Women's Soccer Notes: #4 Bulldogs to Face Top-Seeded Parkside in Semis

Truman Women's Soccer Postseason Notes

Match 20 (LIVE STATS/VIDEO - #GLVCSN):
Truman (13-4-2) at #4 (NSCAA) Wisconsin-Parkside (15-0-3)
Date: Friday, November 7, 2014 (1:30 PM)
Location: Somers, Wisconsin (Wood Road Soccer Field)
Series Record: Truman leads, 5-2
Cannon vs. UWP: 5-2 (+7 goal differential)
Last Meeting: Parkside won, 2-1, on Oct. 17, 2014 (Somers, Wis.)

Social Media: @TrumanAthletics || #TSUGameDay || @TrumanWS
Truman Links: 2014 Schedule || 2014 Statistics

Opening Kickoff:
The 2014 postseason marches on for the Truman women's soccer team this weekend, as the Bulldogs head north for the final rounds of the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament in Somers, Wisconsin, on the campus of the semi-final foe, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

Truman will be playing its 20^th match of the season this Friday afternoon in what will arguably be its toughest task of the year, as the Bulldogs look for revenge against the Rangers of UWP at 1:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon. All three battles between the two programs since Truman's induction to the GLVC last season have been 2-1 final scores – including two overtime golden-goal battles last season and an 81^st minute penalty kick gridlock-breaker for UWP just three weeks ago. The Rangers hold a 2-1 edge in the three most recent matchups, including an overtime victory to knock Truman out of last season's GLVC tournament semifinals.

The two squads check into the weekend as the top two remaining seeds, after a pair of upsets on the south side of the bracket in quarterfinal play last Sunday. While Truman and UWP were dispatching first-round opponents Drury and Lewis by 1-0 and 3-0 scores, sixth-seeded Quincy advanced via penalty kicks against No. 3 seed Rockhurst, and seventh-seeded Missouri S&T shocked No. 2 seed Bellarmine on the road by a 2-0 score. Those two programs will meet at 11 a.m. on Friday in advance of the No. 1 vs. No. 4 matchup at 1:30 p.m.

Truman comes into Friday's match at 13-4-2 overall on the season, having surpassed last season's 12-win total. The 13 victories is the most by a Bulldog program since 2009 (15 wins), with head coach Mike Cannon's squad exceeding the 10-win mark for the 20^th straight year dating back to a nine-win season in 1994.

This year's Bulldog squad has scored 27 goals, an average of 1.42 per game, while giving up just 12 (0.63 per contest). Junior Alexis Heffernan has been the key offensive threat for the 'Dogs, as she leads the team in goals (10), points (23), and shots (80) on the season. Five other players have found pay-dirt multiple times, however, including junior Megan Frkovic (three goals), and freshman Caitlyn Stephan, whose two goals and three assists rank her second on the squad at seven total points.

Along the back line, anchoring the central defense is senior Lauren Seawright and junior Jessica Hanson, with both having made 19 starts this year. Freshman Katie Mattingly has taken over in goal, picking up six solo shutouts in her ten total starts in net. She has a goals-against average of 0.43 and has made 40 saves overall to a tune of 88.9%.

Leading the Bulldogs on the sideline is Mike Cannon, who is in his 22^nd season at the helm of the Truman program. He has a 290-105-44 all-time record at Truman and is the seventh-winningest active coach in NCAA-II history. Cannon has guided the Bulldogs to 10 NCAA postseason appearances.

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

When available, links to free online live stats are added to the Bulldog women's soccer schedule page.

Keep up with the Bulldogs by tracking in-match 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.

Scouting Friday's Opponent:
Wisconsin-Parkside comes into Friday afternoon's contest at 15-0-3 overall on the season, having claimed the GLVC regular season championship with a 12-0-3 mark in 15 conference matches. The top-seeded Rangers defeated No. 8 seed Lewis, 3-0, in Sunday's quarterfinal opener, relying on three second-half goals to get past the Flyers.

On the season, UWP has been led by eight goals apiece from Emily Konior and Karley Mecko, while Jilliam Hetfleisch and Taylor Schiffer-Jander have six goals and three assists each. Goalkeeper Mallory Guerts has started all 18 games this season in goal, allowing just four goals with a 0.22 goals-against average. She currently holds a 428-minute shutout streak, dating back to Oct. 19.

Troy Fabiano has a 219-73-29 record at the school, having qualified for seven NCAA tournaments.

