FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota State soccer returns to Dacotah Field for the final home game of the non-conference schedule on Thursday, September 2, as the Bison welcome in the University of Wyoming for the first-ever meeting between the two sides on the soccer pitch. Kickoff between NDSU and the Cowgirls is slated for 6 p.m.
 
Algera Climbing Charts
Senior Danielle Algera is the active leader for the Bison in games played (72) and games started (65). The Winnipeg native is on pace to crack the top 10 (78) for the Bison in games played in mid-November. She is also seven starts from the top 10 (72). Algera could climb to second in both categories. She is also the active leader in minutes played with 5,638.
 
Douglass Captures First Bison Goal of Season
Lavin Douglass picked up the first goal of the season for the Bison last Thursday and turned in a highlight reel effort in the process. Off a high bounce from just outside the penalty area, the junior struck a left-footed volley into the top right corner for her third-career goal. Douglass has now scored in each of her three seasons with the Bison. Douglass has scored a goal at home, on the road, and now in a neutral venue.
 
Schneider Surpasses 3,000 Minutes
In Thursday's game against Pacific, Ellie Schneider surpassed 3,000 career minutes as a Bison, one of just three active players on the list to do so (Algera and Brookelyn Dew). The senior is the only player for the Bison to play all 360 minutes this season.
 
Bison Have Recent History of Overcoming Slow Start
The Bison are coming off of a 3-0 defeat to Dixie State in Boise on Sunday, falling to 0-4 on the year. NDSU has started a season 0-4 one other time in the NCAA DI era, going 0-8 with one goal in the first eight games in 2017. However, despite the slow start, the Bison finished second in the Summit League during the regular season, and also finished as the runner-up in the conference tournament.
 
2021 Season Attendance Policy
With the return to a traditional fall season for the Bison women's soccer team, and matches being played with the standard Dacotah Field layout, attendance to Bison home soccer matches is once again open to the general public. Fans are strongly encouraged to wear masks to Bison soccer games and maintain social distancing where possible with the COVID-19 Pandemic still impacting our community.
 
About Wyoming
Wyoming enters Thursday's matchup at 3-0 on the season, but will play their first road game of the year. The Cowgirls are under the direction of first-year coach Colleen Corbin, who replaces former Bison head coach Pete Cuadrado, who left NDSU following the 2011 season to take the Wyoming job. The Cowgirls were picked 10th out of 12 teams in the Mountain West Preseason poll.
 
Junior Faith Joiner leads Wyoming offensively this season with two goals. She scored in the opener against D2 Colorado Mines and then scored against Omaha last Thursday. Goalkeeper Alex Daws has played all 270 minutes for the Cowgirls this season, recording one shutout and allowing just two goals. Daws has seven saves on the season.
 
The Series with Wyoming
Sunday's game between the Bison and Cowgirls will be the first all-time meeting between the two schools on the soccer pitch. North Dakota State and Wyoming have met 24 times in head-to-head competition in all sports. NDSU is just 6-18 against Wyoming as a department. The Bison hold a 2-8 record in games played against the Cowboys and Cowgirls in Fargo. All six victories have come on the wrestling mat.
 
National V-J Day
On September 2nd, also known as National V-J Day (Victory over Japan Day), the Bison have played seven times, dating back to the program's first season in 1995. In the very first game in Bison history, goalkeeper Renee Keller made 16 saves, which is the second most saves in program history.
 
The Bison also hold a 4-1 win over North Dakota in 2016. Holly Enderle scored her first of two career hat tricks for NDSU in the game.
 
NDSU is 2-5-0 all-time on September 2, with the most recent game coming in 2018, a 1-0 loss to Drake. In the D1 era, the Bison are 2-2-0 on September 2, including a 1-1 record in Fargo.
 
Sangillo Quickly Growing Into Role
Freshman Gabby Sangillo has progressively become more involved in action for the Bison, coming off a season high 76 minutes on Sunday. The Goodyear, Arizona native has progressed in minutes played through each game, starting with 27 in the opener against Idaho. Following 50 minutes against Baylor, which included one of the best scoring chances for the Bison in the game, Sangillo has moved to the starting lineup in the last two games. She played 57 minutes in her first start against Pacific, before 76 minutes against Dixie State.
 
Howe Gets First Start of Season
Goalkeeper Sofia Howe made her first start of the season on Sunday. The Chula Vista, California native made five saves, one off her career high of six last season against Oral Roberts.
 
Grandbois Getting Opportunity, Taking Shots
Freshman Bella Grandbois has started the last two games for the Bison and created opportunities in both starts. The New Hope, Minnesota native forced tough saves in both games last week and narrowly missed her first goal, shooting just over the cross bar in a long-range effort in Sunday's game against Dixie State. Grandbois has five shots on the season, tied for the team lead.
 
The Future is Now
The Bison welcomed seven newcomers this fall, which included six true freshmen. Six of those newcomers have already made appearances this season. Transfer Payton Jo Armijo has started every game, while freshmen Katie Pagel, Bella Grandbois, Gabby Sangillo and Olivia Watson made debuts as substitutes in the season opener against Idaho.
 
Freshman Josie Fieldman made her first appearance against Baylor. Fieldman, Grandbois and Sangillo all made their first starts for the Bison in last Thursday's game against Pacific. Pagel made her first start for the Bison in Sunday's matchup against Dixie State.
 
Picked Fifth in Summit League
North Dakota State was picked fifth in the Summit League preseason coaches' poll. The Bison received 44 points in the vote, slotting them into the same position they closed the 2020-21 season conducted this past spring.
 
The Bison are coming off of a 7-8-1 campaign in the Summit League in the spring, which featured season sweeps of Omaha and Western Illinois, as well as wins against Kansas City, North Dakota and Oral Roberts.
 
Lovick, Schneider named Summit League Players to Watch
Olivia Lovick and Ellie Schneider were tabbed as players to watch in the Summit League. Lovick was named to the 2020 Summit League All-Newcomer team after leading the Bison with 14 points and six goals scored as a freshman.
 
Schneider played a team-best 1,260 minutes last season, recording two game-winning goals. The senior started all 16 matches and was third on the team with seven points this spring.
 
Schneider Named to CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team
Defender Ellie Schneider was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team in June, following her performance in the classroom and on the pitch this spring. Schneider is the first Bison since 2011 to be selected to the team. Starting all 16 games for the Bison during the spring season, Schneider was third on the team with seven points. She recorded two goals and three assists. Schneider scored the game-winning goals against Western Illinois (Feb. 19) and Omaha (Feb. 28) and has a 3.96 GPA in Biological Science.
 
On the Horizon
The Bison will head back out on the road for the first of two games away from Dacotah Field to wrap up non-conference play, beginning with a trip to Omaha, Nebraska to take on Creighton on Thursday, September 9. Kickoff in the sixth meeting between North Dakota State and the Bluejays is set for 7 p.m. at Morrison Stadium.