Box Score
(HAYS, Kan.) – The number 12 University of Central Missouri Jennies (12-1-0, 5-0-0 MIAA) escaped with a 2-1 victory over the Fort Hays State Tigers (4-8-1, 1-5-0 MIAA) Thursday night in Hays, Kansas.
            The first half was a battle for both teams as a combined 13 fouls were called. Central Missouri would strike first in the 28^th minute, when Carly Stanley (Desoto, Kan.) found Alyssa Rhodes (Olathe, Kan.) five yards outside the goal and fed her the ball. Rhodes controlled the ball with a perfect header past Hays goalkeeper Kelsey Grey to put the Jennies up 1-0. That would be the only goal of the first half as Central Missouri went into halftime up 1-0.
            The Jennies outshot the Tigers 8-2 in the first stanza with a decisive 6-0 advantage in corner kicks.
            The second half started off very similar to the first, with both teams clamping down on defense. This time though, the Tigers struck first with a header goal in the 66^th minute by Cindy Benitez to tie the match, 1-1. For the second consecutive week, Central Missouri regained the lead in the last five minutes of the match. This time it occurred at the 88:34 mark when Rhodes hammered a pass from 40 yards out to Becky Lackey (St. Peter's, Mo.). Lackey corralled the pass and found an open far right post, deflecting the ball to the back of the net, giving the Jennies the 2-1 lead with just 1:26 remaining in regulation time. Hays would threaten one more time but the shot was wide giving Central Missouri the 2-1 victory.
            For the match, the Jennies outshot the Tigers 18-5 and had a 9-2 corner kick advantage. The goal by Rhodes in the first half gives her a team-high nine goals this season while Lackey's game-winner in the 88^th minute is her seventh goal for 2011. Stanley picks up her team-high eighth assist while Rhodes increases her season assists to four. Jennies' goalkeeper Brooke Cooley (Alton, Ill.) improves her overall record in goal to 12-1-0 with the win.
            Central Missouri improves to 12-1-0 overall and a perfect 5-0-0 in MIAA conference play while Fort Hays falls to 4-8-1 on the season and 1-5-0 in conference action. The Jennies have now won 29 consecutive conference matches.
Central Missouri continues its long road swing Sunday with a trip to St. Charles, Missouri for a non-conference match against future MIAA member Lindenwood University. First kick is set for 1 p.m. at Hunter Stadium.