ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — After splitting their games against No. 12 Central Missouri and Missouri Southern this past weekend, Missouri Western Soccer travels west to kick off their road conference games against Nebraska Kearney and Fort Hays State.
Missouri Western sits at 3-3-2 and 1-0 in the MIAA, currently fifth in conference standings. The Griffons are 2-1-1 on the road this season.
WHERE TO WATCH
Fans can watch all Griffon Soccer games for a subscription fee on the MIAA Network.
NOTABLES
- Junior goalkeeper Keeley Kroonenberg was shown a red card in the 90th minute of the game against Central Missouri.
- Junior goalkeeper Sophie Wellinghoff got her first-ever career start against Missouri Southern, producing a shutout and a career-high five saves.
- Junior defender Lauren Nylund notched her second assist of the season on Sunday with a dish to senior forward Jaden Skinner.
- With goals by Skinner and freshman forward Kendall Knisley, they both lead MWSU with four this season. With nine points each, they are tied for third in the MIAA.
- The Griffons' win on Sunday was Head Coach Jacob Plocher's first victory at Spratt Stadium.
9/29 - SCOUTING NEBRASKA KEARNEY | 7 PM
In their first away conference matchup, the Griffons head to Nebraska to face the Nebraska Kearney Lopers (1-7, 0-1 MIAA). Kearney has lost five straight matches, last losing 4-0 to Washburn in the Lopers' MIAA opener in Topeka, Kansas.
Who to Watch
Sophomore midfielder Corynne Olsen leads the Lopers team with two goals. Her first goal came against Quincy University back in early September, while her second came two weeks ago against a familiar foe in Washburn. Olsen went scoreless throughout the 2022 season but has shown improvement already just barely a month into 2023. Another player to watch includes junior goalkeeper Mackenzie Smith. Smith has made 22 saves this season and has a 64% save percentage. She is 1-4 this season.
Head Coach
The head coach for the Lopers is Robert Breton. He is in his second year as head coach after joining the program in April 2022. Last season, Breton led the team to a winless season with a 0-15-2 record. Overall, Breton is 1-22-2 at UNK.
Rivalry Record Rabbit Hole
In the rivalry overall, the Griffons have the upper hand at 6-2-2 vs. the Lopers. Missouri Western is 4-1 when playing in Kearney.
Last Time Out
In their last matchup, the Griffons managed a 1-1 tie. In that game, forward Elizabeth Pujado was the lone goal scorer, and goalkeeper Keeley Kroonenberg made one save.
Their next head-to-head matchup will kick off at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium on Foster Field at 7 p.m.
10/1 - SCOUTING FORT HAYS STATE | 2 PM
Ranked second in the MIAA standings, Fort Hays State (5-1-2, 1-0 MIAA) is entering this matchup coming off of a 3-1 win vs. Emporia State.
Who to Watch
The Tigers rely on five different goal scorers, but their most impactful scorer is senior forward Hannah Mares. Mares leads the MIAA in goals scored with five. She was also a 2022 All-MIAA Second Team selection. Mares had three of her five goals come in her second game of the season against Southwestern College. Both sophomore forward Montserrat Diaz and junior forward Allison Worley have notched three goals each this season.
Head Coach
Tyson John is in his second season as head coach of the Tigers. Coach John led the team to an 11-3-7 and finished fourth in the MIAA. He is 16-4-9 overall with Hays.
Rivalry Record Rabbit Hole
Overall, the Griffons have had tough luck against the Tigers with a record of only 2-10-3. Their last win was a shutout 1-0 win back on Oct. 8, 2021. Missouri Western is 1-5-2 in Hays.
Last Time Out
In these teams' last matchup, the Tigers got the best of the Griffons 1-0. Both teams were scoreless in the first half until defender Gracen Chaney scored in the 70th minute, sealing the victory for the Tigers.
Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sunday at FHSU Soccer Stadium.
ON THIS DAY IN GRIFFON SOCCER HISTORY
Sept. 29 | Box Score | Video Recap
Back in 2017, the No. 24-ranked Griffons mauled Missouri Southern 5-2 at Spratt Stadium. Cassidy Menke broke a 2-2 tie in the 61st minute, scoring her 10th goal of the season and breaking her own season record from a year ago. Sydney Cluck notched three assists in the win, setting an MWSU single-game record.
Oct. 1 | Box Score
In heartbreaking fashion, the Griffons lost a 2021 overtime battle 3-2 to the No. 6 Emporia State Hornets. In the matchup, juniors Evelyn Daly and Kali Campbell were the goalscorers for the Griffons in the 11th and 78th minutes of the game. Three minutes after the Griffons went up 2-1, the Hornets equalized in the 81st minute making it 2-2. Both teams failed to score in the last ten minutes of the game which sent it into extra time. After much back-and-forth action, a wild throw-in led the 99th minute to a Hornet strike in the middle of the field for the game-winning goal.
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