Match 13: No. 8 Central Missouri (9-2-1, 4-0-1 MIAA) at Emporia State (4-4-4, 3-1-1 MIAA)
Friday, Oct. 13 | 3 p.m. | Emporia, Kan. (ESU Soccer Pitch)
Live Video (PPV) |
Live Stats
Match 14: No. 8 Central Missouri at No. 23 Washburn (10-1-1, 4-0-1 MIAA)
Sunday, Oct. 15 | 1 p.m. | Topeka, Kan. (Yager Stadium)
Live Video (PPV)
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Live Stats
2023 Jennies Soccer Roster |
2023 Emporia State Roster |
2023 Washburn Roster |
MIAA Women's Soccer |
United Soccer Coaches Poll
Scene Setter
- No. 8-ranked Central Missouri Jennies soccer (9-2-1, 4-0-1 MIAA) is set for two key MIAA road matches at Emporia State (4-4-4, 3-1-1 MIAA) and No. 23 Washburn (10-1-1, 4-0-1 MIAA) Friday, Oct. 13, and Sunday, Oct. 15. The Jennies are slated to play the Hornets of Emporia State Friday at 3 p.m. in Emporia, Kan., before battling to MIAA-leading Washburn Ichabods Sunday at 1 p.m. in Topeka, Kan.
- Central Missouri is ranked No. 8 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Division II Poll and is the favorite in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
- The Jennies are coming off a 2-0-0 week at home after recording a 4-0 win over Rogers State Oct. 6 and a 2-1 triumph over Northeastern State Oct. 8 in Warrensburg.
- Through 12 matches, UCM is paced offensively by freshman forward Mikayla Ernst (5 G, 2 A, 12 pts., 31 shots,15 SOG, .484 SOG%, 3 GW), redshirt junior midfielder/forward Caroline Cole (3 G, 2 A, 8 pts., 31 shots, 11 SOG, .355 SOG%, 2 GW), freshman midfielder Ryann Clark (2 G, 3 A, 7 pts., 21 shots, 13 SOG, .619 SOG%) and junior forward Ashleigh Martin (3 G, 1 A, 7 pts., 18 shots, 7 SOG, .389 SOG%).
- With 12 matches in the books, Central Missouri's leading goalkeeper is freshman Kristen Wright (8-1-1, 886:26, 3 GA, 0.30 GAA, 25 SV, .893 SV%, 6 SHO, 67 SF). Wright leads the MIAA in goals-against average (0.30) and save percentage (.893), and is second in shutouts (6). She ranks sixth in NCAA Division in goals-against average (0.30), 1th in shutouts (6) and ninth in save percentage (.893).
- As a team, the Jennies are averaging 1.83 goals per game while limiting opponents to a MIAA-low 0.33 goals per game. UCM has outshot its adversaries through 12 matches, 196-74, and is averaging 16.3 shots per game while holding opponents to 6.2 shots per game. In addition, Central Missouri has controlled set pieces through its first 12 matches, taking 76 corner kicks compared to just 20 for opponents.
Weekly Honors
Preseason Picks
- Jennies soccer was voted preseason No. 1 in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll for the 2023 season.
- UCM received 119 points and nine of 12 possible first-place votes in the poll.
Last Time Out for the Jennies
- No. 8-ranked University of Central Missouri Jennies soccer scored two first half goals and held on for a 2-1 victory over the Northeastern State RiverHawks Sunday, Oct. 8, in a MIAA match played at the South Recreation Complex.
- Central Missouri didn't take long to gain a lead, going up 1-0 in the 11th-minute when Ryann Clark took a pass from Mikayla Ernst and slid it into the back of the net for her second goal of the season.
- UCM went up 2-0 right before the end of the first half after Greycen Erisman powered a shot into the lower part of the net in the 41st-minute for her first goal of 2023.
- The match remained 2-0 until Northeastern State's Josie Jarvis scored a goal in the 75th-minute, cutting the Jennies' lead to 2-1.
- For the match, UCM and Northeastern State (3-5-4, 1-4-1 MIAA) both tallied 12 shots, with the RiverHawks posting a 7-5 advantage in shots on goal.
- Central Missouri goalkeeper Kristen Wright (8-1-1) earned the win between the posts after going the full 90 minutes and allowing one goal while making six saves.
Home Sweet Home
- Dating back to the 2016 season, the Jennies are 75-4-1 at the South Recreation Complex. During that span, UCM has surrendered just 57 goals.
- All-time at the South Recreation Complex, UCM is 150-14-8 under head coach Lewis Theobald and 214-35-9 in overall program history. The Jennies have compiled undefeated home records five times.
New Faces in the 'Burg
Series History
- Emporia State: UCM and Emporia State will meet for the 37th time in the all-time series Friday dating back to the first meeting in 2001. The Jennies lead the series, 26-8-2, but dropped two of three meetings with the Hornets last season. Emporia State defeated Central Missouri in Warrensburg in a regular season match, 3-1, before the Jennies turned back the Hornets in the MIAA Tournament Championship match, 4-3, prior to falling to ESU in the second round of the NCAA-II Central Regional, 1-0.
- Washburn: Central Missouri and Washburn will meet for the 32nd time in the all-time series dating back to 2003 on Sunday. UCM leads the series, 25-5-1. Last season, the Jennies defeated the Ichabods in Warrensburg, 2-0.
Head Coach Lewis Theobald
Lewis Theobald, now in his 16th year, has transformed the Jennies Soccer program into one of the premier programs not only in the MIAA, but in all of NCAA Division II.
The 11-time MIAA and five-time region Coach of the Year has an impressive 284-43-24 record. He recorded more wins in his first three seasons than any other coach in school history and is the all-time winningest coach in both Jennies soccer and MIAA women's soccer history. He brought home the program's first ever National Championship in the 2017 season.
Theobald entered the 2023 season as the winningest active coach in Division II women's soccer with an .845 winning percentage, among coaches with at least five years on the sidelines. He also is the all-time D-II leader among coaches with at least 10 years and is fifth all-time in all NCAA Divisions.
During his tenure, Theobald has coached 20 All-Americans in
Lindsay Edmonds,
Julia Kristensen, Kassie Newsom,
Caroline Cole, Ana Dilkes, Emily Eldridge, Baylie Edwards, Randi Fernsler, Allysa Gann, Kayla Hamner, Julie Ireland, Becky Lackey, Cindy Lackey, Abby Rhodes, Alyssa Rhodes, Jada Scott, Carly Stanley, Jenna Stones, Makayla Toth and Megan Woolley and has led 55 players to All-Region status. He also coached Dilkes, a goalkeeper, to a National Player of the Year honor during the 2017 season.
He has coached 126 All-Conference players, including Most Valuable Players Melanie Hall, Kayla Shain and two-time Player of the Year Alyssa Rhodes; Offensive Players of the Years Carly Stanley, Julie Ireland, Jada Scott, Kassie Newsom and
Julia Kristensen; Freshmen of the Year Alyssa Rhodes, Stanley, Hannah Pyle, Alexis Robbers, Nicki Wisnasky,
Caroline Cole and
Julia Kristensen; Defenders of the Year, Emily Eldridge, Allysa Gann, Cindy Lackey and Abby Rhodes; two-time Goalkeeper of the Year Lindsey Johnson and four-time Goalkeeper of the Year Ana Dilkes.
A 1999 graduate of the University of Kansas, Theobald received his bachelor's degree in education with a concentration in physical education.
On the Horizon
Central Missouri returns home to the South Recreation Complex in Warrensburg to host MIAA matches against Nebraska Kearney Oct. 20 and Fort Hays State Oct. 22.
