Weekly Schedule:
Thursday, Oct. 20 – vs. Missouri Southern; 2:00 pm; KIRKSVILLE
*Saturday, Oct. 22 – vs. Southwest Baptist; 12:00 pm; KIRKSVILLE
* - Match counts toward MIAA standings
Full Notes (PDF)
Week At-a-Glance:
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - - Looking to build upon its current five-match winning streak, the Truman women's soccer team returns to Kirksville for a pair of matches this weekend. The Bulldogs play host to Missouri Southern in a non-conference match on Thursday at 2:00 pm before welcoming Southwest Baptist on Saturday at 12:00 pm.
Earlier this season, the Bulldogs went to overtime against the Lions and Bearcats on a late-September road trip, prevailing each time in the extra session. Kelsey Twellman and Olivia Hayes provided the theatrics to help kick-start a current stretch of seven wins in eight matches.
In addition to the current run, the Bulldogs have not allowed a goal in more than 479 minutes of game action, dating back to Sept. 27. That has helped the team's goals-against average drop to just 1.22 and raise the team season shutout total to six.
Since Truman's road match at MSSU on Sept. 20 was the first MIAA match of the season, Thursday's match will only count for regional consideration, whereas Saturday's showdown with SBU will be the seventh (of eight) MIAA match for the Bulldogs in 2011.
Following the Bulldogs:
Full coverage of Truman women's soccer is available online at TrumanBulldogs.com, including results, upcoming game information and weekly updates.
When available, links to free online live stats are added to the Bulldog soccer schedule page as well as the top of each weekly update.
Keep up with the Bulldogs by tracking in-game updates (when available). Follow Truman Athletics on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TrumanAthletics. Also be sure to sign up for TextCaster updates on the Bulldog homepage.
Canine Corner:
Coming off a pair of shutout victories last Thursday and Sunday against Washburn and Emporia State, the Bulldogs return to Kirksville for the final four matches of the 2011 regular season. Truman is unbeaten at home this year, posting a 2-0-1 mark compared to 5-2-1 on the road and 1-2 at neutral sites.
Trisha Shoemaker, a sophomore transfer forward, leads the 'Dogs with seven goals and 14 points, including a pair of goals last week. Junior Kelsey Twellman ranks second in both goals (5) and assists (3), while fellow junior Olivia Hayes is hot on her heels with four goals and three helpers. Senior Megan Buri, while only scoring once so far in 2011, has been the team's top distributor and one of the best in the MIAA with six assists.
The recent stretch of shutouts has helped Truman overcome an early-season goal deficit, as the purple and white now is outscoring its opponents 21-18 through 14 matches. That difference is magnified in MIAA play, with Truman holding a 10-1 edge in goals and an outlandish 119-26 edge in total shots (55-8 on goal).
Senior Jayne Grisham has been credited for four solo and two combined (with sophomore Emily Bozdeck) shutouts on the season, posting a GAA of 1.20 overall and 0.18 in MIAA-only matches. The two keepers have combined for 42 saves and a 70% save percentage.
Cannon Reaches Milestone with 250th Victory:
Head coach Mike Cannon joined exclusive company after Truman's 1-0 victory at Emporia State on Sunday afternoon, as he became only the eighth head coach in Div. II history to amass 250 career victories. Currently in his 19th season at the helm, Cannon has a career mark of 250-88-37 (.716) and has coached nine MIAA championship teams in 12 MIAA seasons.
Only 48 coaches throughout all three divisions have won 250 women's soccer matches.
Checking Out the Competition:
Missouri Southern “Lions” (5-7-1, 5-1 MIAA)
It's been a tale of two seasons for the Joplin-based Lions in 2011, as MSSU started the year 0-7-1 before rebounding to piece together a five-match winning streak. The only MIAA blemish on Southern's card was a 2-1 OT loss to Truman on Sept. 22.
Like Truman, MSSU has taken care of business and improved its stats in MIAA play, surrendering just five goals in six matches while scoring 11 times. Megan Stueve is the team's overall (5) and MIAA (4) leader in goals, while Shannon Kuhn has scored four times and added three assists in 13 total matches. Abby Risner and Randi Russell have essentially split time in goal, with Risner seeing more time recently, having allowed just one goal in 288 minutes of MIAA play.
Earlier this season, the two teams split first half goals before Kelsey Twellman finished it in the fifth minute of overtime off a free kick to send the Bulldogs home winners.
Alese Woolard is in her second season at MSSU and has a career record of 10-15-6. The Bulldogs hold a 17-2-4 lead in the all-time series.
Southwest Baptist “Bearcats” (3-9-2, 2-4-1 MIAA)
Idle since Oct. 13, SBU enters Saturday's match having split its last four, including a win in its most recent road match at Fort Hays State.
The Bearcats have scored 11 goals in 14 games, led by Kelly Isaac's five. SBU has six goals in MIAA matches, with five different players scoring once each along with an own goal helper. Megan Link has spent more than 1,200 minutes in net for the Bearcats, posting a 1.99 GAA and making 108 saves.
In Bolivar on Sept. 24, the Bulldogs and Bearcats went back-and-forth during regulation as goals by Trisha Shoemaker and Melanie Hunt for Truman were neutralized by a multi-goal game by Isaac. However, with just 2:08 left to play in the second overtime, Olivia Hayes converted off a Hunt assist for the game-winner.
Rob Podeyn is in his third season at SBU and has a career mark of 16-27-8. The Bulldogs holda 20-3-5 lead in the all-time series.
MIAA Tournament Outlook:
Having already clinched a berth into the 2011 MIAA tournament, the Bulldogs will next set out to grab a first-round bye in the six-team event. The tournament will be held Nov. 3-6 at UMKC's Stanley H. Durwood Stadium.
Teams ranked 3rd through 6th at the end of the regular season will square off in the first round on Nov. 3, with the winners taking on the top two teams on Nov. 4. After a day off on Saturday, Nov. 5, the two semifinal winners will meet on Sunday, Nov. 6, with the winner earning the MIAA's automatic berth into the NCAA Div. II tournament.
Currently the Bulldogs hold the inside track to one of the top two seeds with 18 league points and victories against both MSSU and Northwest Missouri, who sit tied for third (5-1; 15 points). Central Missouri is the league's other current unbeaten at 5-0 (15 points), setting up a showdown for the top seed on Oct. 29 when the Jennies visit Kirksville.
If the season ended today, Truman and UCM would earn first-round byes, while NWMSU, MSSU, SBU and Washburn would meet on day one.
Up-Top Trio Providing Punch:
Sophomore Trisha Shoemaker, junior Kelsey Twellman and junior Olivia Hayes have accounted for 16 of Truman's 21 goals this season, including six of the eight game-winners. In addition, the trio has scored nine of the team's 10 goals in MIAA-only matches, with Shoemaker and Twellman tallying four apiece.
Up Next:
Only two matches in the 2011 regular season will remain for the Bulldogs after this week's action, with both coming at home next weekend. Truman will host Emporia State in a non-conference match on Thursday, Oct. 27, before hosting Central Missouri on Saturday, Oct. 29 in a battle of current league unbeatens.
