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Northwest Missouri State Athletics

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NextUp WSOC FHSU/UNK

Bearcats continue conference play at Fort Hays State, Nebraska-Kearney

Friday, Oct. 18 | 7 p.m.
Northwest Missouri State at Fort Hays State
Hays, Kan. | FHSU Soccer Stadium | Bickel-Schmidt Sports Complex
WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
Sunday, Oct. 20 | 1 p.m.
Northwest Missouri State at Nebraska-Kearney
Kearney, Neb. | Ron & Carol Cop Stadium | Foster Field
WATCH | LIVE STATS
 
The Northwest Missouri State women's soccer team is set for a pair of key MIAA road games this weekend. The Bearcats will head to Hays, Kan., to take on Fort Hays State under the lights at 7 p.m. on Friday, before traveling to face Nebraska-Kearney on Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Northwest is coming off an action-packed week, which saw them battle No. 5 Central Missouri to a thrilling 4-4 draw at Bearcat Pitch. They followed that with a 2-0 victory over Rogers State, thanks to a pair of goals from Ekaterina Theoharidis. Theoharidis' seven goals this season have placed her in a tie for eighth on Northwest's all-time single-season goals list.
 
Match Notes: Fort Hays State
The Tigers enter Friday's match with a 6-3-3 overall record and a 3-2-1 mark in MIAA play, currently ranked sixth in the standings. Last week, Fort Hays State split its matches, falling 5-2 to Central Oklahoma before bouncing back with a 2-1 win over Newman. Offensively, the Tigers are powered by Taylor Hill, Allison Worley, and Sydney Cotter, each scoring three goals this season. Hill and Worley have also tallied seven points each.
 
Defensively, Fort Hays State has allowed 13 goals, the fifth-most in the MIAA. Goalkeeper Mackenzie Caldwell has recorded five shutouts this season, tying her with Northwest's Lily Ellis. Ellis leads the conference with 84 saves, while Caldwell ranks second with 54.
 
Head-to-Head
The Tigers hold a 9-2-1 all-time advantage over the Bearcats and have claimed the last two meetings, both by a 1-0 scoreline. Northwest's most recent victory in Hays, Kan., came in 2021, when they secured a 1-0 win in double overtime.
 
Match Notes: Nebraska-Kearney
Nebraska-Kearney currently sits ninth in the MIAA with a 5-3-4 overall record and a 1-3-2 mark in conference play. The Lopers earned a 3-2 win over Newman last Friday but fell 4-0 to Central Oklahoma on the road. A key highlight of their season came on Sept. 13, when they held then-No. 23 Concordia-St. Paul to a scoreless draw. Junior forward Hanna Schimmer leads the conference with eight goals and is tied for the league lead with 17 total points. Schimmer has found the net in six of the Lopers' 11 games, recording two multi-goal performances against Black Hills State and Newman. Before facing Northwest, Nebraska-Kearney will host Missouri Western on Friday.
 
Head-to-Head
Northwest holds a narrow 4-3-1 all-time series lead over Nebraska-Kearney, with their most recent meeting ending in a scoreless draw last season. In the last four matchups between the teams, the Bearcats have secured two wins and two draws.
 
MIAA Women's Soccer Standings (As of Oct. 16)
  1. Missouri Western (11-0-1, 6-0 MIAA)
  2. Washburn (7-2-2, 4-0-1 MIAA)
  3. Central Missouri (7-3-2, 4-1-1 MIAA)
  4. Northwest Missouri State (5-2-5, 3-1-2 MIAA)
  5. Central Oklahoma (6-4-2, 3-1-2 MIAA)
  6. Fort Hays State (6-3-3, 3-2-1 MIAA)
  7. Emporia State (4-4-2, 2-2-1 MIAA)
  8. Northeastern State (8-3, 2-3 MIAA)
  9. Nebraska-Kearney (5-3-4, 1-3-2 MIAA)
  10. Pittsburg State (5-5-2, 1-2-3 MIAA)
  11. Rogers State (1-8-2, 0-3-2 MIAA)
  12. Missouri Southern (1-7-4, 0-4-2 MIAA)
  13. Newman (0-11-1, 0-6 MIAA)
MIAA Individual Statistical Leaders
After a three-goal week, Theoharidis is ranks No. 2 in the MIAA with seven goals this season, which also ranks No. 29 across Div. II.  Theoharidis also has the third-most shots on goal with 25 and tied for first in total points with 17. Margaret Madden, Makenna West, and Theoharidis are all tied for the fourth-most assists in the MIAA with four apiece. Goalkeeper Lily Ellis has provided the league's most saves so far this season with 83, also in saves per contest (7.55). 
 
