No. 3 Minnesota State University will host St. Cloud State at The Pitch on Monday, November 2, at 1 p.m. in the opening round of the 2026 NSIC Women’s Soccer Tournament. The Mavericks enter the matchup as the top seed, while the Huskies arrive as the eighth seed, setting the stage for a high-stakes postseason rematch between the two conference rivals.
How did the Mavericks secure the top seed?
Minnesota State finished their regular season with a dominant 15-1-2 overall record, including a 12-1-2 mark within the NSIC. According to msumavericks.com, the team secured a share of the NSIC regular season championship last Thursday following a 4-2 victory over these very same Huskies. The Mavericks’ offensive engine proved to be the most potent in the conference, netting 49 goals—12 more than any other team in the NSIC—while their defense remained remarkably stingy, conceding only eight goals throughout the season.
2025-26 NSIC Winter All-Sports Standings AnnouncedMinnesota State holds the lead in the overall and women's standings while Augustana leads the men's standings as 11 of the 18 NSIC championships are in the books.More info at:https://t.co/I1khnvjHRn pic.twitter.com/cwx2sfcqbB
— https://x.com/NorthernSunConf/status/2042618616701686043
Individual standout Amara Smith led the charge with 13 goals and 31 points, both career highs and the third-highest marks in the conference. The team’s depth was also a defining factor, with 17 different players recording goals during the campaign. Goalkeeper Lauren McAlpine anchored this effort, finishing the regular season leading the NSIC in goals-against average (0.44), save percentage (.907), shutouts (14), and total wins (15).
What challenges do the Huskies bring to Mankato?
St. Cloud State, led by first-year head coach Maggie Sherman, enters the tournament with a 9-6-3 overall record and an 8-5-2 standing in the NSIC. Despite their lower seed, the Huskies possess an offensive core that has kept them competitive throughout the season. Linsey Trapino has been a major contributor, ranking fourth in the conference with 11 goals and 26 points, while Darby Allen leads the entire NSIC with eight assists.
The Huskies have utilized a two-goalkeeper system, rotating between Zoe Fujino and Jaylee Strickland. Strickland holds a 3-3-3 record with a 1.29 goals-against average, while Fujino, who started the most recent match against the Mavericks, carries a 5-3 record. While the Mavericks have historically held a 30-8-4 advantage over the Huskies, recent history suggests a much tighter affair.
Why is this matchup significant for the postseason bracket?
The NSIC tournament is a single-elimination format, meaning Monday’s result determines who moves on to the semifinals. The match is a direct rematch of last season’s NSIC Championship game, which the Mavericks won 2-1 in double overtime. Since 2014, the rivalry has been defined by narrow margins, with almost every encounter decided by a single goal or ending in a draw, with the exception of last Thursday’s 4-2 Minnesota State win.
The tournament structure dictates that there will be no reseeding following the first-round matches. The winners of Monday’s contests will advance to the semifinals and championship rounds, which are scheduled for Friday, November 6, and Sunday, November 8. The highest remaining seed following the quarterfinal matches will host the final two rounds of the tournament.
While the Mavericks have been a powerhouse at home, maintaining a 17-6-1 record at The Pitch, the Huskies are looking to play spoiler. With the regular season title shared with UMary already in the books, Minnesota State now turns its focus to defending its tournament position in a bracket where every goal carries the weight of a season’s end.
