Weekly Schedule:
at Nebraska-Omaha Invitational; Omaha, Nebraska
Friday, Sept. 2 – vs. Midwestern (Texas) State; 3:00 pm
Sunday, Sept. 4 – vs. Central Oklahoma; 11:00 am
Full Notes (PDF)
Live Stats (hosted by UNO)
Weekend At-a-Glance:
Poised to make a run at its tenth NCAA tournament and fifth in a row, the Truman women's soccer program opens its 2011 campaign at the Nebraska-Omaha Invitational this Friday and Sunday with a pair of regional battles. The Bulldogs will face Midwestern (Texas) State on Friday in its season-opener at 3:00 pm before taking on Central Oklahoma on Sunday morning at 11:00 am.
The Bulldogs return ten starters from last year's NCAA tournament team, including a pair of two-time all-region performers in senior Megan Buri and junior Olivia Hayes. Buri led the Bulldogs with seven goals out of the midfield last year, while Hayes added six goals and a team-high seven assists in her sophomore season. Truman also returns its two top goalkeepers, senior Jayne Grisham and sophomore Emily Bozdeck, who split time to the tune of a 0.66 GAA and 11 shutouts in 2010.
Overall, the 'Dogs suit up 15 returning letter-winners and received votes in the preseason NSCAA Div. II top-25 coaches' poll, starting in the exact same place they finished last season.
Following the Bulldogs:
Nebraska-Omaha will provide free online stats throughout the weekend via their website, OMavs.com. Links to both Bulldog matches are available on the Women's Soccer schedule page as well as the top of this release.
Scouting the Mustangs:
Truman opens the season with a feeling of déjà vu, as the Bulldogs and Midwestern State have seen each other three times in three seasons, including twice in 2010. The two teams opened the 2010 season against each other, with MSU pulling out a 3-2 victory in Edmond, Okla., before the Bulldogs came through in the NCAA tournament first round with a 3-1 win.
Midwestern (16-4 in 2010) reached the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history last season and are predicted to win the Lone Star Conference title in 2011. The team's top two goal scorers – seniors Lindsay Pritchard and Kelsey Hill – return up top for the Mustangs, who also boast the preseason LSC defensive (Hanna Staley) and goalkeeper (Mallory Whitworth) of the year honorees.
The Bulldogs lead the all-time series against MSU, 2-1, with all three matches coming at neutral sites.
Scouting the Bronchos:
A second veteran team awaits the Bulldogs during the first weekend, as the Central Oklahoma Bronchos (11-8-1 in 2010) bring back ten starters for its transition season between conferences. UCO, former members of the LSC, will be joining the MIAA in 2012, but are forced to play an independent schedule in 2011.
Of the 33 goals scored in 2010 for UCO, players that were accountable for 29 of them return, including junior Brittni Walker (team-high nine goals) and senior Katy Kashwer (seven goals). Samantha Rusk, the team's typical starter last year, returns in goal after making 87 saves.
The Bulldogs were one of just two teams to hand UCO a home loss last season, taking a 2-1 decision in the second game of the year. The two teams have met up each of the past four years, twice in Edmond where the Bulldogs are 2-0. UCO won a neutral-site affair in 2007 before the teams tied in Kirksville in 2009.
Bulldogs vs. MSU/UCO:
- In six career games against MSU & UCO, Megan Buri has three goals.
- Kelsey Twellman has four assists in two career games against MSU.
- Jayne Grisham has logged 200 minutes against UCO, posting a 1-0-1 record.
- Jaclyn Schumann and Olivia Hayes each tallied a goal against MSU last year.
- Emily Bozdeck was in net for Truman's 3-1 NCAA tournament win against MSU in 2010.
Truman Picked Second in MIAA Poll:
Truman women's soccer picked up one first-place vote and placed second in the 2011 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll, announced Thursday, Aug. 4 by the league office.
The Bulldogs totaled 57 points in the nine-team poll, earning one first-place and seven second-place votes. Last season's conference champion Central Missouri was picked to repeat, collecting the other eight first-place votes for 64 total points, while Southwest Baptist (46), Missouri Southern (43) and Washburn (38) rounded out the top five. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team, as Northwest Missouri, Missouri Western, Emporia State and first-year program Fort Hays State wrapped up the poll.
Nine of the league's 11 schools participate in women's soccer, with only Pittsburg (Kan.) State and Lincoln (Mo.) not fielding teams.
Shaking off the Rust:
The Bulldogs have seen their greatest success come late in the season in recent years, as the opening weekend has been a bit of a pitfall for Truman. Since 2003, the Bulldogs have swept the season-opening matches three times (2004, 2006, 2008) and have split each of the other five years.
Let's Just Call it Even:
Truman tied a program-high with five draws in 2010, including four coming in true road matches. The Bulldogs last had five draws in the 1996 season and have not had a draw-less season since 2001.
Put it in Neutral:
Since 2000, the Bulldogs are 17-7 in neutral-site matches, including a 1-1 mark last season.
Up Next:
The Bulldogs head to Texas for another weekend of South Central regional matches, as they'll take on Incarnate Word and Abilene Christian on Friday and Sunday, Sept. 9-11.
