GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The UC Santa Barbara Women's Soccer team is set to wrap up their four-game road trip with games at North Dakota and North Dakota State on Thursday and Sunday, respectively.
 
LAST TIME OUT
After starting the season with a loss, the Gauchos are now unbeaten in their last four matches, going 3-0-1 over that span. The Blue and Gold went 2-0 last week with two shutout wins over Fresno State and San Jose State. In the Fresno State victory, Maddie Buckley made a season-high seven saves and posted her first clean sheet of the season. In the San Jose State victory, Haley Phillips' 70^th-minute goal was the difference while Kate Willmering recorded her second win and second shutout in as many starts.
 
SCOUTING THE FIGHTING HAWKS
The University of North Dakota comes into Thursday's matchup with a 5-1 record, dropping its first match of the season this past Sunday to Nicholls. Prior to the loss they were on a five-match winning streak and averaging over four goals per contest.
 
The Fighting Hawks' potent offense ranks 27^th nationally in scoring offense and is led by sophomore forward Charlie Basinet, who, in six games, has scored five goals and dished out three assists. Basinet ranks 11^th in total goals and 10^th in goals per game in all of Division I Women's Soccer. Additionally, UND has six other student-athletes who have scored multiple goals on the season, and in total, 10 have scored.
 
In net, the Gauchos are likely to see Grace Miller. The sophomore has played and started in five matches while posting a 0.42 goals against average with 14 saves and four shutouts (two solo and two combined). Junior Sydney Bakritzes has also seen time at keeper with one start and three games played. Bakritzes posts a 0.82 goals against average with two combined shutouts.
 
SCOUTING THE BISON
Following their match on Thursday, the Gauchos will head to Fargo, North Dakota, to take on North Dakota State on Sunday afternoon. NDSU comes into the week with a 3-3 record. After winning their opening match, they dropped three straight and have since bounced back with two wins with both being shutouts.
 
Through their first six games, the Bison have scored nine goals, all coming from nine different student-athletes. Morgan Russman leads the way offensively with five points (one goal and three assists) while Kendall Stadden and Hannah Arnhold each follow closely behind with four points (one goal and two assists).
 
Defensively, the Bison have also allowed nine goals, an average of 1.50 per contest. Of the nine goals, they have been split pretty evenly in terms of goals scored by half. NDSU has allowed four in the first half and five in the second. Hannah Stipp has started every game in goal for North Dakota State, posting a 1.50 goals against average on nine saves and two shutouts.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
Both games will be broadcast on the Summit League Network, with live stats also available through ucsbgauchos.com/WSOCLiveStats. The Gauchos and Fighting Hawks will kickoff at 1 p.m. Pacific time on Thursday, Sept. 4. Santa Barbara and North Dakota State will begin at 10 a.m. Pacific time on Sunday, Sept. 7.