Bemidji, Minn.
BSU Women’s Soccer Sets School Record for Wins
Beavers Host First Round NSIC Tournament Matchup
By Eric Story
Published: November 2, 2010
On Sunday the Bemidji State women’s soccer team capped off the best season in school history with a 1-0 win over the Minnesota State Mavericks, finishing 13-3-1 overall.
The Beavers had a lot on the line as they entered the final weekend of conference play. They were playing for a chance to not only set the school record for wins in a season and record for NSIC wins, but they were also playing for conference tournament seeding. By finishing in the top four they would host their first round tournament matchup.
Standing in their way was last place Southwest Minnesota State (0-8-3 NSIC) on Saturday and fourth place Minnesota State (7-3-1 NSIC) on Sunday.
“Our perspective changed going into the final weekend,” said head coach Jim Stone. “We’d hoped of having a shot at winning the conference, but that changed. Instead we were playing to host our first round matchup.”
Trailing 1-0 to Southwest Minnesota State in the second half, Bri Scanlan would find the back of the net to tie the game in the 64th minute. Scanlan’s goal earned the Beavers a 1-1 tie, avoiding a loss to the last place Mustangs who remained winless in conference play.
“Our perspective even changed during the weekend,” said Stone. “Limiting minutes of players, getting them rested for Wednesday.”
As they entered Sunday’s season finale all tied with Minnesota State at 8-3-1 and a third place finish on the line, the Beavers squeaked out a 1-0 victory over the Mavericks.
“We knew we had a good chance record wise,” said Stone. “We gave people something to think about moving forward.”
Goalkeeper Samantha Ross made 12 saves in net for the Beavers. Her tremendous effort came in the clutch making eight of her 12 saves in the second half picking up her 10th career shutout and sixth of the season.
Bri Scanlan netted her third game winner of the season and second goal of the weekend to help propel the Beavers to their 13th win of the season. Senior forward Ashlee Ellefsen scored her 101st career point on the weekend as she continues to pile up points in her record setting BSU career.
The Beavers finished Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action 9-3-1, tying a school record for conference wins in a season at nine.
Beavers will host Augustana College Vikings in the quarterfinals on Wednesday at 1 p.m. after earning the No. 3 seed in the first round of NSIC playoffs. The highest remaining seeds will host the semifinal and championship rounds
The Beavers posted their best NSIC record since going 9-1-4 in 2005. It was also the fifth time in school history BSU has posted a winning season in conference play.
Head coach Jim Stone continues to leave a lasting mark on the field and in the record books as well. After taking over the BSU soccer program in the 2002 season, he’s the only coach in program history to have a winning season and a winning conference record, doing each five times.
Stone’s teams have posted six straight seasons finishing with a .500 overall record or better. Five of those six teams have had winning conference records. Stone ranks as the school’s all-time win leader, posting a career 87-72-17 mark in his ninth year at the helm, going 47-40-8 in NSIC play.
On the season the Beaver offense was lead by a pair of senior forwards, Ashlee Ellefsen and Jamie Ford, each etching their names in BSU’s record book.
Ford is leaving her name in the record book as the season winds down. Taking second place to only Ellefsen, Ford owns the second spot on the career-points record at BSU with 76. She is also tied for first for career-assists with 22, and in fourth for career-goals with 27. The single-season record at BSU for most assists also belongs to Ford, with ten this season.
Ellefsen became the first player at Bemidji State to eclipse the century mark for points in a career. “Ashlee’s goals were big goals,” said Stone. “Even when she scored hat-tricks, the goals were meaningful. We didn’t have games were we scored eight or nine goals.”
Ellefsen continues to climb in the record books with every point she scores, owning the career-points record at BSU with 101, the career-goals record at BSU with 39 and the career-assists list with 23. She also owns the career-record for most game-winning goals at 14.
“Off the field you won’t meet a nicer person,” said Stone. “She’s going to be a tough one to lose.”
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| Senior Forward Ashlee Ellefsen Photo courtesy of BSU Athletic Media Relations |
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| Senior Forward Jamie Ford Fighting for Postion Photo courtesy of BSU Athletic Media Relations |
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