The University of Minnesota Duluth soccer team takes the field for their final regular season game on Thursday, Nov. 2 at 4 p.m. against Bemidji State University.

UMD faced off against Winona State University last week, an important Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference matchup, and tied them 3-3, earning one conference point. After last weekend's NSIC games, the Bulldogs are eighth in the standings. The top eight teams in the conference make the postseason.

BSU currently sits two places ahead of UMD, with two more points. A win Thursday would put the Bulldogs ahead of the Beavers and secure a playoff spot. 

Thursday's Matchup

In recent games, BSU has struggled. They could not get on the scoresheet last weekend, tying Concordia St. Paul 0-0 and dropping Sunday's game 4-0 to Minnesota State Mankato. They last scored Oct. 20 versus Augustana. 

Recent offensive production struggles aside, sophomore Katrina Barthelt leads the Beavers in goals (9) and points (20). This season she's had two two-goal performances, including a five-point game. With BSU looking to secure home field advantage in the playoffs, Barthelt is a likely candidate to break through the team's scoring drought. 

In contrast, UMD has been on an upward spring to close out the regular season. Through the past seven games, the Bulldogs have been undefeated (4-0-3), earning 15 conference points and moving into playoff contention. 

Vital to that success has been senior Jackie Jares. She tallied 15 points in the past seven games and leads UMD Soccer in goals (8), assists (6), and points (22) this season. Bulldog junior Anna Tobias and sophomore Miriam Marsan each have 12 points this season, the only other players on either roster with double-digit seasons.

The last seven games between UMD and BSU have either ended in a tie or been decided by a single goal. None of the games exceeded four total goals. 

Despite different end of the season routes, the Bulldogs and Beavers have had comparable results against NSIC opponents. Notably, BSU toppled second-ranked St. Cloud State 2-0 earlier this season, while UMD dropped two games to them. 

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Playoff Implications

There are several possible outcomes from Thursday's NSIC games. Wayne State currently sits two points behind the Bulldogs. Wayne State University kicks off against Winona State an hour after the Bulldogs begin play. If UMD wins, they secure their conference playoff spot. However, a win for the Wildcats could propel them into UMD's playoff spot if the Bulldogs earn no points. 

A Wayne State win and a UMD tie would level the teams at 21 points each, meaning a tiebreaker would be necessary. The NSIC defaults first to head-to-head results, but the teams tied 0-0 in their one season matchup. It would instead come down to goal differential.