Live Stats | Game Notes

The Grand Valley State women's soccer team showed no signs of a national championship hangover during the season's opening weekend, but its pair of blowout victories are now in the rearview mirror, and a trip to the North Star State is sure to put the 2014 club through a more rigorous test.
 
Riding a 26-match winning streak—tied with Nebraska Omaha for the fifth-longest run in Division II history—the No. 1 Lakers will be on the road for the rest of September, starting with this week's matches against Southwest Minnesota State (Sep. 12) and No. 7 Minnesota State (Sep. 14). Both matches will take place in Mankato, Minnesota.
 
"I'm looking forward to seeing how our girls are prepared for our first road trip," said head coach Jeff Hosler. "To travel out there and play two good teams the second weekend (of the season) will really challenge us."
 
Southwest Minnesota State could not have looked any different in its first two matches of the year. Following a 4-1 loss at the hands of Fort Hays State, which is now receiving votes in the NSCAA/Continental Tire Rankings, the Mustangs came back and throttled Nebraska-Kearney 6-1.
 
Hosler notes that while the polar opposite performances make SMSU difficult to scout, he knows it has the offensive personnel to challenge GVSU's backline.
 
Junior forward Miranda Cadena, a 2013 NSCAA All-America Third Team honoree, recorded a hat trick in the victory over Nebraska-Kearney, while senior forward Justine Hauck notched a goal in both matches.
 
Same goes for Minnesota State, the favorites to win the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The Lakers lead the all-time series 2-0-3, but this is arguably the most dangerous group of Mavericks they have come up against.
 
Leading scorer Korey Kronforst and senior midfielder Emily Moris, who earned an NSCAA All-America Third Team plaudit last season, will be a handful. For the Lakers to come away with two more wins, their veteran defense—seniors Juane Odendaal and Kaely Schlosser, junior Katy Woolley and sophomore Clare Carlson—will have to lead the way.
 
"There's no question Minnesota State is a quality opponent. They will be the most versatile attack we have seen so far," said Hosler. "Our backline is going to have to be really sharp, particularly on Sunday. With the forwards Minnesota State has and their creativity getting forward, the back line has to be good, including the play of (goalkeeper) Andrea (Strauss)."
 
GVSU's deep group of midfielders, which produced two goals and two assists in wins over then-No. 13 Quincy and Truman State, will also determine how successful of a weekend it will be.
 
"How our midfielders go is how our team is going to go in a lot of ways," said Hosler. "Being able to sustain possession and inflict our style of play on our opponent comes from our midfielders—both offensively and their ability to press and recover defensively."
 
Kick off for Friday's match against Southwest Minnesota State is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET. Sunday's clash with Minnesota State will commence at 1 p.m. ET.