VERMILLION, S.D. — Fresh off her first career Summit League Offensive Player of the Week honor, South Dakota sophomore Taryn LaBree heads back to her hometown this weekend as the Coyotes play at Colorado College and Air Force.
 
The Colorado Springs, Colorado, native began playing soccer at a young age, not because it was a fun sport but because of jealousy.
 
"I started playing when I was four or five," LaBree said. "My older brother and sister were playing and I was pretty jealous of them getting snacks at halftime and at the end of the game. I asked my mom if I could start playing, just for the snacks."
 
The snacks have led LaBree to the University of South Dakota, a place she decided to attend due to the family atmosphere.
 
"Soccer was 100 percent part of the equation when choosing a college," LaBree said. "The family aspect was told to me during the process and I felt it on my visits. You don't even have to know someone's name and they say hi to you."
 
She'll know the names of plenty of people on Friday with Colorado College located in Colorado Springs and the Air Force Academy just north on I-25 less than 10 miles.
 
"I'm excited for it but it's going to be kind of weird," LaBree said. "I'll have friends and family watching but I'll be playing against colleges that I watched growing up."
 
She will be able to celebrate with family after earning the Summit League's weekly honor for tallying the golden goal against Creighton, a goal she describes as similar as her first-career goal.
 
"I remember it well," Labree said referring to her first collegiate goal. "It was against South Dakota State and I got a beautiful through ball and was able to put it into the back of the net. It was almost identical to the through ball I got against Creighton."
 
To add to the similarities, both goals were game winners. 
 
LaBree leads the Coyotes with 14 shots, landing five on goal. She has started all six games this season and looks to continue improving each game.
 
"We talk about getting one-percent better in every aspect," LaBree said. "Getting one-percent more of our shots on frame, one-percent more of shots into the goal, getting that one-percent tackle on defense and so on. Just getting incrementally better and working our way to winning conference."
 
To continue preparing for the conference season, the Coyotes face Colorado College at 7 p.m. (CT) on Friday. The Tigers of the Mountain West Conference are 1-3-0 on the season having last played September 1 with a 2-0 loss at Kansas. Three different Tigers have scored one goal with Riley Prillwitz leading the team with four shots with three of them on goal. Jade Odom has started three games in net for CC, owning a 1.28 goals against average with 13 saves.
 
Colorado College was tabbed ninth in the Mountain West preseason poll which showed Sunday's opponent, Air Force, 10^th.
 
The Falcons are 2-3-0 this year but are riding back-to-back victories with a 3-1 triumph over Eastern Washington and a 1-0 victory against McNeese State. Kaitlyn Cook leads the squad with three points on a goal and an assist and tops the team with 14 shots. The Falcons return 2016 MWC all-newcomer selection Kasey Stavig, who has played in all five games on defense. Jennifer Hiddink has played every minute in goal, stopping 22 shots with a 1.19 goals against average.
 
Kickoff against Air Force is at 1 p.m. (CT) on Sunday.