Women's Soccer | 10/27/2026 2:07:00 PM
Match 18: No. 20 Central Missouri (12-1-4, 7-0-4 MIAA) at Missouri Southern (4-8-4, 3-5-3 MIAA)
Wednesday, Oct. 28 | 7:30 p.m. | Joplin, Mo. (Hal Bodon Field)
Live Video (PPV) |
Live Stats
2026 Jennies Soccer Roster |
2026 Missouri Southern Roster
Scene Setter
- No. 20-ranked University of Central Missouri Jennies Soccer (12-1-4, 7-0-4 MIAA) is slated to wrap up its 2026 regular season schedule with an MIAA road match at Missouri Southern (4-8-4, 3-5-3 MIAA) on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 7:30 p.m. at Hal Bodon Field in Joplin, Mo.
- UCM is coming off a 0-0-2 week, tying No. 24 Washburn Oct. 23, 0-0, and No. 7 Pittsburg State Oct. 25, 1-1.
- The Jennies are currently third in the MIAA standings with 25 points. UCM could clinch the 2026 MIAA Regular Season Championship with a win against the Lions on Wednesday, and a Washburn loss or tie at Newman, also on Wednesday. Washburn would win the regular season title with a win at Newman.
- Through 17 matches, the Jennies are paced offensively by sophomore midfielder Coryn Jespersen (4 G, 13 A, 21 Pts., 37 Shots, .108 shot percentage, 21 SOG, .568 SOG percentage, 3 game-winning goal) and senior forwards Mikayla Ernst (7 G, 14 Pts., 46 shots, .152 shot percentage, 26 SOG, .565 SOG percentage, 3 game-winning goals) and Hadley Lockhart (7 G, 14 Pts., 32 shots, .219 shot percentage, 19 SOG, .594 SOG percentage, 1 game-winning goal). Senior goalkeeper Kristen Wright (12-1-4, 5 GA, 0.31 goals-against average, 49 SV, .907 save percentage, 9 shutouts, 3 combined shutouts, 137 shots faced, 1,465:44 minutes) leads UCM between the posts.
- Through 17 matches, the Jennies are second in the MIAA in scoring with 38 goals and rank second in goals allowed, giving up just five goals on the season so far. Individually, Coryn Jespersen leads the MIAA and is third in NCAA Division II with 13 assists. She is third in the conference with 21 points and tied for third with three game-winning goals. Mikayla Ernst and Hadley Lockhart are tied for fifth in the MIAA with seven goals, while Ernst is tied for third with three game-winning goals. Kristen Wright is second in goals-against average at 0.31, shutouts per game (.529), and saves (.907 save percentage).
- UCM was picked third in the 2026 MIAA Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Previous MIAA Weekly Honors
Record Watch
- Coryn Jespersen is already second in Jennies single-season history with her 13 assists this season. She is three assists shy of tying the program's single-season record of 16, set by Kassie Newsom in 2021.
- Kristen Wright is third in career saves with 279 in 81 career contests.
UCM in the Rankings
- The Jennies check in at No. 20 in the most recent IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches Division II Coaches Poll released on Tuesday, Oct. 27.
- Central Missouri remained No. 4 in the latest NCAA Division II Central Region NPI Rankings released on Monday, Oct. 26. The top eight teams in the final Central Region NPI rankings released on Monday, Nov. 9, during the NCAA-II Women's Soccer Tournament Selection Show on NCAA.com will advance to the 2026 NCAA-II Women's Soccer Central Regional Tournament.
Last Time Out: No. 19 Jennies Tie No. 7 Pittsburg State on Senior Day, 1-1
- No. 19-ranked University of Central Missouri Jennies Soccer tied No. 7-ranked Pittsburg State, 1-1, on Senior Day and the 2026 regular season home finale on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 25, at the South Recreation Complex.
- After neither team was able to find the back of the net in the opening 45 minutes of play, Central Missouri broke the seal on the goal in the 81st minute when Coryn Jespersen slotted a pass to Kylie Richardson, who blasted the ball into the back of the net just inside the box, giving the Jennies a 1-0 lead. It was Richardson's third goal and Jespersen's team and MIAA-best 13th assist of 2026.
- The lead was short-lived, however, as Pittsburg State's Sammie Edwards scored with just 39 seconds remaining in the match, leveling the contest, 1-1.
- For the match, the Gorillas (13-0-5, 7-0-5 MIAA) outshot the Jennies, 11-8, but both teams tallied five shots on goal. Pittsburg State also posted a 9-5 advantage in corner kicks.
- UCM goalkeeper Kristen Wright (12-1-4) made four saves between the posts while giving up one goal in 90 minutes.
Home Sweet Home
- Dating back to the 2016 season, the Jennies are 97-9-6 at the South Recreation Complex. During that span, UCM has surrendered just 74 goals.
- All-time at the South Recreation Complex, UCM is 172-19-13 under head coach Lewis Theobald and 236-40-14 in overall program history. The Jennies have compiled undefeated home records five times.
- The 2026 season will mark a new era for Jennies Soccer at the South Recreation Complex, as UCM will play on a new, state-of-the-art turf playing surface that was installed during the summer of 2026.
Series History
- Missouri Southern: UCM and Missouri Southern will meet for the 43rd time in the all-time series Wednesday evening in Joplin. The Jennies lead the series, 31-8-3. Last season, the Jennies rolled to a 6-0 victory over the Lions in Warrensburg.
New Faces for 2026
- The Jennies welcome seven newcomers in 2026, including one transfer and six high school freshmen.
- UCM's incoming transfer is sophomore midfielder Kylie Richardson (Emporia State transfer), while the incoming high school freshmen are goalkeeper Jamie Ricker, defenders Marley Ford, Annie Slamin, and Savanna Pittman, and forwards Habiba Lamrani and Allie Schroeder.
Head Coach Lewis Theobald
Lewis Theobald, now in his 19th year, has transformed the Jennies Soccer program into one of the premier programs not only in the MIAA but also in NCAA Division II.
The 11-time MIAA and five-time region Coach of the Year has an impressive 331-58-35 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 2026 season as the winningest active coach in Division II women's soccer with an .822 winning percentage, among coaches with at least five years on the sidelines. He is also 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 23 All-Americans in
Mikayla Ernst,
Ashleigh Martin, 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 63 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 148 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
The Jennies will host an MIAA Women's Soccer Tournament Quarterfinal match against a to-be-determined opponent on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 1 p.m. at the South Recreation Complex in Warrensburg.
