Soccer preps for two-game homestand as Northern Iowa, Kansas come to Brookings

Friday, August 26

Brookings, S.D.

6 p.m.

South Dakota State University

Northern Iowa

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia Sports Media

Soccer preps for two-game homestand as Northern Iowa, Kansas come to Brookings

8/25/2016 9:09:00 AM | Women's Soccer

SDSU Game Notes

South Dakota State women's soccer is geared up for a two-game homestand, welcoming Northern Iowa and Kansas to Fishback Soccer Park this weekend. The Jackrabbits and Panthers will kick off at 6 p.m., on Friday before the weekend concludes with a showdown against the Jayhawks on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Scouting the Panthers
Northern Iowa enters Friday's contest at 0-1-1 on the year after its opening weekend on the road. The Panthers had a scoreless tie at North Dakota to open the season before falling, 2-0, at North Dakota State. UNI was tabbed sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll after finishing the 2015 campaign at 7-9-5. Goalkeeper Whitney Blunt was picked honorable mention on the preseason All-MVC team, and has opened the year with a 0.90 goals against average and 10 saves over 200 minutes in net. Offensively, UNI has not found the net this year but has fired 30 shots. Sarah Brandt leads the team with nine shots while Sydney Hayden has attempted five shots. In the all-time series, SDSU leads 6-1-3. The previous meeting saw the Jacks win 1-0 at home.

Scouting the Jayhawks
Kansas is coming off 1-1 opening weekend, falling 2-1 against No. 19 Minnesota before rebounding with a 1-0 win over Marquette. The Jayhawks will play Colorado at home on Friday before treking North for Sunday's game. KU, picked seventh in the Big 12 preseaon poll, went 10-9-2 and earned an appearance in the conference tournament championship game. The Jayhawks' Grace Hagan had four goals and three assists last year to lead KU, and has one goal this season through the opening two games. In goal, Maddie Dobyns started both games and has three saves with one shutout for the season. SDSU is looking for its first-ever win in the all-time series, going 0-4-0 against the Jayhawks. The previous meeting was a 3-0 Kansas win in Lawrence.

Last Time Out
The Jackrabbit soccer team opened the away portion of the 2016 with a narrow 1-0 loss to Iowa State on Sunday, Aug. 21. SDSU stayed even with the Cyclones through the opening 43 minutes before a goal from Brooke Tasker from 35 yards out gave the home a team a 1-0 advantage headed into the break. The Jacks looked to even things in hopes of a game-winner in the second period, but could not find a game-tying goal. Jennie Scislow fired the first SDSU shot of the day in the 90th minute. Nicole Inskeep played all 90 minutes in the contest, picking up four saves with one goal allowed.

Chart Climber
Goalkeeper Nicole Inskeep has picked up six saves through two games this year and is now tied for third overall in her career for saves, matching Jenn Davis who played for the Jacks from 2003-06, with 202 career saves. Inskeep is 65 saves away from No. 2 on the list and 67 saves back from tying the school record.

Eyes on the Prize
Winless through two games, the Jackrabbits have proven over the years it's not how you start, but how you finish. Since joining the NCAA Division I ranks in 2004, SDSU has gone 0-2 to open a season six times but has finished with a losing record just once, earning a trip to the NCAA College Cup in two of those seasons.

Exhibition Recap
The Jackrabbits played two exhibition games this preseason as part of tuneup for the 2016 campaign, traveling to face Missouri State in a neutral site contest and Northern Colorado. SDSU dropped the first contest, 2-0, before falling in the second at UNC, 1-0. Stats for the first game were not available, but in the second game 25 different Jackrabbits saw action, with Nicole Inskeep and Maggie Smither splitting time in net.

Rising Stars
As part of a core group of 20 returning letterwinners, the Jacks have several players looking to take the next leap in rising their potential. The lone returner from last year's back line, Ashley Adams is one of seven seniors on this year's squad. Adams started 20 of 21 games last season and logged 1,883 minutes (the most of any returner) on a defense that posted nine shutouts. Madison Yueill is the top returning scorer from last year's team after posting nine points with four goals and an assist. Tori Poole will look to elevate her game after a solid first two years. Poole was named the Summit League Tournament MVP as a freshman, and last season started 18 matches with one goal and two assists. Nicole Hatcher looks to remain healthy after an injury-plagued start to her career, though she tallied six points last year with two goals and two assists. Shelby Raper was dealt a season-ending ACL injury early in the 2015 campaign, but returns to the forward position looking to make an impact and return to her 2014 form when she had five goals and three assists (13 points). Nicole Inskeep returns in the net as a seasoned veteran who started every game last year.

New Guns
With nine newcomers and eight freshman, SDSU brings a youthful lineup into the season opener with expectations for one freshman to join the starting lineup. Alexa Hepner leads all position players in minutes played this season and has started both games on the back line for the Jackrabbits. Hepner joins a talented group of freshman expected to increase team athleticism and toughness, in addition to depth.

Inskeep named to Watch List
Senior goalkeeper Nicole Inskeep was named to The Summit League's Watch List as part of the preseason coaches poll release. The second-team All-Summit League selection from a year ago led the league in save percentage (.833) and goals-against average (1.82) while collecting five shutouts against league members. Overall, she recorded eight shutouts and posted a 1.06 goals-against average and registered a .815 save percentage and 11-5-3 record. As a starter in 20 of 21 matches in 2015, Inskeep enters the season ranked second in wins (27), shutouts (20), minutes (4,406) and matches played (49), third in starts (41), fourth in saves (195) and saves per game (3.97) and fifth in goals-against average (1.06) in the SDSU record book.

Jacks picked 2nd in Preseason Poll
For the third consecutive year, the South Dakota State women's soccer team was picked to finish second in the 2016 season, according to a preseason poll conducted by the league's head coaches. The two-time Summit League Tournament defending champions earned two first-place votes and 56 points in the poll ... Summit League regular-season champion North Dakota State was tabbed the preseason favorite with seven first-place votes and 63 points. The complete poll can be found on page three of the game notes.

2015 Season Review
South Dakota State earned its second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2015, falling at Minnesota, 5-0, in the opening round. SDSU won the Summit League tournament over North Dakota State to earn an NCAA berth, claiming a 3-0 victory over the rival Bison. Overall, SDSU posted a 12-6-3 record and a 5-1-2 conference mark. Individually, SDSU saw Diana Potterveld nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year and named the Summit League Scholar Athlete of the Year in addition to earning Capital One Academic All-America, All-District First Team and Summit League All-Academic and First Team honors. Joining her on the All-Summit League First Team was Tori Poole and Delaney Ratcliffe. Nicole Inskeep was named to the Second Team and Brittany Jensen earned an All-Freshman team nod.

-GoJacks.com-