GRIFFON SOCCER MIAA CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINAL PREVIEW
Friday, November 3^rd, 7 p.m., Warrensburg, Missouri
#2 Missouri Western (16-3) vs #6 Washburn (9-8-1)
Live Stats | Live Video | MIAA Championship Bracket
 
ST. JOSEPH – Another first for Griffon soccer comes Friday night as the team travels to Warrensburg, Missouri to take on Washburn in the MIAA Championship semifinals.
 
Missouri Western advanced to the round of four by earning its first-ever postseason win in its first-ever home postseason game Wednesday night. Sydney Cluck's game-winner came in the 85^th minute to give the Griffons a 2-1 victory over Central Oklahoma.
 
Friday, Missouri Western faces a Washburn team that upset third-seeded Northeastern State, 1-0 on Wednesday in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Bridget Blessie scored in the 13^th minute of a 1-0 win for the Griffons at Washburn on Oct. 20. The two teams meet again with a chance to advance to the MIAA Championship final on Nov. 5 against either Central Missouri or Fort Hays State.
 
FAN INFORMATION
The MIAA Championship semifinals and finals will be played at Jennies Field at the South Recreation Complex in Warrensburg, Missouri. A $5 admission will be charged for both rounds with children age-6 and under admitted free. Video streaming of the final two rounds will be pay-per-view. The MIAA Network is offering a package for the semifinals and finals with a one-time fee of $10 to view all three games. 
 
THE GRIFFONS
While MWSU shattered nearly every individual and team offensive record this season, the defense was the story late in the season. After surrendering seven goals through their first nine games, Missouri Western allowed a total of four goals in the last 10 games. The Griffons didn't allow a single goal in their last seven regular season wins and ran together a string of five-straight shutouts before a 2-0 loss to Central Missouri on Oct. 29. Going into Friday's game, the team had outscored opponents 49-11.
 
Missouri Western and the MIAA are led by first team All-MIAA forward Cassidy Menke. The junior leads the conference with 15 goals this season, including the Griffons' first on Wednesday night. Menke had the assist on Cluck's game-winner. Cluck, a second team All-MIAA forward, sits second in the MIAA with eight assists. Her teammate and first team All-MIAA midfielder, Madeline Cowell has seven.  Menke's 33 points are tied for the second most in the MIAA while Cluck's 24 are tied for the third most. Sarah Lyle's .628 goals against average is second lowest in the MIAA while her .853 save percentage is third best. Lyle earned second team All-MIAA honors this season.
 
WASHBURN
The Ichabods enter the semifinals having pulled off the only upset of the opening round. Two-straight losses to end the regular season dropped Washburn to the six-seed int the MIAA Championships where they upset third-seeded Northeastern State, 1-0. Washburn's 24 goals rank fifth in the MIAA while the 21 goals allowed by the Ichabods are the fifth fewest.
 
Ellie Karloff and Paige Swanson lead the team with five goals each. Tera Lynch and Paige Ledesma are tied for the team lead with three assists. Kaitlin Minnich has played every minute in goal for the Ichabods this season, posting a 1.08 goals against average and an .832 save percentage.