SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University women's soccer program will look to carry the momentum of an opening weekend win as they continue their stretch of early season road contests. The Yellow Jackets visit the University of Nebraska-Kearney for the first of two matches at the Ron & Carol Cope Stadium as they are set to kickoff at 1 p.m. MT / 2 p.m. CT on Friday, September 12.
 
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Date/Time/Location: Friday, September 12 / 1 p.m. MT / 2 p.m. CT / Kearney, Nebraska / Ron & Carol Cope Stadium
MIAA Network: Fans can watch both Friday and Sunday's matches on the MIAA Network, a pay-per-view streaming service in which a single-game, monthly, or all-access pass can be purchased.
 
BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES

• Black Hills State enters the contest with a record of 1-0-1 following their first win of the season, defeating Minnesota Crookston 4-1 on the road this past Sunday.
• This past weekend was just the second opening weekend in program history in which they finished undefeated, joining the 2023 opening weekend when BHSU defeated Dakota Wesleyan (6-0) and Mount Marty (5-0).
• The Yellow Jackets five assists against the Golden Eagles matched the program single game record which was set last fall against New Mexico Highlands.
• The Yellow Jackets are coming off a 3-11-4 (3-8-1 RMAC) season in 2024, finishing 11^th in the league standings with ten points.
• After being in the hunt to make the conference tournament last season, the Yellow Jackets have been picked to finish 11^th in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Through two games this season Black Hills State has recorded four goals, five assists, 13 points, 38 shots, 14 shots on goal, ten corner kicks and seven saves, while on the other hand their opponents have notched one goal, one assist, three points, 14 shots, eight shots on goal, six corner kicks, and ten saves.
• In 2024 the Yellow Jackets broke the school single-season record for points (51), goals (18), and assists (15).
• Black Hills State returns seven players who scored a year ago, including Katy Vinton and Jayda Hammer who each found the back of the net three times. Additionally, Vinton led the team in assists with three and totaled nine points on the year.
• After being shutout in the season opener, four different players scored a goal for the Yellow Jackets, including Ella Cornelius, Peyton Hill, Ally Boysen, and Audrey Sillanpaa.
• Additionally, four different players notched an assist against the Golden Eagles, including Aubri Roth who assisted on a pair of goals.
• Cornelius and Hill each recorded both a goal and an assist against UMC, tying for the team lead in points with three. After happening only once prior to head coach John Hutchison's arrival, Sunday marked the fourth time under his watch that multiple players have recorded both a goal and assist in the same match.
• Defensively Ainsley Wilson will lead the back line of defense, coming off an Honorable Mention All-RMAC season in 2024. She started all 18 games, tallying 1,553 minutes of action, and helped the team post three shutouts. The three shutouts were the second most in a single season in program history. The Green & Gold also return Bria Sargent and Rylee Barnes, who appeared in 18 and 17 games respectively as defenders.
• Through two matches, Wilson is the only player to play all 180 minutes of action, while Vinton and Ashley Measles add 152 and 149 minutes on the back line defense as well.
• In goal, the Yellow Jackets only return one keeper, Zoe Wiggall who made four appearances, recorded 12 saves and was a part of one combined shutout. BHSU also brings in two newcomers at the position, including Karsyn Fraser-Slothower, who left Hutchinson Community College as the career saves leader, and Rian Barthel, who was a 4-time all-state selection in Wyoming.
• Barthel and Fraser-Slothower have each made one start and played the complete 90 minutes of their respective contests. Barthel received the start in goal in the season opener at MSUM, becoming the first freshman to post a shutout in the season opener in program history as she made five saves in the contest, while Fraser-Slothower made a pair of saves and notched the win against UMC.
• John Hutchison is in his third season as the head coach at Black Hills State, guiding the Yellow Jackets to a record of 7-23-7. Overall, 2025 is his seventh season as a collegiate head coach with a career mark of 18-66-15 after spending four prior seasons at Presentation College. 

NEBRASKA-KEARNEY STORYLINES

• Nebraska-Kearney enters the contest with a record of 0-2 after being shutout 2-0 against MSU Moorhead on Sunday afternoon.
• UNK is coming off an 8-6-5 (4-5-3 MIAA) season in 2024, which resulted in a seventh place finish in the league standings with 15 points. They were knocked out of the MIAA Women's Soccer Tournament in the quarterfinals, falling to the No. 21 Missouri Western by a score of 1-0.
• The Lopers were picked to finish eighth in this year's MIAA Preseason Soccer Coaches' Poll.
• Through two games the Lopers have yet to score a goal, but have 26 shots, 11 shots-on-goal, eight corner kicks, and 13 saves, while on the other hand their opponents have notched three goals, one assist, seven points, 25 shots, 16 shots-on-goal, one corner kick, and 11 saves.
• In the first two matches offensively, Hanna Schimmer and Billie Forrest have been the top players on the attack, as Schimmer has notched 13 shot attempts with five on target and Forrest has posted four shot attempts with two on target. Schimmer was a 2024 First Team All-MIAA honoree.
• Defensively, Riley Jensen and Keila Gillispie are the players to watch, having played all 180 minutes of action thus far on the year. Gillispie was an Honorable Mention All-MIAA selection a year ago.
• In goal, Susie Bovaird has started both matches, playing 110 minutes of action while making 10 saves for a 0.82 goals allowed average and a .909 save percentage. Madelyn Schaffert also has one appearance, playing 70 minutes and making three saves for a 2.58 goals allowed average and a .600 save percentage.
• Rob Breton is in his fourth season as a head coach, guiding the Lopers to an 11-36-10 record during his tenure. 

SERIES HISTORY

• Friday will mark just the second ever meeting on the pitch between Black Hills State and Nebraska-Kearney, with the two teams playing to a draw on the only occasion.
• The Yellow Jackets and Lopers played to a 2-2 draw on September 22, 2024, in Kearney, Nebraska.