters this weekend's games currently leading the RMAC in corner kicks per game (5.40) and shots per game (16.10). They've held the advantage in the two stat categories over their opponents in eight and seven games respectively.
• In 2024 the Yellow Jackets broke the school single-season record for points (51), goals (18), and assists (15).
• This year the BHSU defense has already forced four shutouts, matching the school single-season record, as they have held opponents to just 7.9 shot attempts and 4.0 shots-on-goal per game.
• Nine different players scored a goal for the Yellow Jackets this season, including Peyton Hill (4), Leah Day (2), Ella Cornelius (1), Kayla Truong (1), Jayda Hammer (1), Ally Boysen (1), Whitney Hansen (1), Audrey Sillanpaa (1), and Ainsley Wilson (1).
• Of the nine goal scorers, six found the back of the net for the first time in their career in 2025, including Boysen, Cornelius, Hansen, Hill, Truong, and Wilson.
• Additionally, eight different players have notched an assist this season for the Green & Gold, including Aubri Roth who leads the team with three on the year.
• Hill currently leads the team with ten points on the year by way of her four goals and two assists.
• Hill and Day are the only two players on the team with both multiple goals and assists this season.
• Cornelius and Hill each recorded both a goal and an assist against UMC, while Day notched a goal and an assist against DSU. After happening only once prior to head coach John Hutchison's arrival, the match against the Golden Eagles marked the fourth time under his watch that multiple players have recorded both a goal and assist in the same match.
• Through ten matches, 2024 Honorable Mention All-RMAC selection, Ainsley Wilson leads the team with 891 minutes played on the field, while Bria Sargent has also played 869 minutes on the back line of the defense.
• Rian Barthel has made six starts in goal, while Karsyn Fraser-Slothower has made four, each playing the entirety of their matches. Barthel has tied the school single-season record of three shutouts on the year, which includes becoming the first freshman to post a shutout in a season opener in program history. She holds a 0.857 save percentage and a 0.67 goals-against average with 24 saves. Fraser-Slothower kept Northwestern Oklahoma State off the scoreboard for the first time this season earlier this year as she has tallied a 0.667 save percentage and a 1.00 goals-against average with eight saves.
• 2025 marks the first time in program history that two or more goalkeepers have notched multiple wins in a season.
• The Yellow Jackets have only allowed a season-high of two goals twice this season, and their eight games of zero or one goals surrendered are the most such games in program history in a single year.
• John Hutchison is in his third season as the head coach at Black Hills State, guiding the Yellow Jackets to a record of 10-27-8. Overall, 2025 is his seventh season as a collegiate women's soccer head coach with a career mark of 21-70-16 after spending four prior seasons at Presentation College. 

#15 UCCS STORYLINES

• UCCS enters the weekend with a record of 7-1-2 (3-0-1 RMAC) on the year following a 4-1 victory at MSU Denver last Sunday.
• The Mountain Lions enter the contest 4-0-1 at Mountain Lion Stadium, which includes a 9-match unbeaten streak that started with a 4-1 win over Black Hills State on October 18, 2024.
• UCCS is currently second in the RMAC standings with ten points. They were selected second in the conferences' preseason coach's poll.
• The Mountain Lions are currently ranked No. 15 in the United Soccer Coaches' Top-25 rankings, falling three spots from No. 12 last week. They have appeared in the top-25 in all five regular season polls released this year.
• Through ten games UCCS has recorded 25 goals, 20 assists, 70 points, 144 shots, 59 shots-on-goal, 41 corner kicks, and 32 saves, while on the other hand their opponents have notched eight goals, six assist, 22 points, 101 shots, 40 shots-on-goal, 23 corner kicks, and 34 saves.
• UCCS leads the RMAC in points per game (7.00), scoring offense (2.50), total assists (20), total goals (25), and total points (70). Additionally, they rank 22^nd in NCAA Division II in points per game, 23^rd in total goals and total points, and 25^th in assists per game (2.00), scoring offense, and total assists.
• Brooke Pavlich leads the offensive attack for UCCS, finding the back of the net six times and adding a pair of assists for 14 points. She scored a season-high two goals in a win against Cal Poly Humboldt on September 20. Pavlich leads the RMAC and ranks fourth in the nation with four game-winning goals.
• Pavlich is one of five players on the team with multiple goals scored this season, which also includes Abby Stassi (5), Luka Johnson (4), Emily Aguilar (3), and Casey Tadlock (2).
• The pair of Elise Broberg and Taylynn Levi lead the team and the conference with four assists apiece.
• Malia Groshong has spearheaded the defense, playing 864 minutes this year and helping the team to five shutout performances.
• Nylah Mirshafiei has started all ten games in 2025 for UCCS, recording a 0.795 save percentage, 0.80 goals-against average, and has made 31 saves. She has posted five shutouts during the season, ranking 15^th nationally, and has only allowed one goal in six games since September 16 at Air Force.
• J.B. Belzer is in his sixth season as the head coach at UCCS, guiding the Mountain Lions to a 73-23-11 record during his tenure. Overall, he is in his 30^th season as a collegiate women's soccer head coach, spending 24 prior seasons at Regis to help bring his overall record to 389-169-48.

SERIES HISTORY

• Friday marks the tenth all-time meeting on the pitch between Black Hills State and UCCS, with the Mountain Lions leading the all-time series 9-0.
• The Mountain Lions earned a 4-1 victory over the Yellow Jackets in their last outing on October 18, 2024, at Mountain Lion Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colorado.