WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Ashleigh Martin converted a penalty-kick in the 82nd-minute to lift third-seeded Central Missouri Jennies soccer to a 3-2 victory over the sixth-seeded Northwest Missouri State Bearcats in the MIAA Women's Soccer Tournament quarterfinals Sunday, Nov. 10, at the South Recreation Complex.
The Jennies (13-4-2) will face second-seeded and No. 21-ranked Missouri Western (15-1-3) in the first of two semifinal matches at noon Thursday, Nov. 14, at the Scheels Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kan.
The Bearcats struck first in the match, going up 1-0 with a goal in the 28th-minute but UCM responded immediately, as
Laney Reishus netted her first goal of the season in the 31st-minute off
Caroline Cole's sixth assist of 2024, evening the match, 1-1.
Freshman
Kate Ricker put Central Missouri ahead, 2-1, after heading home a corner kick from
Gracie Knight in the 49th-minute. It was Ricker's first collegiate goal and Knight's fourth assist of the season.
Northwest Missouri State (7-6-6) answered again tying the match, 2-2, with a goal in the 56th-minute, but after a hand ball by the Bearcats in the goal box in the 82nd-minute, Martin stepped up to the penalty spot and buried her kick to the lower right corner of the goal for her team-best 10th goal of the season, giving the Jennies the 3-2 advantage and eventual victory.
For the match, UCM outshot Northwest Missouri State, 17-5, including a 9-5 advantage in shots on goal. The Jennies also bested the Bearcats in corner kicks, 10-4.
Central Missouri goalkeeper
Kristen Wright (13-4-2) earned the win between the posts, giving up two goals while making three saves in 90 minutes.
Ekaterina Theoharidis scored both NWMSU goals to pace the Bearcats offensively.
Northwest Missouri State goalkeeper Lily Ellis (5-6-6) suffered the setback in goal, allowing three goals while making six saves in 90 minutes.
