Soccer | 9/6/2017 4:30:00 PM

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Augustana soccer team (0-1-1, 0-0-1 NSIC) heads to Minot, N.D. for the Minot State Classic where they are set to take on a pair of MIAA teams on Friday and Sunday.

The Vikings start the weekend off against No. 17 Fort Hays State (2-0-0). The match will be played at Herb Parker Stadium in Minot at 4 p.m. on Sept. 8. Augustana closes out the Minot State Classic at 11 a.m. on Sept. 10 against Emporia State (2-0-0).

Scouting Fort Hays State
The Tigers began the 2017 season with two wins over NSIC teams SMSU (6-0) and Upper Iowa (2-0). Last season, Fort Hays State went 15-5-3 (10-1 MIAA) and advanced to the Central Region Final, before losing to Central Missouri, 1-0.

The Tigers were selected to finish fourth in the MIAA preseason poll and currently sits 17th in the United Soccer Coaches Top-25 Poll and third in the Central Region poll.

This will be the first meeting between Augustana and Fort Hays State

Scouting Emporia State
The Hornets began the 2017 season with two wins over GAC teams Harding (2-0) and Ouachita Baptist (2-1).

Emporia State was selected to finish in seventh in the Preseason MIAA Poll after going 8-9-2 in 2016.

Emporia State leads the all-time series against Augustana, 3-0. The Hornets hold a 12-1 scoring edge over the Vikings in those three meetings. The Hornets and Vikings last met on Sept. 5, 2012 in Emporia Kan. with Emporia State winning 2-1.

Quick Kicks

•  Augustana is 10-11-2 all-time in neutral site matches.
• Augustana's last neutral site regular season match came on Sept. 7, 2014 in a 5-2 win over Southwest Baptist in Warrensburg, Mo.

Veteran Group

• Augustana has a veteran laden team with 15 student-athletes who have played in 20 or more games over their careers.
• Samantha Tymkowicz (63) and Mackenzie Main (61) lead the way for the Vikings with 60+ appearances.
• Ellie Knowles (54), Hannah Keirstead (52), Brooke Bleeker (49), Taylor Machacek (47), Rebekah Thoresen (45), Kallie Nordberg (41), Julie Plonsky (31), Lauren Brownrigg (29), Rebecca Gasper (28), Claire Dahm (22), Grace Behm (20), Katie Ortgies (20) and Grace Bender (20) round out the rest of the group.
• Seven Vikings have made 20+ starts in their careers: Bleeker (46), Machacek (44), Tymkowicz (43), Keirstead (32), Brownrigg (29), Knowles (29) and Thoresen (23).