SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University women's soccer program will look for their first win of the season on Sunday, September 7, as they close out the opening weekend of play at Minnesota Crookston. Following their shutout of MSU Moorhead on Friday, the Yellow Jackets will also look to add to their 90 minutes of shutout soccer to begin the year in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
 
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Date/Time/Location: Sunday, September 7 / 11 a.m. MT/12 p.m. CT / Crookston, Minn. / Minnesota Crookston Soccer Field
NSIC Network: Fans can watch Sunday's contest for free on the NSIC Network.
 
BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES

• Black Hills State enters the contest with a record of 0-0-1 following their season opener at MSU Moorhead on Friday afternoon, which resulted in a 0-0 draw.
• The draw against MSUM marked the third consecutive season opening shutout for BHSU.
• 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.
• In the opening game of the season Black Hills State put up 20 shot attempts with four on target, attempted five corner kicks, and made five saves. The Dragons put up eight shot attempts with five on target, attempted five corner kicks, and made four 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.
• In game one the offensive attack was led by Ally Boysen and Hammer, who each attempted four shots, and Boysen was able to place two on target.
• 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.
• In game one Ashley Measles, Sargent, Wilson, and Vinton all played the full 90 minutes on the back line defensively.
• 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 received the start in goal in the season opener, becoming the first freshman to post a shutout in the season opener in program history as she made five saves in the contest.
• John Hutchison is in his third season as the head coach at Black Hills State, guiding the Yellow Jackets to a record of 6-23-7. Overall, 2025 is his seventh season as a collegiate head coach with a career mark of 17-66-15 after spending four prior seasons at Presentation College. 

MINNESOTA CROOKSTON STORYLINES

• Minnesota Crookston enters the game with a record of 0-0-1 on the season following a season opening 0-0 draw at Upper Iowa on Thursday afternoon.
• UMC is coming off a 1-15-2 (1-12-1 NSIC) season in 2024, which resulted in a 15^th place finish in the league standings with four points.
• The Golden Eagles were picked to finish 16^th in this year's NSIC Preseason Soccer Coaches' Poll.
• During the 2024 season Minnesota Crookston recorded four goals, one assist, 125 shots, 61 shots on goal, 28 corner kicks, and 143 saves. On the other hand, their opponents notched 43 goals, 39 assists, 330 shots, 186 shots on goal, 116 corner kicks, and 57 saves.
• In the season opener UMC was unable to post a shot attempt or corner kick, but made eight saves, while the Peacocks posted 12 shot attempts with eight shots on goal, eight corner kicks, and did not have to make a save.
• Offensively, Sarah Burgum returns and is the lone Golden Eagle to have scored last year that is on the 2025 roster. A year ago, she found the back of the net twice for four points as she recorded 18 shot attempts with ten on target.
• Defensively, the leader of the back line, Tessa VanOverbeke is back for UMC, having stared all 18 matches last season and played a total of 1,531 minutes. She assisted on one goal during the year.
• In goal, Jordan Metz returns after appearing in 16 games last year and making 14 starts. She made 119 saves during the year with 2.16 goals allowed average and a .788 save percentage. She recorded one shutout on the year.
• On Thursday, Payton King played all 90 minutes in goal, making eight saves and receiving the shutout.
• Danny Burstein is in his first season as the head coach at Minnesota Crookston, guiding the Golden Eagles to an 0-0-1 record.

SERIES HISTORY

• Sunday will mark the second meeting on the pitch between Black Hills State and Minnesota Crookston, with the teams tying in the only prior contest.
• The Yellow Jackets and Golden Eagles last played on September 15, 2024, in Spearfish with the game ending in a 0-0 draw.