Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney women's soccer team starts the 2014 season this weekend on the road with games at NSIC foes Sioux Falls and No. 21 SW Minnesota State.

On Friday, the Lopers and USF Cougars will play at 6:00 p.m. with the tilt against the Mustangs starting at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. Live stats are available for both games (USF …. SMSU). Fans can also watch the Southwest game via Stretch Internet (for $ 9.95).

In the preseason NSIC (Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) poll, Sioux Falls was picked 16th out of 16 teams while SW Minnesota was tabbed fourth and received one first place vote.

Last season, USF went 2-15-1 (2-12-1) and managed a 0-8-1 mark at home. UNK slipped past the Cougars, 1-0, in overtime in the season opener as junior Samantha Rieber (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) scored off a corner by junior Meaghan Pasbrig (Chandler, Ariz.).

Kearney controlled things, out shooting USF by an 8-1 margin.

Senior Ciara Howerton (8 points; three goals & two assists) is the leading returning scorer with senior Jordin Crosby or sophomore Cheyanne Carpenter the new keeper. Crosby appeared in just one game in 2013.

Southwest bested UNK, 2-1, last year at Cope Stadium. The 'Stangs tallied goals in the 30th and 64th minutes while the Lopers got on the board right after halftime on a shot by McKinzie Rieber.

Hosting Fort Hays State Friday night, SMSU went 16-4-2 (11-2-2 NSIC) last fall, going unbeaten over its first 11 contests.

Junior Miranda Cadena will be in the cross hairs of the UNK defense as she tallied 32 points (13 goals and six assists) last year. Three other returners went over 10 points as Southwest out scored its opponents by a 108-44 margin.

In goal, sophomore Brienna Dehkes started 21 of 22 games and managed a 0.69 GAA with 104 saves.

UNK has seen several All-MIAA players depart but junior Montanna Hosterman is back. A 2014 co-captain with senior Lauren Hoeft, Hosterman is on pace to become the Lopers all-time leading scorer, a mark currently held by Becka Talcott (42 points).

Hosterman has 23 points in just 28 games.

Hoeft is part of a stout Loper defense that had eight shut outs last season. She led the team in minutes (1,709) and should challenge the career minutes record of Sarah Talcott (6,407) with another healthy season.

Coming off the DL is sophomore Kadie Walaszczyk, who played in 18 games (16 starts) in 2012. She was third on the team in minutes with over 1,500 that fall and tallied 16 shots.

UNK does have 13 newcomers, including keeper Regan Zach. The Elkhorn High graduate has been enrolled in UNK for two years but joined the Lopers this summer and is slated to start.

Next week, NSIC-member Wayne State visits Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field Wednesday night. UNK then gets nine days off before opening MIAA play.