Earlier this Season vs. UWP (Oct. 17):
SOMERS, Wis. – A converted penalty in the 81^st minute gave #12 Wisconsin-Parkside a 2-1 victory over the Truman Bulldogs in a battle for the Great Lakes Valley Conference top spot on Friday, Oct. 17.

Emily Konior broke the 1-1 tie with just under 10 minutes showing on the game clock with a penalty kick goal that beat Katie Mattingly on the lower right corner. It was Konior's sixth goal of the season.

Truman struck first, and in doing so, broke the Rangers' long score upon streak. Jessica Hanson scored her first of the season 11 minutes in on an assist by Sara Bommarito to put Truman up 1-0. The goal snapped the Rangers' 289 scoreless minutes streak and was just the third allowed this season keeper Mallory Geurts.

Taylor Schiffer-Jander knotted the contest 10 minutes later with her fourth goal of the season. The Bulldogs had seven corner kicks, all in the first half.

Mattingly stopped six of eight shots for Truman; however, Geurts made saves on three of the four Bulldog shots including one by Megan Whitehead with one minute left in the match.

Conference Tournament History:
This will be the Bulldogs' second attempt at a GLVC tournament championship, having also reached the semifinals last season. Truman defeated William Jewell 2-1 in a home quarterfinal contest before falling 2-1 in overtime to Wisconsin-Parkside in the semifinals.

The 2014 season marks the fifth overall conference tournament appearance for the Bulldogs since 2007 when adding in three seasons of MIAA postseason experience to the mix. During the only three seasons the MIAA sponsored a post-season tournament, the Bulldogs qualified each time (2007, 2011, 2012). In 2007, the Bulldogs defeated Washburn and Southwest Baptist by 1-0 margins to capture the tourney title, while 2011 and 2012 both saw Truman upset in one-goal games.

Regional Outlook:
The third and final regular season installment of the NCAA Midwest regional rankings will be unveiled on Wednesday, with Truman sitting eighth entering last week's action.

The region will receive six bids to the 2014 NCAA Div. II tournament on Selection Monday (Nov. 10), with the top two seeds earning the right to host first- and second-round matches. Currently, Wisconsin-Parkside and defending NCAA Div. II national champions Grand Valley State are ranked 1-2 in the region.

With Truman sitting two spots away from the cutoff line, the Bulldogs' best chance of qualifying for the tournament likely appears to be through the GLVC's automatic berth – awarded to the post-season tournament champion. Other GLVC teams in the field at the moment include No. 4 seed Bellarmine and No. 6 seed Rockhurst.

You Can Put It on the Booooooooard, YES!:
Only 80 Div. II women's soccer players from across the nation have reached double-figure goal counts this season, and included in that is the Bulldogs' Alexis Heffernan. The Ankeny, Iowa-native has scored in nine of the team's 19 matches this season, with six of her tallies serving as game-winners. That GWG count ties her for fifth amongst all Div. II players, and she is the first double-digit single-season goal scorer for the Bulldogs since Olivia Hayes in 2009.

Etiquette Class:
The Bulldogs have shown this season that good sports can have success on the field, as Truman has been whistled for just 167 fouls (8.7/match) and a GLVC-low three yellow cards on the year. Two of those came in the span of one road trip weekend, with one being issued at William Jewell and a second coming at Rockhurst on Oct. 3-5.

Up Next:
Should the Bulldogs advance (via either win or penalty kicks) against Wisconsin-Parkside, the squad would then move into the GLVC championship match on Sunday, Nov. 9. Kickoff for the championship match is set for 12 p.m., with the winner earning the conference's automatic bid into the 2014 NCAA Div. II tournament.

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Players Mentioned

#9 Sara Bommarito: D; 5' 2"; Senior

#5 Megan Frkovic: M; 5' 4"; Junior

#16 Jessica Hanson: D; 5' 6"; Junior

#20 Alexis Heffernan: M; 5' 5"; Junior

#14 Lauren Seawright: D; 5' 8"; Senior

#23 Megan Whitehead: M; 5' 4"; Sophomore

#21 Caitlyn Stephan: F; 5' 7"; Freshman

#25 Katie Mattingly: GK; 5' 10"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#9 Sara Bommarito
: 5' 2"; Senior
: D

#5 Megan Frkovic
: 5' 4"; Junior
: M

#16 Jessica Hanson
: 5' 6"; Junior
: D

#20 Alexis Heffernan
: 5' 5"; Junior
: M

#14 Lauren Seawright
: 5' 8"; Senior
: D

#23 Megan Whitehead
: 5' 4"; Sophomore
: M

#21 Caitlyn Stephan
: 5' 7"; Freshman
: F

#25 Katie Mattingly
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: GK