Kloee Grubb (68) against the Northwest Missouri Bearcats on Sunday, September 17 in Warrensburg, Mo.
Brinkley Beever

Road Trip Rolls On for No. 10 Jennies Soccer at Central Oklahoma and Newman

9/28/2023 11:29:00 AM

Match 9: No. 10 Central Missouri (6-2-0, 1-0-0 MIAA) at Central Oklahoma (3-2-3, 0-0-1 MIAA)
Friday, Sept. 29 | 7 p.m. | Edmond, Okla. (Tom Thompson Field)
Live Video (PPV) | Live Stats

Match 10: No. 10 Central Missouri at Newman (1-6-1, 0-1-0 MIAA)
Sunday, Oct. 1 | 1 p.m. | Wichita, Kan. (Wilkin's Soccer Field)
Live Video (PPV) | Live Stats

2023 Jennies Soccer Roster | 2023 Central Oklahoma Roster | 2023 Newman Roster | MIAA Women's Soccer
Scene Setter
  • No. 10-ranked University of Central Missouri Jennies soccer (6-2-0, 1-0-0 MIAA) is scheduled to continue its road swing with a pair of MIAA matches at Central Oklahoma (3-2-3, 0-0-1 MIAA) and Newman (1-6-1, 0-1-0 MIAA) Friday, Sept. 29, and Sunday, Oct. 1. The Jennies will face the Bronchos in Edmond, Okla., Friday at 7 p.m. before trekking to Wichita, Kan., for a 1 p.m. tussle with the Jets Sunday. 
  • Central Missouri is ranked No. 10 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 shutout wins at Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri Sept. 22 and 24. UCM blanked Missouri Western, 1-0, Sept. 22 in St. Joseph before tallying a 3-0 victory in its MIAA opener Sept. 24 at Northwest Missouri. 
  • Through eight matches, UCM is paced offensively by freshman forward Mikayla Ernst (5 G, 1 A, 11 pts., 29 shots,14 SOG, .483 SOG%, 3 GW), redshirt junior midfielder/forward Caroline Cole (2 G, 2 A, 6 pts., 22 shots, 7 SOG, .318 SOG%) and junior forward Ashleigh Martin (2 G, 1 A, 5 pts., 14 shots, 4 SOG, .286 SOG%). Ernst is tied for first in the MIAA in total goals through six contests. 
  • With eight matches in the books, Central Missouri's leading goalkeeper is freshman Kristen Wright (5-1-0, 540:00, 2 GA, 0.33 GAA, 17 SV, .895 SV%, 4 SHO, 44 SF). Wright leads the MIAA in goals-against average (0.33) and save percentage (.895), and is tied for first in shutouts (4). 
  • As a team, the Jennies are averaging 1.75 goals per game while limiting opponents to a MIAA-low 0.38 goals per game. UCM has outshot its adversaries through eight matches, 139-50, and is averaging 17.4 shots per game while holding opponents to 6.3 shots per game. In addition, Central Missouri has controlled set pieces through its first eight matches, taking 55 corner kicks compared to just 14 for opponents. 
Weekly Honors Back-to-Back Honors
  • Kristen Wright was named the MIAA Goalkeeper of the Week for the second straight week on Tuesday, Sept. 26. Wright recorded a pair of shutouts in goal, helping No. 10-ranked Central Missouri to wins at Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri Sept. 22 and 24. In the 1-0 victory over the Griffons, the freshman keeper compiled three saves in 90 minutes before making a career-best six saves in the Jennies 3-0 clean sheet 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
  • No. 12-ranked Central Missouri Jennies soccer posted a 3-0 shutout win over the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats in the 2023 MIAA opener for both teams Sunday afternoon, Sept. 24, at Bearcat Pitch.
  • Central Missouri netted its opening goal of the match in the 13th-minute when Caroline Cole scored her second goal of the season off assists from Ashleigh Martin and Mikayla Ernst.
  • UCM doubled its advantage 15 minutes later to 2-0 in the 28th-minute when Martin netted her second goal of 2023.
  • Calynn Harbert put an exclamation point on the match in the 85th-minute, tallying her first goal of the season from a Cole assist, giving the Jennies the final 3-0 score.
  • For the match, UCM outshot Northwest Missouri, 20-13, including an 8-6 advantage in shots on goal.
  • Central Missouri goalkeeper Kristen Wright (5-1-0) earned the win between the posts and compiled her fourth shutout of 2023 after going the full 90 minutes and allowing no goals while making six saves.
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
  • Central Oklahoma: The Jennies and Central Oklahoma Bronchos will meet for the 25th time in the all-time series Friday in Edmond. UCM leads the series, 14-7-3, but are 3-4-1 against UCO in Edmond. Last season, Central Missouri faced Central Oklahoma once in Warrensburg, winning 1-0, on a goal from Emma Burden in the 86th-minute. 
  • Newman: UCM and Newman will meet for just the fourth time in the all-time series Sunday afternoon in Wichita, Kan. The Jennies are a perfect 3-0-0 in the series, including a 5-0 victory over the Jets last season in Warrensburg. 
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 281-43-23 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 finally return home to the South Recreation Complex in Warrensburg for a pair of MIAA matches against Rogers State Friday, Oct. 6, and Northeastern State Sunday, Oct. 8. 
 
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