TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The No. 15-ranked Northeastern State men's soccer team will play two road MIAA matches this weekend. The team will first head to Fayette, Iowa, for a 2 p.m. match Oct. 23 against Upper Iowa. The RiverHawks will then meet up with Lindenwood at noon Oct. 25.

ABOUT NSU
The RiverHawks (9-4, 3-1 MIAA) will carry a five-match win streak into weekend play, which includes wins over Harding, Fort Hays State, Ouachita Baptist, Southern Nazarene and Southwest Baptist. NSU has outscored opponents 20-2 during the stretch and has outscored opponents 35-12 this season. Freshman midfielder Joseph Garcia leads Northeastern State in scoring with 15 points (5g-5a). Senior forward Crosby Lee, who had just one goal before two matches ago is now right behind Garcia with 13 points (6g-2a). Senior goalkeeper Eric Shephard (9-4) has posted two straight shutouts and now has four on the year. Shephard has a goals-against average of 0.94 and a saves percentage of .818.

SCOUTING THE PEACOCKS
Name: Upper Iowa University
Location: Fayette, Iowa
Conference: MIAA
Record: 9-3-1, 2-2 MIAA
Series History: NSU leads 4-1
Top scorers: Greg Marshall (5g-0a=10p) (Marshall has played just six matches) / Ryan Pinkerton (4g-2a=10p) / Rhys Williams (4g-1a=9p)
Assist leader: Johnny McBeth (1g-5a=7p)
Top goalkeeper: Connor Rortvedt (7-2-1) / 0.67 GAA / .868 saves percentage
Fun fact: UIU is the only MIAA team to defeat the RiverHawks this season
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS
Name: Lindenwood University 
Location: St. Charles, Missouri
Conference: MIAA
Record: 6-5-2, 2-1-1 MIAA
Series History: NSU leads 4-2-1 and has won four straight
Top scorer: Stefan Andric (4g-1a=9p)
Assist leader: Nijaz Muratovic (1g-5a=7p)
Top goalkeeper: Andrew Hamerlinck (5-5-2) / 1.62 GAA / .683 saves percentage.
Fun fact: Lindenwood has played better on the road than at home this season. The Lions are 4-3 away from home and 1-2-2 at Hunter Stadium.

RIVERHAWKS CONTINUE TO CLIMB IN THE NATIONAL POLLS
Northeastern State has moved up two spots to No. 15 in the nation, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America announced Oct. 20. The RiverHawks continue to climb up the charts and have now been ranked inside the top 15 at least once in each of the past four seasons. NSU also remained the highest-ranked team from the MIAA. Fort Hays State checked in at No. 24, while Lindenwood is receiving two votes. NSU initially earned a preseason ranking of No. 21 and was issued a rank of No. 24 in the first regular-season polls. The RiverHawks dropped out for three weeks before returning to No. 24 two weeks ago.

NSU LISTED ATOP THE FIRST NCAA REGIONAL RANKINGS
The RiverHawks earned the top spot in the initial NCAA Central Region rankings, the National Collegiate Athletics Association announced Oct. 21. The top two programs from the Central Region at seasons' end will qualify for the 2015 NCAA Championship. They will meet in the NCAA Round of 16 at the home of the top team from the Midwest Region, which is currently Rockhurst. The next set of regional rankings will be released Oct. 28, and the NCAA Championship participants will be announced Nov. 9. The first installment of the regional rankings mirror the current standings in the MIAA. Fort Hays State is slotted at No. 2 in the region and meet NSU in the tournament for the third time in the last four years if the season were to end today. NSU defeated FHSU in 2012 and the Tigers advanced last season on penalty kicks after the match ended in a draw. Lindenwood and Upper Iowa are currently on the outside looking in. They are ranked No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.
 
MIAA LEADERBOARD
Trevor Reed: T-1 in shots (39), 6th in points (11), T-5 in goals (5), T-1 in game-winning goals (2)
Joseph Garcia: T-2 in points (15), T-5 in goals (5), T-1 in assists (5)
Crosby Lee: 9th in shots (20), T-3 in points (13), T-3 in goals (6)
Paul Samia: T-5 in assists (3)
Brenden Bombardier: T-4 in assists (3)
James Olmos: 8th in shots taken (22)
Justin Todd: T-1 in game-winning goals (2)
Eric Shephard: 2nd in goals-against average (.944), 2nd in saves (54), 1st in shutouts (4), 2nd in saves percentage (.818).

TEAM HIGHS IN THE NCAA STATS (top 25)
16th in scoring offense (2.69)
18th in total goals (35)
20th in points per game (7.23)
14th in saves percentage (0.824)
21st in total points (94)
11th in shots per game (18.5)
12th in shots on goal per game (8.54)

LEE WINS SECOND-STRAIGHT LEAGUE LAUREL
Crosby Lee was honored for the second-straight week as the MIAA Men's Soccer Athlete of the Week, the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced Oct. 21. The senior forward from Golden, Colorado, scored twice, including his first-career game winner, as Northeastern State was the only team in the league to earn a conference victory this past week. Coming off his first-career hat trick, Lee scored just 4:12 into NSU's 5-0 victory over Southwest Baptist. He also scored in the 89th minute and now has five goals in his last two matches. Lee was an All-American defender last season, but he was moved up top three matches ago after returning from injury and is already leading the RiverHawks in scoring with six goals. Of the seven MIAA athlete of the week honors handed out this season, the RiverHawks have collected four of them. NSU has also won the last three in a row. Senior midfielder Brenden Bombardier was awarded the accolade Oct. 6. Sophomore midfielder Trevor Reed also won the award once this year (Sept. 8).