FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (October 10, 2023) – Northern Arizona Soccer (8-3-3) is set to host the Montana Grizzlies (9-2-3) this Thursday in the Jacks final regular season home match at 7 p.m. MST in Lumberjack Stadium.
Admission to the game is free and open to the public. The Jacks will be celebrating 'Throwback Thursday' and raffling off a Classic version of the Sorry Board Game, a Retro Bluetooth Speaker, and a set of Vinyl Record Coasters to students who can enter to win at the front entrance tent. Live stats will be available to follow
here, and the game will be streamed on
ESPN+.
NAU is eyeing the team's fourth-straight victory, coming off of a 4-1 win to Weber State, a 4-1 win to Idaho State, and a 3-0 win to Northern Colorado as the Lumberjacks will close out the four-match home stretch against the Griz. With just three matches left in conference play, Thursday's result will play a big factor into final regular season standings. NAU currently sits in second place, with Montana lurking just below in third place.
Maddie Shafer will enter Thursday's match coming off a two-goal game against Northern Colorado, the senior's first multi-goal match this season. Shafer leads the Jacks in points with 12 total coming from five goals and two assists.
Allison Veloz scored her sixth goal of the season against Northern Colorado as she leads the Jacks in goals scored as well as points, tied with Shafer at 12 total. Veloz has tabbed three game-winners this season.
Allie Larsen has proven to be an incredible dual threat asset for the Lumberjacks, showing off her ability to quickly move up from the back line to score offensively with two goals on the season. Larsen is just one of three field players with over 1000 minutes logged this season as well as the only player with 14 straight starts. Larsen and
Molly Massman will meet their former team for the first time after both spent their four-year undergraduate careers playing for the Griz.
Montana will enter the match on a six-game unbeaten streak, not losing since Sept. 10. Winning the last three matches against Idaho State, Weber State, and Idaho, the Griz last tie came on Sept. 28 to Eastern Washington in Cheney.
The Griz are led by Sydney Haustein on the offensive side of the ball, as the fifth year leads the team in goals scored with four and total points with 10. Three of Haustein's goals came as game winners for the Griz, with the most recent happening in the team's 2-1 victory to Weber State. Haustein also recorded an assist against Idaho State in the 1-0 shutout.
Playing all 14 matches and 1,260 minutes in goal, Ashlyn Dvorak has earned her spot as the Grizzlies keeper this season. The redshirt freshman has earned three Big Sky Defensive player of the week awards while recording eight shutouts, a goals against average of 0.50 and a .889 save percentage on the season.
To stay up to date with NAU Soccer, follow the Jacks on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
