FARGO, N.D. - North Dakota State soccer hits the road for the first of three straight away from Dacotah Field in Summit League play, as the Bison head to Brookings to take on South Dakota State on Thursday, Sept. 28. The game will be streamed live on the Summit League Network.
 
The Series
In the most played series in NDSU Soccer history, the Bison will meet South Dakota State for the 31st time, dating back to the first-ever meeting on October 15, 2000. North Dakota State trails in the series 16-11-3. The series has seen runs from both sides and was sitting even at 11-11-3 before SDSU started the latest run of five straight victories. In Brookings, the Bison are just 2-9-3, having not won at South Dakota State since a 1-0 victory on October 4, 2006.
 
Game Coverage
Thursday's match up with the South Dakota State will be streamed live on the Summit League Network and is also available through the Midco Sports Plus App. The game will also have live statistics. Links for all coverage are available via gobison.com.
 
Last Time Out for the Bison
NDSU came from behind to take the lead against Omaha in Summit League play on Sunday with a fourth goal of the season from Olivia Watson and a second-straight game with a header goal from Kelsey Kallio. However, Omaha would find a second-half equalizer to hand the Bison their second-straight draw in league play, with the game finishing at 2-2.
 
Last Year vs. South Dakota State
The Bison fell to South Dakota State 2-0 to close out the regular season. NDSU fell behind early as a defensive miscue led to an unassisted goal from Maya Hansen in the sixth minute. In the 23rd minute, Hansen would double the lead for SDSU as she scored off of a pass from Karlee Manding in what would turn out to be the final goal of the game.
 
Head It In Kallio
Senior Kelsey Kallio, the NDSU active career leader in assists (13), found herself on the first line of the scoresheet this week, as she headed home her first two goals of 2023. After being subbed on just prior to the play, Kallio headed in a corner kick on Thursday vs. Kansas City. On Sunday, Kallio heading in a cross vs. Omaha. With her fifth and sixth career goals, Kallio moves into third on the active NDSU points list at 25. Kallio also scooped up Co-Offensive Peak Performer of the Week honors from the Summit League.
 
Bison Finding Early Strikes
After controlling the scoresheet in the second half early in the season, the Bison have scored six of their last eight goals in the first half, including five in the opening 25 minutes and two inside the first six minutes of the game. The Bison scored a fourth-minute goal against Creighton and a sixth-minute goal against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Prior to the game against Creighton, six of NDSU's nine goals had come in the second half, with the other three coming in the final 15 minutes of the first half.
 
Watson Joins the Top of the List
Junior Olivia Watson scored her fourth goal of the season on Sunday against Omaha, taking over the team high this season. The goal, her 12th of her career, also moved her to the top of the active list for NDSU, joining Olivia Lovick at the top. Watson, who had six goals in her sophomore campaign last season, including four game winners, also leads the Bison in the game-winning goal category with five for her career. She sits second on the active points list at 26, trailing only Lovick (29).
 
Wilkinson Continues Climb
Abby Wilkinson has been moving on and up the career charts for the Bison. Wilkinson moved into a tie for eighth on the wins list (10) with her shutout against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. She passed Tara Sweeney for seventh on the all-time goalie games played and started list earlier this year, sitting at 32 in both. Her shutout against UAPB was her eighth cleansheet, moving her into a tie for eighth with Karli Kopietz and two shy of sixth. She also surpassed Sweeney in saves two weeks ago, moving into seventh, currently at 151. Wilkinson has also moved into 10th in goals against average (1.53).
 
Experience on Back Line
The Bison returned a wealth of experience on the back line, which led to seven cleansheets last season and three so far this season. The four main players (McKenna Strand, Kaitlyn Hanson, Ashleigh Heely, and Jess Hanley) on the back line in 2022, who all returned this season, have combined to play in 234 games with 174 starts. The group has logged over 15,000 minutes on the pitch, with all four over 3,300 career minutes played.
 
What's Next?
The Bison remain on the road and head to St. Paul, Minnesota for the second of three straight on the road in Summit League play, as NDSU takes on St. Thomas on Sunday, Oct. 1. The game will be streamed live on the Summit League Network.