Women's Soccer Week 7 Notes: at WU | at ESU

Weekly Schedule:
Friday, October 12 – at Washburn – 6:00 pm – Topeka, Kan.
Live Stats

Sunday, October 14 – at Emporia State – 12:00 pm – Emporia, Kan.
No Live Stats Available

PDF Notes

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - - After closing out a 3-0-1 homestand with a league win against Lindenwood last Sunday, the Truman women's soccer team packs its bags for a Friday/Sunday slate at Washburn and Emporia State this weekend.

The Bulldogs (9-2-1, 5-1 MIAA) posted a 1-0-1 mark last week, settling for a 1-1 draw with non-conference rival Quincy on Wednesday (Oct. 3) before running past Lindenwood 5-0 on Sunday to run its current unbeaten streak to five. It will be all MIAA the rest of the regular season for the Bulldogs, who have just six conference matches remaining before the MIAA tournament begins in the final week of October.

Truman had a pair of extraordinary efforts by individual players last week, as freshman Alexis Heffernan scored four goals in the two matches, headlined by the program's first hat trick since October 2008 against Lindenwood on Sunday. In addition, sophomore Melanie Hunt marked her name into the all-time record book with a single-game high four assists against LWU, setting a new program record.

This week, the Bulldogs travel across state lines for the final time in the regular season, visiting Washburn at 6:00 pm on Friday before heading down the turnpike to close the weekend in a noon match on Sunday against Emporia State. Truman will carry a +19 overall (+13 MIAA) goal differential into the weekend contests, headlined by junior Trisha Shoemaker's nine goals and 21 points. Heffernan, backed by her own four-goal week, now ranks second on the squad with five goals, with senior Kelsey Twellman ranking third with four.

Junior keeper Emily Bozdeck maintained her hold on top MIAA goalie numbers, as her 0.57 goals-against average and eight shutouts lead all league keepers. The Bulldogs rank fourth in the nation with a 66.7% shutout rate in matches (8 shutouts in 12 matches) as well as 18^th in GAA.

Mike Cannon is in his 20^th season at the controls of the women's soccer program at Truman and has a career record of 262-92-38. He ranks seventh all-time in NCAA Div. II history in wins, and his teams have won 10 or more matches in 17 straight seasons.

Weekly Recap with Coach Cannon:
To watch this week's weekly recap with coach Mike Cannon, click the video link below. If the video is not appearing, please access the full weekly notes at TrumanBulldogs.com.

Following the Bulldogs:
Full coverage of Truman women's soccer is available online at TrumanBulldogs.com, including results, upcoming match information and weekly updates.

When available, links to free online live stats are added to the Bulldog women's 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 (@TrumanAthletics). Also be sure to sign up for Text Caster and Newsletter updates on the TrumanBulldogs.com homepage.

Looking at the MIAA:
With every league squad having completed six, seven or eight MIAA matches, the gaps have begun to widen as the race for conference postseason tournament berths heats up this week.

Central Oklahoma has taken the lead with 19 points but has played one additional game than Central Missouri, who is currently tied for second with Northwest Missouri at 16 points. Truman and Northeastern State have 15 points apiece to headline a five team race at the top-end of the league. UCO will have a shot to truly separate itself with a road match at UCM on Thursday night.

From there, a five-point drop-off occurs before hitting Missouri Southern with 10 points, followed by Fort Hays and Washburn both with nine. Southwest Baptist has eight points to lead Missouri Western (6), Nebraska-Kearney (4) and Emporia State (1). Lindenwood is still looking for its first league point.

The top eight teams qualify for the MIAA tournament at the end of the season, with the quarterfinal round taking place on campus sites on Tuesday, Oct. 30. The tournament then shifts to the site of the highest-remaining seed for the semifinals and championship on Nov. 2 and Nov. 4.

Heffernan Earns MIAA Honors:
Freshman midfielder Alexis Heffernan, a first-time recipient of an MIAA award, recorded Truman's first hat trick in nearly four years and had a four-goal week as Truman finished 1-0-1. Coming off the bench against Quincy (Ill.) on Oct. 3, she scored in the 72^nd minute to tie the game, which ended with the teams all square. Then, on Sunday (Oct. 7), she came off the bench against Lindenwood and scored in the 31^st, 39^th and 43^rd minutes to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 halftime lead. Her hat trick marked the first since Jessica Wiegert scored three goals against Nebraska-Omaha in October of 2008. She now has five goals on the season, ranking second on the squad.

Career Chart Check:
Three Bulldogs continue to make noise on the Truman all-time charts, as seniors Olivia Hayes and Kelsey Twellman, along with junior Emily Bozdeck, inch their ways up a variety of different lists.

Hayes sits third all-time in career shots with 220, 48 back of Shauna Putnam (1987-90) for second. In addition, her 24 career goals are just three back of Jessica Wiegert (2006-09) for seventh, and her 63 points sit just two behind Jill Benson (1994-97) for ninth.

Twellman, meanwhile, sits seventh all-time with 19 career assists. She will move into a tie for sixth with just one more and into a tie for fourth with two more assists. Kelsey also sits fifth all-time in career shots, now with 172. She is just 10 behind Carie Toczylowski (1994-97) for fifth.

Bozdeck, meanwhile, in her first full season as a starter, has 13 career shutouts, tying Emily Roark (2005-07) for sixth all-time. She needs just two more to tie Janet Larson for fifth (1989-92).

Checking Out the Competition:
Washburn “Lady Blues” (3-9, 3-4 MIAA)
The Lady Blues find themselves in a battle for sixth in the MIAA standings, tied with Fort Hays for seventh and just one point (with one game in hand) of Missouri Southern for sixth. Washburn is coming off a 1-1 weekend where it beat Missouri Western at home 2-0 before falling 1-0 at Northwest Missouri. The Lady Blues are 2-1 at home this season.

Washburn has a -8 goal differential overall, but is +3 in MIAA-only matches, behind five goals apiece by Caysie Beetley and Leah Talley. Tia Stovall has added three goals and three assists for nine points. Tori Fuglister is the top keeper for WU, making 11 starts and posting a 1.67 goals-against average and a 78.3% save mark.

Truman is 14-4-1 all-time against the Lady Blues and currently holds a nine-match unbeaten streak (8-0-1) dating back to 2007. Matches in Topeka have been tight, however, as the Bulldogs have been involved in seven straight draws or one-goal decisions at WU since 2003.

Tim Collins is in his ninth season at the helm of the WU program and has a career record of 80-83-29.

Emporia State “Hornets” (3-8-1, 0-6-1 MIAA)
The Hornets enter the weekend still in search of their first MIAA win of 2012, having just completed an 0-2 weekend at home against Northwest Missouri and Missouri Western. ESU is 1-2 at home this season.

Emporia has been tough on defense but has struggled on offense, having allowed 15 goals and scoring just 11 through 12 matches. Elizabeth High has a team-best three goals for the Hornets, while keeper Nikki Schmitz has recorded a 1.29 GAA and a 74.1% save mark in 11 starts.

Truman is 20-0-2 all-time against the Hornets but earned just a pair of 1-0 wins against the gold and black last season. Bryan Sailer is in his second season at the helm in Emporia and has a record of 6-18-6 at the program.

Up Next:
The Bulldogs return home for Homecoming and Senior Day next weekend, hosting Fort Hays State on Friday, Oct. 19 at noon before celebrating its five seniors prior to a noon match on Sunday, Oct. 21 against Nebraska-Kearney. The Bulldogs will recognize seniors Stasia Montgomery, Kelsey Twellman, Kayla Doran, Emily McMeekin and Olivia Hayes prior to the start of the match.

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