UMAC Game of the Week: Northland at Bethany Lutheran - Women's Soccer
UMAC Game of the Week Archives
The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Game of the Week is a feature that takes place each week throughout the conference portion of the season with one contest being selected and highlighted as the UMAC Game of the Week.
This week’s UMAC Game of the Week will take place on Saturday, October 24 as Bethany Lutheran College and Northland College meet in women’s soccer action. Both teams enter play on Saturday having clinched a spot in the 2015 UMAC Postseason Tournament, but seeds are yet to be determined. Northland is 6-2 in the UMAC with 15 total points while the Vikings are 5-3-1 with 12.5 total points.
About the Vikings
The Bethany women’s soccer team will host Northland on Saturday, October 24 with their sights on jumping up a spot in the UMAC standings. With a win, the Vikings would move ahead of Northland in the conference standings.
Freshman Ali Mix is leading the Vikings this season in goals (8) and assists (7). The freshman forward has stepped into the Vikings lineup and been a factor for opponents all season long. Seniors Taylor Friehl and Bridget Hennen enter the game with 19 and 15 total points each. Friehl has scored seven goals to go along with her five assists while Hennen had found the back of the net five times and dished out five assists. Sophomore Nicole Moldstad is third on the team with five goals scored and second on the team with six assists.
The Vikings goalkeeper, Averi Cash earned Defensive Player of the Week honors earlier this season with her efforts in goal for her team. The sophomore goalkeeper has a save percentage of .724%. Cash has started nine games for Bethany this season in goal.
About the LumberJills
The Northland College women’s soccer team will enter Saturday’s game at Bethany Lutheran looking to continue to build on recent success in conference games. The Northland’s win against North Central on Saturday guaranteed qualification for the UMAC post season tournament but with a just a few games left, both teams will be looking for the win to solidify higher seeding going into the tournament. The LumberJills put themselves in a good spot with their most recent win over UW-Superior.
Madeline Weiland has 12 goals so far this season, good for fourth in the conference while Kaiya Voldberg has found the net 10 times for the Jills, currenlty tied for eighth best in the league. LumberJill goalkeeper Alexandria Ritchie has been solid this season and currently leads the UMAC in save percentage (.082). The race for the UMAC tournament title isn’t going to be a guarantee for any team this year, as the top five teams have the ability to beat each other on any given day.
Game Notes
- Northland is averaging 17.9 shots per game and 2.7 goals per game while the Vikings average 15.7 shots per game and 1.7 goals per game.
- In the first meeting between the two teams in 2014, Bethany defeated Northland 5-3. In the late season meeting, the Lumberjills beat the Vikings 2-1.
- Bethany's Taylor Friehl has four game-winning/go ahead goals this season.
- LumberJill Goalkeeper Alexandria Ritchie is leads the UMAC in save percentage.
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