Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney women's soccer team begins the 2013 season at home this weekend with tilts against Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference foes Sioux Falls and Southwest Minnesota State.

The Lopers battle the USF Cougars Friday at 2:00 p.m. and then take on the Mustangs Sunday at 1:00 p.m. There will be no admission charge for Friday's contest.

To keep up with the action, visit the UNK live stats page.

In 2012, UNK started the fall with a 3-0 loss to Southwest. Two days later, the Loper rebounded to beat USF, a new Division II school, by a 3-2 score.

Southwest finished last year with a 7-9-1 (5-9-1) record. They ended on a rough note, dropping the final four games by a combined score of 9-2.

The team's top two scorers are back in sophomore forwards Miranda Cadena (14 points; six goals) and Kendahl Fisher (13 points; four goals). Cadena tallied goals in the 11th and 89th minutes against UNK last fall. The other SMSU goal came in the 80th minute.

Defensively, sophomore Kristy Leopold (1.71 GAA and a 2-1 record) or JUCO transfer Alexis Walker will be in goal.

Sioux Falls had a tough move into Division II, going 0-17-1 (0-14-1). Tying conference foe Northern State in October, they dropped 13 games by two or fewer goals.

Scoring eight goals in 18 games, USF must replace leading scorer Mikenna Greathouse (four goals) but senior keeper Corrin Cook returns.

UNK, which posted a 4-2-2 home mark in 2012, returns most of its lineup from a squad that won a school-record nine games.

The newcomers are keepers Jaclyn Paloucek and Kristen Rossi, defender Emma Keele, midfielder Courtney Hayden and forward Meaghan Pasbrig, a transfer from Division I UNLV.

A now veteran Loper team includes seniors Becka and Sarah Talcott. Becka needs six points to become UNK's all-time leading scorer with Sarah aiming to be an all-league pick for a third time.

Next week, the Blue & Gold head South to face NW Oklahoma State and region power SW Oklahoma State.