This week the Jennies host 19th ranked Central Oklahoma Thursday at 7 p.m. at the South Recreation Complex before traveling to Tahlequah, Oklahoma for a 7 p.m. match against Northeastern State Saturday.
Northeastern State: Saturday's MIAA match with the Riverhawks will be the fifth meeting all-time. The Jennies lead the series 2-1-1, with the last meeting in 2007 ending in a 2-2 draw in Warrensburg.
The Coaches
Mike Cook, Central Oklahoma: Mike Cook has been with the Central Oklahoma soccer program since its inception and has built the Bronchos into a perennial NCAA Division II power.
Cook came to UCO when the school started the program in 1998 and has guided the Bronchos to an amazing 214-72-16 record over the past 14 years. He has a 19-year women's record of 302-94-17, ranking among the Division II coaching leaders in all-time wins and winning percentage (.752).
Mike, a native of Toronto, Canada, received both his bachelor's and master's degrees from SNU.
Chase Wooten, Northeastern State: Chase Wooten became Northeastern State's women's soccer head coach in January 2010, and is just the third person to serve in this capacity since the sport was added in 1996.
Wooten played at Centenary College from 1995-98 where he was a goalkeeper and the '98 male student-athlete of the year. He also played at Lindsey Wilson College from 1994-95 before transferring to Centenary, where the Columbia, Ky., school reached the NAIA Final Four.
Scouting the week's competition
Central Oklahoma: The Bronchos enter the week ranked 19th in the latest NSCAA Coaches poll. They have an impressive overall record of 11-1-1 and are 6-0-1 in the MIAA.
Central Oklahoma is paced by Brittni Walker. Walker has scored seven goals and dished out four assists so far this season. The Bronchos average 2.23 goals per game while limiting their opponents to just 0.69 per game. Central Oklahoma averages 15.3 shots per game while its opponents average just 8.2. UCO leads the MIAA in points with 81 total (6.23/game) and are second in goals scored with 29 (2.23/game).
Defensively, the Bronchos primary goalkeeper, Meagan Burke, has saved 47 shots and only allowed eight goals for a goals-against-average of 0.66. Her overall record is 10-1-1 with five shutouts.
Northeastern State: The Riverhawks enter the week with a 9-2 overall record and a 5-2 mark in MIAA play.
Northeastern State is led by Rachel Sordahl. Sordahl has netted eight goals this season to lead the team, including three game-winners. The Riverhawks average 2.73 goals per game while holding their opponents to 1.18 per game. Northeastern State averages 24.1 shots per game while its opponents only average 9.1. The Riverhawks lead the MIAA in goals scored with 30 (2.73/game) and shots with a total of 265 (24.09/game).
Defensively, the Riverhawks goalkeeper, Hannah Brudzinski, has saved 10 shots and allowed six goals for a goals-against-average of 1.22. Her overall record is 3-1 with three shutouts.
Four-time MIAA Coach of the Year,
Lewis Theobald is in his sixth season as head coach at Central Missouri and currently has an impressive 88-17-10 record.
With the Jennies 4-2 win over Winona State August 31st, Theobald became the all-time winningest coach in Jennies soccer history.
He recorded more wins in his first three seasons than any other coach in school history. He was the first assistant at Division I Indiana State, where he was the lead recruiter before coming to UCM.
He is a 1999 graduate of the University of Kansas.
Shain netting goals...and assists
Jennies senior midfielder
Kayla Shain contributed two assists and a goal in last week's two matches. Friday in Joplin she had an assist on the first goal of the match from
Alexis Robbers in the fourth minute. Sunday at East Central she contributed an assist on the first goal of the match from
Cindy Lackey in the 13th minute before scoring a goal of her own in the 56th minute off a
Becky Lackey assist. Shain now has three goals and is tied for the team-high in assists with three.
Stanley doubles up against MSSU
Jennies junior midfielder/forward
Carly Stanley scored two goals in the Jennies 3-1 win at Missouri Southern Friday. She scored what proved to be the game-winner in the 11th minute off a
Jenna Stones assists and then an insurance goal in the 48th minute, courtesy of an assist from
Kristin Bright. Stanley now has three goals this season.
Grindstaff on guard
Central Missouri goalkeeper
Jessica Grindstaff claimed her team-high fourth shutout in-goal Sunday at East Central. Grindstaff now has an overall record of 6-1-2 with a goals-against-average of 0.62. Her 0.62 GAA ranks third in the MIAA and her four shutouts is good for fourth in the conference.
Freshman firepower
Jennies freshman forward
Alexis Robbers picked up her team-high sixth goal Friday at Missouri Southern in the fourth minute off a
Kayla Shain assist. Robbers is tied for sixth in the MIAA with six goals scored this season and averages 0.50 goals per game.
Veteran experience
Copenhaver, Shain, Hanson and Stones will wear the captain's armband this season.
A new year, a new region
Central Missouri will no longer be a member of the South Central Region. Beginning this season, the Jennies will compete in the Central Region, composed of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NSIC), Great American Conference (GAC) and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA).
