Match 17: No. 15 Central Missouri (12-3-1, 7-1-1 MIAA) vs. Missouri Western (5-6-5, 3-3-3 MIAA)
Friday, Oct. 27 | 7 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (South Recreation Complex)
Live Video (PPV) |
Live Stats
Match 18: No. 15 Central Missouri vs. Missouri Southern (0-14-2, 0-8-1 MIAA)
Sunday, Oct. 29 | 1 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (South Recreation Complex)
Live Video (PPV) |
Live Stats
**Senior Day before match**
2023 Jennies Soccer Roster |
2023 Missouri Western Roster |
2023 Missouri Southern Roster |
MIAA Women's Soccer |
United Soccer Coaches Poll
Scene Setter
- No. 15-ranked Central Missouri Jennies soccer (12-3-1, 7-1-1 MIAA) is scheduled to wrap up the 2023 regular season with a pair of home matches at the South Recreation Complex Friday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. vs. Missouri Western (5-6-5, 3-3-3 MIAA) and Sunday, Oct. 29, at 1 p.m. vs. Missouri Southern (0-14-2, 0-8-1 MIAA).
- Sunday's match will be Senior Day, and the Jennies will honor their seniors prior to the start of the match.
- Central Missouri is ranked No. 15 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 last week, rolling to a 5-0 shutout win over Nebraska Kearney Oct. 20 before blanking Fort Hays State Oct. 22, 3-0.
- Through 16 matches, UCM is paced offensively by redshirt junior midfielder/forward Caroline Cole (6 G, 3 A, 15 pts., 40 shots, 18 SOG, .450 SOG%, 3 GW, 1-1 PK) freshman forward Mikayla Ernst (5 G, 2 A, 12 pts., 36 shots,16 SOG, .444 SOG%, 3 GW), freshman midfielder Ryann Clark (4 G, 3 A, 11 pts., 31 shots, 22 SOG, .710 SOG%), junior forward Ashleigh Martin (3 G, 4 A, 10 pts., 22 shots, 8 SOG, .364 SOG%) and junior midfielder Lexie Ruf (4 G, 1 A, 9 pts., 15 shots, 10 SOG, .667 SOG%, 2 GW).
- With 16 matches in the books, Central Missouri's leading goalkeeper is freshman Kristen Wright (11-2-1, 1222:28, 4 GA, 0.29 GAA, 34 SV, .895 SV%, 8 SHO, 91 SF). Wright leads the MIAA in goals-against average (0.29) and save percentage (.895), and is third in shutouts (8). She ranks fifth in NCAA Division in goals-against average (0.29), eighth in save percentage (.895) and 12th in shutouts (8).
- As a team, the Jennies are averaging 1.94 goals per game while limiting opponents to a MIAA-low 0.31 goals per game. UCM has outshot its adversaries through 16 matches, 256-99, and is averaging 16 shots per game while holding opponents to 6.2 shots per game. In addition, Central Missouri has controlled set pieces through 16 matches, taking 114 corner kicks compared to just 29 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
- Three second half goals lifted No. 17-ranked Central Missouri Jennies soccer to a 3-0, shutout victory over the Fort Hays State Tigers Sunday afternoon, Oct. 22, at the South Recreation Complex.
- Aspen Patterson broke the scoreless tie just three minutes out of halftime after taking a pass from Caroline Cole and slotting it into the back of the net for her first collegiate goal, putting UCM on top, 1-0, in the 48th-minute.
- Lexie Ruf doubled Central Missouri's advantage to 2-0 eight minutes later in the 56th-minute, tallying her fourth goal of 2023 on an assist from Ashleigh Martin.
- Ryann Clark netted the third and final goal of the contest, scoring on an assist from Patterson in the 85th-minute. The goal was Clark's fourth of the season.
- UCM outshot Fort Hays State, 13-10, in the match, including a 7-6 edge in shots on goal. The Jennies also bested the Tigers in corners, 4-2.
- Goalkeeper Kristen Wright (11-2-1) picked up the victory between the posts and compiled her eighth solo shutout of 2023 after going the full 90 minutes and giving up no goals while making five saves.
Home Sweet Home
- Dating back to the 2016 season, the Jennies are 77-4-1 at the South Recreation Complex. During that span, UCM has surrendered just 57 goals.
- All-time at the South Recreation Complex, UCM is 152-14-8 under head coach Lewis Theobald and 216-35-9 in overall program history. The Jennies have compiled undefeated home records five times.
New Faces in the 'Burg
Series History
- Missouri Western: The Jennies and Griffons will meet for the second time this season and the 33rd time in the all-time series Friday evening in Warrensburg. UCM defeated Missouri Western earlier this season on Sept. 22 in St. Joseph, Mo., 1-0, to up its lead in the all-time series to 31-1-0.
- Missouri Southern: The Jennies and Lions will meet for the 40th time in the all-time series and the second time in 2023 Sunday afternoon at the South Recreation Complex. UCM leads the series, 28-8-3, and defeated the Lions in Joplin, Mo., earlier this season on Sept. 15, 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 287-44-24 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
The Jennies will host a MIAA Women's Soccer Championship opening round match at the South Recreation Complex Friday, Nov. 3, at a TBD time against a TBD opponent.
