KICKOFF
Midwestern State squares off with Colorado Mines in the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs Sunday afternoon at the MSU Soccer Field. The winner moves on to face Regis (Colo.) for the South Central Region championship next weekend in Denver. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
 

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#7 Midwestern State vs. Colorado Mines
Sunday, Nov. 17 | 1 p.m.
MSU Soccer Field | Wichita Falls, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (11-3-1); Colorado Mines (11-6-1)
Live Video: None
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com  
 
SCOUTING THE OREDIGGERS
Colorado Mines skates into postseason having lost three of its last four and five its last nine including a 2-1 loss to Colorado Mesa in the semifinal round of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championship Tournament last weekend in Denver. Colorado Mines scored a 7-1-1 mark in the first half of the season which included wins over Midwestern State and St. Edward's. Three-time Daktronics All-American Tesho Akindele leads the CSM attack with 19 goals and nine assists as one of the top threats in NCAA Division II. Senior forward Baski Baker adds eight goals and three assists off of the bench, while sophomore midfielder Joe Haines contributes six goals. Junior Jared Herselman has tallied eight assists from a defensive position. Senior Colin Baker is the primary keeper who has allowed 26 goals in 18 matches for a 1.42 goals against average and a .711 save percentage with three shutouts. Colorado Mines scores 2.5 goals per game and allows nearly a goal per game.
 
COMMON OPPONENTS
Midwestern State and Colorado Mines has played four common opponents this season including Fort Lewis (Colo.), Colorado State-Pueblo, St. Edward's (Texas) and Northeastern State (Okla.). Against Fort Lewis: MSU lost 3-1 in the season, opener while CSM split winning 5-2 at home and losing 5-4 on the road. Against Colorado State-Pueblo: MSU beat CSUP 4-1 while CSM swept the Thunderwolves 5-1 and 2-1. Against St. Edward's: MSU split losing 2-1 on its home field before taking a 2-1 decision in Austin while CSM defeated the Hilltoppers 2-1 in its season opener. Against Northeastern State: MSU defeated the Riverhawks 2-1 in Tahlequah while CSM and NSU played to a 1-1 draw.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State and Colorado Mines meet for the 11th time on the pitch Sunday afternoon at the MSU Soccer Field. The Mustangs own a 6-4 overall advantage in the series and have won all three matches in Wichita Falls including a 3-1 victory in the Orediggers last trip to The Falls in an NCAA Division II third-round match on Nov. 14, 2010. Interestingly, each of CSM's four wins over the Mustangs has come on neutral field. Midwestern has also won both games on the Orediggers' home pitch in Golden.
 

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LAST TIME OUT VS. COLORADO MINES
Tesho Akindele's penalty kick in the 54th minute proved to be the difference in Colorado Mines' 1-0 win over Midwestern State on Sep. 8 in Austin. Each team attempted 10 shots with three shots falling on frame for the Orediggers and two for the Mustangs.
 
ABOUT THE NCAA DIVISION II PLAYOFFS
Midwestern State battles Colorado Mines for a berth in the third to be hosted by Regis (Colo.). Regis will also be the site for next weekend's national quarterfinals as the winners of the two West sub-regionals make the trip to the Rockies to decide their regional champion in Denver, as well. Cal State-Los Angeles and Simon Fraser (B.C.) vie for one of those spots Saturday while UC-San Diego and Chico State (Calif.) try for the other. The winner of next weekend's quarterfinal moves on to the Final Four on Dec. 5-7 in Evans, Ga.
 
MSU IN NCAA POSTSEASON PLAY
Midwestern State makes its ninth appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs -- all since the 2002 season and all during the Doug Elder era. The Mustangs boast an 11-6-3 overall mark in the postseason which includes two runs to the Final Four (2007, 2010) and five national quarterfinal appearances (2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010). Midwestern is 4-1-1 on its home pitch during the playoffs and was on the last four with two coming in 2008 (Incarnate Word, Fort Lewis) and two more in 2010 (Truman State, Colorado Mines). MSU fell in the 3-1 to Chico State (Calif.) in the 2003 national quarterfinals and battled Sonoma State (Calif.) to a 2-2 draw in the 2008 Elite Eight advancing on penalty kicks.
 

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ABOUT THE MUSTANGS
Midwestern State rides a 12-game unbeaten streak into the postseason posting a 10 wins during the run with two scoreless draws against Eastern New Mexico during the stretch. The Mustangs struggled out of the gate this season falling in three of its first four games taking defeats to Fort Lewis (Colo.), Colorado Mines and St. Edward's.  Junior forward Len Smith paces the Midwestern attack with eight goals and two assists while sophomore Idi Camara has come on strong for four goals and four assists. Junior forward Dan Johns gives the Mustangs a solid second options with five goals while junior midfielder Andrew Power has scored four times. Sophomore goalkeeper Nick Petolick played a key role during MSU's playoff push posting a 9-0-2 mark during his 11 starts with eight shutouts while carrying a 0.26 goals against average and a .941 save percentage. Midwestern State scores 2.06 goals per game and allows 0.75.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Midwestern State enjoyed a two-week hiatus since claiming a 3-0 victory over Houston-Victoria in its regular season finale on Nov. 3 at the MSU Soccer Field. Senior midfielder B.A. Catney tallied the eventual game winner off of an assist from VcMor Eligwe in the 9th minute, and then junior forward Len Smith added his eighth goal of the season which developed off of a long throw in by junior defender Chase Robertson in the 74th minute. Junior defender Kalen Ryden added a score off of a penalty kick in the 80th minute. Sophomore goalkeeper Nick Petolick made one save to secure his eight shutout of the season.
 
MIDWESTERN IN THE NSCAA TOP 25
The Mustangs moved back up to No. 7 in the Continental Tire/NSCAA Division II final regular season rankings released earlier this week. MSU has now spent 47 reporting period ranked in the Top 10 since the start of the 2006 season.
 
ELDER STILL ACTIVE WINNINGEST COACH
Midwestern State's Doug Elder remains the active winningest coach in NCAA Division II boasting a 205-46-26 mark (.787) in his 14th season at the helm of the Mustangs. Elder is a six-time NSCAA Region Coach of the Year and led MSU to 10-or-more wins in each of the last 14 years.
 
MIDWESTERN IN NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS
Sophomore goalkeeper Nick Petolick tops NCAA Division II in goals against average (0.189) and save percentage (.958) while ranking 62nd in saves per game (4.6). Junior defender Chase Robertson rates 35th in assists per game (0.46) and 69th in total assists (6.0). Junior forward Len Smith is 81st in goals per game (0.5) and 92nd in total goals (8.0).