Mahtomedi was undefeated last season until a Section 4 final loss to Stillwater, a stumble perhaps portended by a significant test against Roseville in a 7-4 victory in the section semifinals.
The Zephyrs look to soar past the Raiders when the teams tangle on Saturday.
Mahtomedi, which climbed from a 5-7 overall record two years ago to a 13-1 finish last year, hopes to continue building on its recent success.
With a 5-3 mark, Roseville finished in the top half of the Suburban East Conference standings last season behind state tournament qualifiers Cretin-Derham Hall and Stillwater.
To reach even higher this year, the Raiders offense will need to rely on the return of their young but potent goal scorer, Lauren Distad. As a freshman, she scored 46 goals in 13 games.