Additional Notes:
Head Coach Marc Gordon is in his seventh year leading Northwest's soccer program. Under his leadership, the Bearcats have had three consecutive winning seasons, compiling a 24-8-7 record in MIAA play over the last three years. Last season, they finished 8-5-6 and reached the MIAA quarterfinals before losing to Emporia State.
  
Northwest's 2024 team captains are senior Ashton Dain (Olathe, Kan.), junior Moira Franck (Monument, Colo.), and senior Sydney Mueller (Gretna, Neb.). The squad features a veteran core with ten seniors on the roster.
 
Theoharidis leads the team with 16 points, 36 shots, 25 shots on goal, and seven goals. Ximena Arnau sits behind with four goals. Senior Emily Yakle notched her first career goal with a game-winner against Augustana on Sept. 18. Darrian Gordon tallied her first two goals against Missouri Western, as Margaret Madden scored twice in a win at Newman, also her first collegiate goals. 
 
Ellis has started 11 of the Bearcats' 12 games this season, making 83 total saves and posting a 4-2-5 record and five shutouts. Ellis recorded a season-high 12 saves against Grand Valley State. She now ranks fourth in Bearcat history with 241 career saves. Adding to Ellis' success in goal, she recorded her 26th career shutout against Rogers State. 
 
Ellis (Kearney, Mo.) captured her sixth MIAA Goalkeeper of the Week award on Oct. 8. Both Ellis and Arnau were named MIAA Athletes of the Week (9/17/24) for their performances during that week. Arnau (Kansas City, Mo.) has been named the MIAA Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in her early career. Arnau scored three goals total, including the game-winning goal, in a 3-1 victory against Southwest Baptist. She netted two goals in that win and contributed Northwest's only goal in a 1-1 draw against No. 2-ranked Grand Valley State. Over the course of three matches and 240 minutes of play, Arnau took 11 shots, with four on target. 
 
Career Saves
1. 394 - Kelsey Adams, 2010-13
2. 339 - Kathie Leach, 1999-01
3. 306 - Alison Sheridan, 2003-06
4. 241 – Lily Ellis, 2022-pres.
5. 204 - Ashley Malloy, 2014-17
6. 196 - Kira Lazenby, 2008-09
7. 174 - Alexis Serna Castillo, 2018-21
8. 156 - Michelle Goold, 2002, 04-05
9. 108 - Danielle Lawless, 2001-03
10. 77 - Ashley Williams, 2020-21
 
Northwest's Single-Season Goals
1. 11 - Tammie Eiberger, 2011
    11 - Victoria Von Mende, 2011
3. 10 - Kaylie Rock, 2021
4. 9 - Teagan Blackburn, 2021
     9 - Kaylie Rock, 2023
6. 8 - Rory Okey, 2000
    8 - Andrea Tritz, 2008
8.  7 - Beth Gutschenritter, 2004
     7 - Andrea Tritz, 2009
     7 - Holly Ramaeker, 2008
     7 - Kayla Griffin, 2006
     7 - Beth Gutschenritter, 2003
     7 - Victoria Von Mende, 2012
     7 – Ekaterina Theoharidis, 2024
 
Northwest's MIAA Player of the Week Selections (2024)
Lily Ellis – Oct. 8, 2024 (Goalkeeper of the Week)
Ximena Arnau – Sept. 17, 2024 (Offensive Player of the Week)
Lily Ellis – Sept. 17, 2024 (Goalkeeper of the Week)
 
The Bearcats remain at No. 5 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Central Region poll. 
 
United Soccer Coaches' NCAA Div. II Central Region Poll (As of Oct. 16)
  1. Minnesota State
  2. Washburn
  3. Missouri Western
  4. Central Missouri 
  5. Northwest Missouri State
  6. Northeastern State
  7. Bemidji State
  8. St. Cloud State
  9. Concordia-St. Paul
  10. University of Mary
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