University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Sunday, November 15
Missoula, Mont.
1 p.m. MT
University of Northern Colorado
vs
Weber State
11/14/2026 9:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
MISSOULA, Mont. – Northern Colorado plays for a Big Sky Conference title Sunday, meeting Weber State in the championship match at 1 p.m. MT.
The Bears (10-6-4) are in their fifth Big Sky Championship game and their first since 2019, when they won the tournament. Northern Colorado is 2-3 all-time in championship matches, with titles in 2015 and 2019. Sunday's match offers the program's first NCAA Tournament berth since that 2019 run.
It is also a rematch. Weber State handed the Bears their only conference loss of the season, and Northern Colorado has not dropped a league match since.
How They Got Here
Northern Colorado built this run from the back. After a non-conference slate that included losses to Wyoming, Creighton, New Mexico, San Diego State and Boise State, the Bears found their footing in Big Sky play and went 7-1-2, with the lone defeat coming against the Wildcats. They closed the regular season with four wins in their final five matches and three shutouts in that stretch.
Thordis Melsted has been the anchor throughout. The senior from Hafnarfjörður, Iceland has started all 20 matches and played every minute of the conference season, posting nine shutouts and allowing 1.17 goals per game with a .815 save percentage. Her eight regular-season shutouts tied for the fourth-most in a career in the program's Division I era.
The defense in front of her has been equally settled. Mia Norman, the conference's Co-Defensive MVP, leads a back line that has kept the Bears in every match this fall and has been the backbone of a unit allowing 1.21 goals per game on the season.
The attack has spread itself across the roster. Ava Marshall leads the Bears with seven goals and has two game-winners, and Maddie Mori has added four goals and two assists. But Northern Colorado's semifinal breakthrough came from Lexi Tuite, who scored twice in Friday's 2-0 win over Northern Arizona for her second career multi-goal game and first since a hat trick in the final match of her freshman season.
Tim Barrera, in his 28th season at the helm, is making his fifth trip to a Big Sky championship match and earned Coach of the Year honors this fall.
Scouting the Wildcats
Weber State (12-6-2, 7-1-1) is the conference's top seed by record and averages 2.00 goals per game while allowing 1.25. The Wildcats won their semifinal 1-0 over Idaho on Friday.
Lily Blum has been the engine of the Weber State attack with 14 goals and five assists for 33 points, 14 more than any teammate. The Wildcats have scored 18 of their goals in the first half and take 13.2 shots per game while keeping opponents to 10.8.
FOLLOW THE BEARS:
For complete coverage of UNC Athletics, check out the official homepage at uncbears.com. Follow the Bears on X (@UNC_BearsSoccer), Instagram (@UNC_BearsSoccer), and Facebook (/UNCBearsSoccer).
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The Bears (10-6-4) are in their fifth Big Sky Championship game and their first since 2019, when they won the tournament. Northern Colorado is 2-3 all-time in championship matches, with titles in 2015 and 2019. Sunday's match offers the program's first NCAA Tournament berth since that 2019 run.
It is also a rematch. Weber State handed the Bears their only conference loss of the season, and Northern Colorado has not dropped a league match since.
How They Got Here
Northern Colorado built this run from the back. After a non-conference slate that included losses to Wyoming, Creighton, New Mexico, San Diego State and Boise State, the Bears found their footing in Big Sky play and went 7-1-2, with the lone defeat coming against the Wildcats. They closed the regular season with four wins in their final five matches and three shutouts in that stretch.
Thordis Melsted has been the anchor throughout. The senior from Hafnarfjörður, Iceland has started all 20 matches and played every minute of the conference season, posting nine shutouts and allowing 1.17 goals per game with a .815 save percentage. Her eight regular-season shutouts tied for the fourth-most in a career in the program's Division I era.
The defense in front of her has been equally settled. Mia Norman, the conference's Co-Defensive MVP, leads a back line that has kept the Bears in every match this fall and has been the backbone of a unit allowing 1.21 goals per game on the season.
The attack has spread itself across the roster. Ava Marshall leads the Bears with seven goals and has two game-winners, and Maddie Mori has added four goals and two assists. But Northern Colorado's semifinal breakthrough came from Lexi Tuite, who scored twice in Friday's 2-0 win over Northern Arizona for her second career multi-goal game and first since a hat trick in the final match of her freshman season.
Tim Barrera, in his 28th season at the helm, is making his fifth trip to a Big Sky championship match and earned Coach of the Year honors this fall.
Scouting the Wildcats
Weber State (12-6-2, 7-1-1) is the conference's top seed by record and averages 2.00 goals per game while allowing 1.25. The Wildcats won their semifinal 1-0 over Idaho on Friday.
Lily Blum has been the engine of the Weber State attack with 14 goals and five assists for 33 points, 14 more than any teammate. The Wildcats have scored 18 of their goals in the first half and take 13.2 shots per game while keeping opponents to 10.8.
FOLLOW THE BEARS:
For complete coverage of UNC Athletics, check out the official homepage at uncbears.com. Follow the Bears on X (@UNC_BearsSoccer), Instagram (@UNC_BearsSoccer), and Facebook (/UNCBearsSoccer).
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Players Mentioned
M
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
F
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