The Northwest Missouri State women's soccer team will travel to Kirksville, Missouri on Saturday to scrimmage Truman State for their first fall competition since 2019. Bearcat fans can get a glimpse of the team closer to home when Northwest hosts a scrimmage with Augustana at Bearcat Pitch on Friday, August 27 at 3 p.m.
 
"These are two really good teams with Truman and Augustana," said Gordon, "both have been strong in their respective conferences and we really just want to use it to gauge areas that we'll need to work on to make a successful run in the MIAA."
 
Gordon recognizes how crucial scrimmages can be to establish what the season could look like and emphasizing what has been discussed in practice. "If we get exposed by some things in outside competition, those failures can be the best lessons."
 
"It's always interesting to see where you start. Watching those first game films and scrimmages and even up to the midway point, and how differently we can be playing at that point if I'm getting the right information to the players and if they're taking the information and applying it."
 
After competing in a 2021 spring season due to Covid-19 cancelations in the fall of 2020, the Bearcats are ready to get back to normalcy with a fall season. "I think practices have been pretty good, but I think the girls are excited to have the games. The difference is in the spring, things just kept being pushed back," said Gordon, "we had some ideas but then some opportunities were canceled, one not relating to Covid but the fact that it was snowing, and we weren't able to play."
 
With 14 freshmen and redshirt freshmen on the roster Gordon says his upperclassmen have stepped up and led the team well on and off the pitch.
 
"We're young in some areas but I think we have found some pretty good players and just need to teach them the processes of what collegiate soccer is like and the demands of each week, so the leadership from the upperclassmen has been very good and helping give them an idea of what that is going to look like."
 
In the 2021 MIAA preseason coaches' poll released earlier this week, Northwest was tabbed seventh overall with 59 points.
 
"I think expectations for the team with where we finished at the end of 2019 was finishing in the top six. Then with the shortened spring I think the expectation will be to finish higher than picked, which every team hopes to be higher than where they are initially selected," said Gordon. "The expectations of players are there, coaching staff is the same, but it kind of dangles a carrot in front of us to earn the respect that we want. It's not going to be given, we have to go out and put in the work to earn the right to get into post season."
 
Central Oklahoma claimed the top spot in the league with 116 points and eight first place votes, barely edging Emporia State's 110 points and three first place votes. The reigning MIAA champions from Central Missouri were slated third with 104 points and nabbed one first place vote. Northeastern State and Fort Hays State rounded out the top five picks with 88 points and 80 points, respectively.
 
2021 MIAA Women's Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll
1. Central Oklahoma (8) – 116 points
2. Emporia State (3) – 110 points
3. Central Missouri (1) – 104 points
4. Northeastern State – 88 points
5. Fort Hays State – 80 points
6. Missouri Western – 72 points
7. Northwest Missouri – 59 points
8. Rogers State – 49 points
9. Washburn – 39 points
10. Missouri Southern – 32 points
11. Newman – 31 points
12. Nebraska-Kearney – 12 points
Coaches Are Not Allowed To Vote For Their Own Team
 
The regular season will kick off at Sioux Falls on Friday, September 3 at 6 p.m. when the Bearcats meet the Cougars. Northwest's first home match with be played on Sunday, September 5 against Wayne State. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. MIAA play begins Sunday, September 26 at Bearcat Pitch as Northwest takes on Central Missouri.