Women's Soccer | 11/12/2024 8:55:00 AM
2024 MIAA Women's Soccer Tournament Semifinals
Match 20: No. 3 Central Missouri (13-4-2) vs. No. 2 Missouri Western (15-1-3)
Thursday, Nov. 14 | Noon | Wichita, Kan. (Scheels Stryker Sports Complex)
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MIAA Tournament Central
Scene Setter
- The third-seeded Central Missouri Jennies soccer team (13-4-2) is slated to face second-seeded and No. 21-ranked Missouri Western (15-1-3) in the 2024 MIAA Women's Soccer Tournament semifinals Thursday, Nov. 14, at noon at the Scheels Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kan.
- The Jennies advanced to the semifinals after defeating sixth-seeded Northwest Missouri State, 3-2, in the quarterfinals Sunday, Nov. 10, in Warrensburg. Missouri Western took down seventh-seeded Nebraska Kearney Sunday in St. Joseph, 1-0, to earn a spot in the semifinals.
- Through 19 matches, the Jennies are paced by forwards Ashleigh Martin (10 G, 4 A, 24 Pts, 32 Sh, .313 Shot%, 19 SOG, .594 SOG%, 3 GW, 4-4 PK) and Izzy Joyce (7 G, 3 A, 17 Pts, 45 Sh, .166 Shot%, 19 SOG, .422 SOG%, 3 GW), and midfielders Caroline Cole (7 G, 6 A, 20 Pts, 40 Sh, .175 Shot%, 20 SOG, .500 SOG%, 3 GW), Lexie Ruf (4 G, 4 A, 12 Pts, 26 Sh, .154 Sh%, 11 SOG, .423 SOG%, 2 GW) and Andree Orcutt (4 G, 8 Pts, 18 Sh, .222 Sh%, 8 SOG, .444 SOG%).
- Through 19 matches, Martin is tied for the MIAA lead in goals (10) and points (24), and is tied for second in game-winning goals (3); Joyce is tied for second in game-winning goals (3), tied for sixth in goals (7) and tied for seventh in points (17); Cole is tied for second in game-winning goals (3) and assists (6), is sixth in points (20), and tied for sixth in goals (7); and Aspen Patterson is tied for second in assists (6).
- In goal through 19 matches, Central Missouri paced by Kristen Wright (13-4-2, 13 GA, 74 SV, 0.79 GAA, .851 Save%, 5 SHO).
- Wright is third in the MIAA in save percentage (.851) and goals-against average (GAA) at 0.79, and seventh in shutouts per game at .263
- As a team, Central Missouri paces the conference in goals (51) and corner kicks (168).
Weekly Honors
Seven Jennies Earn All-MIAA Honors (full release)
- University of Central Missouri Jennies soccer had seven student-athletes earn All-MIAA Women's Soccer honors for their performances on the soccer pitch during the 2024 MIAA conference regular season, it was announced Friday, Nov. 8.
- Laney Reishus, Ashleigh Martin, Izzy Joyce, Andree Orcutt and Caroline Cole all earned First Team All-MIAA accolades while Mackenzie Smith was a second team honoree and Kristen Wright garnered third team recognition.
- In addition to being selected to the first team, Joyce was also voted the 2024 MIAA Freshman of the Year. She is the first Jenny to win the honor since 2022.
Jennies Second in Most Recent NCAA-II Central Regional Rankings (full rankings)
- Central Missouri Jennies soccer is ranked second in the most recent NCAA-II Central Regional Rankings released Wednesday, Nov. 6.
- The top eight teams in the final regional rankings released on Monday, Nov. 18, will qualify for the NCAA Division II women's soccer tournament.
Home Sweet Home
- Dating back to the 2016 season, the Jennies are 87-6-2 at the South Recreation Complex. During that span, UCM has surrendered just 65 goals.
- All-time at the South Recreation Complex, UCM is 162-16-9 under head coach Lewis Theobald and 226-37-10 in overall program history. The Jennies have compiled undefeated home records five times.
Series History
- Missouri Western: The Jennies and Griffons will meet for the 35th time all-time Thursday in Wichita. UCM leads the series, 31-2-1. Central Missouri fell to Missouri Western earlier this season in St. Joseph, Mo., 1-0, on Oct. 13. UCM and Missouri Western have faced each other just twice in the MIAA tournament, with the Jennies posting a 2-0 record. Central Missouri won, 4-1, in the quarterfinals in 2017 and 2-0 in the quarterfinals in 2022, both in Warrensburg.
Last Time Out for the Jennies: UCM Advances to MIAA Tournament Semifinals with 3-2 Over Northwest Missouri State
- 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 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 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.
Head Coach Lewis Theobald
Lewis Theobald, now in his 17th 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 304-50-27 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 enters the 2024 season as the winningest active coach in Division II women's soccer with an .838 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 21 All-Americans in
Andree Orcutt, 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 142 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, Julia Kristensen and
Izzy Joyce; 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
If the Jennies win, they'll advance to the MIAA Women's Soccer Tournament championship match Saturday, Nov. 16, at 2 p.m. in Wichita, Kan.
