Match 7: No. 12 Central Missouri (4-2-0) at Missouri Western (2-2-2)
Friday, Sept. 22 | 7 p.m. | St. Joseph, Mo. (Spratt Memorial Stadium)
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Live Stats
Match 8: No. 12 Central Missouri at Northwest Missouri (2-2-2, 0-0-0 MIAA)
Sunday, Sept. 24 | 1 p.m. | Maryville, Mo. (Bearcat Pitch)
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2023 Jennies Soccer Roster |
2023 Missouri Western Roster |
2023 Northwest Missouri Roster |
MIAA Women's Soccer
Scene Setter
- No. 12-ranked Central Missouri Jennies soccer (4-2-0) is scheduled to venture to St. Joseph, Mo., for a non-MIAA match at Missouri Western (2-2-2) Friday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. at Spratt Memorial Stadium before trekking to Maryville, Mo., for a MIAA contest at Northwest Missouri (2-2-2, 0-0-0 MIAA) Sunday, Sept. 24, at 1 p.m. at Bearcat Pitch.
- Central Missouri is ranked No. 12 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, recording a pair of 2-0, shutout wins at Missouri Southern Sept. 15, and vs. Northwest Missouri Sept. 17 in the 2023 home opener in Warrensburg.
- Through six matches, UCM is paced offensively by freshman forward Mikayla Ernst (5 G, 10 pts., 25 shots,14 SOG, .560 SOG%, 3 GW) and redshirt junior midfielder/forward Caroline Cole (1 G, 1 A, 3 pts., 14 shots, 5 SOG, .357 SOG%). Ernst is tied for first in the MIAA in total goals through six contests.
- With six matches in the books, Central Missouri's leading goalkeeper is freshman Kristen Wright (3-1-0, 360:00, 2 GA, 0.50 GAA, 8 SV, .800 SV%, 2 SHO, 25 SF).
- As a team, the Jennies are averaging 1.67 goals per game while limiting opponents to 0.50 goals per game. UCM has outshot its adversaries through eight matches, 107-31, and is averaging 17.8 shots per game while holding opponents to 5.2 shots per game. In addition, Central Missouri has controlled set pieces through its first eight matches, taking 42 corner kicks compared to just eight for opponents.
Weekly Honors
- Mikayla Ernst and Kristen Wright were voted MIAA Women's Soccer Athletes of the Week for their performances on the soccer pitch during the wek of Sept. 11-17, the conference office announced Tuesday, Sept. 19. Ernst was named the MIAA Offensive Athlete of the Week while Wright earned MIAA Goalkeeper of the Week accolades.
- Ernst helped No. 16-ranked Central Missouri to a 2-0 week with a pair of 2-0, shutout wins over Missouri Southern and Northwest Missouri. She was responsible for both game-winning goals in both matches for the Jennies. In the 2-0 shutout of Missouri Southern, she netted the game-winner in the 23rd-minute before scoring the game-winner in the 57th-minute against the Bearcats. Ernst currently leads the Jennies and is tied for the MIAA lead with five goals so far this season.
- Wright recorded a pair of shutouts in goal, helping the No. 16-ranked Jennies to two, 2-0 wins over Missouri Southern and Northwest Missouri. At Missouri Southern, Wright went the full 90 between the posts, making one save and allowing zero goals before stopping four shots and not allowing a goal in 90 minutes against the Bearcats.
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
- Mikayla Ernst scored what proved to be the game-winning goal in the 57th-minute as the No. 16-ranked University of Central Missouri Jennies soccer team earned a 2-0, shutout win over the Northwest Missouri Bearcats in the 2023 home opener Sunday, Sept. 17, at the South Recreation Complex.
- After both teams played to a scoreless tie in the first half, UCM broke through 12 minutes into the second half after Ernst played a deflected ball and hammered it home for her team-best fifth goal of the season, giving the Jennies the 1-0 lead.
- Just six minutes later in the 63rd-minute, Central Missouri doubled its advantage to 2-0 after the Bearcats misplayed a ball for a UCM own goal.
- For the match, the Jennies outshot Northwest Missouri, 18-7, including an 11-4 advantage in shots on goal. Central Missouri also bested NWMSU in corner kicks, 8-1.
- UCM goalkeeper Kristen Wright (3-1-0) earned the victory and shutout between the pipes after giving up no goals and making four saves in 90 minutes.
Home Sweet Home
- Dating back to the 2016 season, the Jennies are 73-4-1 at the South Recreation Complex. During that span, UCM has surrendered just 56 goals.
- All-time at the South Recreation Complex, UCM is 148-14-8 under head coach Lewis Theobald and 212-35-9 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 32nd time in the all-time series Friday night in St. Joe. UCM leads the series, 30-1-0 and is 14-1-0 all-time in St. Joseph. Last season, Central Missouri swept the regular season series over Missouri Western, winning in Warrensburg, 3-2, and 4-1 in St. Joseph, while also defeating the Griffons in the first round of the MIAA tournament, 2-0.
- Northwest Missouri: UCM and Northwest Missouri State will meet for the 45th time in the all-time series and the second time in a week Sunday in Maryville, Mo. The Jennies lead the series, 36-3-5, including a 21-1-0 advantage at the South Recreation Complex and a 14-2-5 lead in Maryville. Central Missouri posted a 2-0, shutout win over Northwest Missouri in a non-conference match Sunday, Sept. 17, in Warrensburg. Last season in Maryville, UCM narrowly beat the Bearcats in Maryville, 1-0, after Kloee Grubb's game-winner in the 83rd-minute.
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 279-43-23 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 travel to Edmond, Okla., and Wichita, Kan., for a pair of MIAA road matches at Central Oklahoma and Newman Sept. 29 and Oct. 1.
