VERMILLION, S.D. – South Dakota women's soccer will take to the home turf after a near month long hiatus Thursday and Sunday for a pair of conference foes.
 
The Coyotes (2-5-3, 0-0-1) are set to play their first home match since Sept. 8 on Thursday evening when they host the Omaha Mavericks (6-2-3, 0-1-1). After Thursday's showdown with Omaha, the Coyotes will regroup and take on the Kansas City Roos (6-3-3, 0-2-0) Sunday at First Bank & Trust Soccer Complex.
 
Last week, the Coyotes played their Summit League opener at St. Thomas, battling to a scoreless draw in St. Paul, Minn.
 
THE COYOTES
For the first time since the home opener against Morningside on Aug. 18, the Coyotes didn't allow a goal in their 0-0 draw at St. Thomas. Cambell Fischer recorded her first clean sheet of the season, saving two shots.
 
The Coyotes have also fared better at home than on the road this season. Both wins of the 2024 campaign have come on the turf of the First Bank & Trust Soccer Complex and the Coyotes stand at an even 2-2 at home.
 
There were four ties in eight Summit League matches over the first week and eight of the nine teams in the Summit League, including the Coyotes, logged at least one conference point in the opening weekend.
 
THE OPPONENTS
Omaha and Kansas City both walked away from the opening weekend of Summit League play without a victory, but Omaha recorded a conference point with a 1-1 draw against North Dakota State at home.
 
The Mavericks, like the Coyotes, played to a draw on the first night of Summit League play, but fell to South Dakota State Sunday 4-1 to suffer their first conference loss. The Mavericks scored exactly one goal in each conference game and have score multiple goals in four of their 11 matches this season.
 
The Roos are the only team in the conference to come away from the first week of Summit League action without a win, falling to Denver 3-1 and North Dakota State 1-0, both at home. The Roos have been held to a goal or less 7 times in 12 games, going 1-3-3 in those seven matches and losing their last three.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The Mavericks and Roos have had the upper hand on the all-time series history over the Coyotes. The Coyotes are 0-3-2 in their last five matches with the Mavericks and are 2-3 against Kansas City in that same time frame.
 
Last season, the Coyotes and Mavericks battled to a scoreless draw in Omaha. Two weeks later, the Coyotes fell at Kansas City 2-0.
 
HOW TO WATCH
The Coyotes and Mavericks will kick-off at 6 p.m. at First Bank & Trust Soccer Complex Thursday evening. Sunday's match between the Coyotes and the Roos is at 1 p.m. Sunday is also the annual Pink Game. The Coyotes will be wearing their pink jerseys in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness. Both matches will be available to watch on the Summit League Network. You can also follow @SDCoyotesSoccer on X (Formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook for more content.
 
ONE LAST THING
South Dakota head coach Michael Thomas stands at 49 career wins at USD, tying him with Jessica Maddox (2000-2004) for the most wins in program history. With the Coyotes' next win, Thomas will become the first coach in South Dakota soccer history to reach 50 wins. He already holds the mark for most conference victories with 27 and has recorded four seasons with a .500 record or better, more than any other coach in the program's history.