Bulldogs prepare for GLVC Semifinals Friday

Truman Women's Soccer GLVC Tournament Notes (November 6-8, 2015)
Twitter: @TrumanAthletics || @TrumanWS || #BewareofDog

Match #19: #23 (#2 seed) Truman (13-2-4) vs. (#3 seed) Quincy (13-3-3)

When: Friday, November 6, 2015 || 2:55 p.m. (CST)
Where: Louisville, Ky. || Owsley B. Frazier Stadium (Bellarmine University)
Live Stats || Live Stats (Media) || Live Video (GLVCSN - Free)
Stats: Truman || GLVC || Quincy

A First Look:
For the third time in three seasons, the Truman women's soccer team advanced to the final weekend of the Great Lakes Valley Conference season, as the Bulldogs go after their first semifinal win at 2:55 p.m. (CST) on Friday (Nov. 6) against Quincy. The game will be played on the campus of Bellarmine University in Louisville, Ky., as the top-seeded Knights face Missouri-St. Louis in the second semifinal later that evening.

Last Week:
The Bulldogs capped the regular season with a 2-0 home win against then-No. 14 Quincy on Wednesday (Oct. 28), and then dropped seventh-seeded Rockhurst in the opening round of the GLVC tournament by a 2-1 score on Sunday (Nov. 1) in Kirksville. Sophomore keeper Katie Mattingly earned the league's Athlete of the Week honor after blanking the Lady Hawks in Wednesday's regular season finale that kept Truman at the No. 3 seed.

About the Bulldogs:
Truman comes into the weekend at 13-2-4 overall, with the 13 wins matching last season's total and marking the 21^st straight season that the Bulldog program has reached double-figure victories (the second-longest active streak in NCAA Div. II). Following a loss on Oct. 18 in overtime at Bellarmine, the Bulldogs enter the GLVC semifinals on a four-match winning streak, all coming at home by a total goal margin of plus-10.

The Bulldogs have been one of the conference's best teams on both ends of the field in GLVC contests, with Truman having outscored its GLVC opponents 26-6 in 16 matches against league foes. Eleven different Bulldogs have found pay-dirt this season, led by senior midfielder Alexis Heffernan's seven, followed by six from sophomore midfielder Allison Lockett. Both Lockett and junior forward Stephanie Williams (five goals, three assists) are tied for second on the team with 13 points – each trailing Heffernan's team-high 17.

On the defensive side, Mattingly has been one of the league's top keepers in GLVC play, surrendering just a 0.32 goals-against average in the 15 regular season GLVC contests. Her back line – comprised of seniors Jessica Hanson and Megan Frkovic, junior Casey Maloney, and sophomore Caity Schmitt – have been crucial this year to the Bulldogs' success as well.

Head coach Mike Cannon – the winningest coach in program history with 303 career victories – is in his 23^rd season at the helm of the Truman women's soccer program in 2015. He is eighth all-time in victories amongst all NCAA-II coaches.

In the Region:
The final set of official NCAA Div. II regional rankings were unveiled on Wednesday afternoon before next Monday's Selection Show, and the Bulldogs jumped up one spot to third – continuing the three week upward trend as the regular season draws to a close this Sunday.

Truman traded places with Quincy in the poll, buoyed by last week's 2-0 win against the Lady Hawks in Kirksville. The top-two (Grand Valley State, Bellarmine) and Nos. 5 and 6 (Missouri-St. Louis, Ferris State) spots remained the same, as the top six teams, which will include automatic spots for the conference champions of the GLVC, GLIAC and GMAC, will advance to the 2015 NCAA Div. II postseason.

The No. 1 seed will host a second-round contest against the winner of a first-round match between the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds (at the No. 1 seed facility), while the No. 2 seed will host a second-round contest against the winner of a first-round match between the Nos. 3 and 6 seeds (at the No. 2 seed facility).

Bulldog Tweet-ables (140 characters or less):

#WSOCHistory: This year marks the 32^nd season of WS at Truman. The all-time record is 355-181-58 (.646).
#GLVCStrong: Since joining the GLVC in 2013, Truman has a 31-6-8 (.778) record in regular season league contests.
#HomeSweetHome: The Bulldog women are 181-49-40 all-time at home, including a 24-2-4 mark since the start of 2013.
#SportsmanshipAward: Truman picked up just two yellow cards this season, both coming against QU in finale.
#MakingAHome: Katie Mattingly has made a home in goal this year, ranking 2^nd nationally with her 1,748 total minutes.
#30for30: The 2015 Bulldog roster features four seniors, four juniors, 11 sophomores, four redshirt freshman, and seven true freshmen.
#ShowMeState: Of Truman's 30 players on the opening day roster, 22 hail from the state of Missouri. IL, KS, IA, and NE also repped.
#DontHassletheHeff: SR Heffernan's 10 goals last year the most in a single-year by a TSU player since 2009 (Hayes, 12).
#AlphabetSoup: 17 players return as previous letterwinners for the Bulldogs in 2015.

And Now, Let's Head to Brick Tamland for the Weather:

Friday at 4:00 p.m. (EST) – 70 degrees, Mostly Cloudy, wind at 10-mph, slight chance of T-storms

Scouting Friday's Opponent:
Quincy "Lady Hawks" (13-3-3)

Quincy bounced back from last Wednesday's 2-0 defeat in Kirksville by grounding the Flyers of Lewis by a 4-0 score in the opening round of the GLVC tournament on Sunday.
The Lady Hawks have the GLVC's No. 2 scoring offense (42 goals), along with the conference's No. 1 (Ashley Burton, 14) and No. 3 (Abby Pulliam, 11) goal scorers.
Keeper Megan Swanson ranks fourth in the GLVC with a .68 goals-against average. She did not make a save in last week's loss at Truman, allowing goals on both Truman shots on goal.
QU had a +14 goal differential in GLVC-only matches this season and will be playing its first neutral-site match this season on Friday. They went 6-2-1 away from Legends Field this year.
Friday will be the 25^th all-time meeting between the Rt. 6 rivals, with the "Feathers" holding an 11-10-3 lead on the "Fur". #FurvsFeathers
Dave Musso is in his 10^th season as the head coach of the Lady Hawks, having guided the team to the GLVC tournament each year.

Tourney Tidbits:

The Bulldogs are 3-2 all-time (third season) in the GLVC tournament, having picked up three quarterfinal wins before falling each of the past two years to Wisconsin-Parkside in the semifinals.
Truman's first conference tournament came in 2007 – the first year the MIAA sponsored a league-ending tourney. Truman won the tournament that year before the league did not sponsor it again until 2011. The Bulldogs went 0-1 in both 2011 and 2012, falling on an OT goal to Missouri Southern in 2011 and by a 1-0 score to Fort Hays State in 2012.
This year's GLVC tournament features the conference's top-four goal scoring teams (UMSL, 48; QU, 42; Truman, 30; BU, 29) and top four goalkeepers by goals-against average.

Up Next:
Should the Bulldogs advance (via either win or penalty kicks) against Quincy, the squad would then move into the GLVC championship match on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 12 p.m. (EST) against the Bellarmine/Mo.-St. Louis winner. Sunday's winner will earn the conference's automatic bid into the 2015 NCAA Div. II tournament.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

#8 Allison Lockett: M; 5' 4"; Sophomore

#2 Casey Maloney: D; 5' 3"; Junior

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

#9 Caity Schmitt: D; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#18 Stephanie Williams: F; 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

#8 Allison Lockett
: 5' 4"; Sophomore
: M

#2 Casey Maloney
: 5' 3"; Junior
: D

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

#9 Caity Schmitt
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: D

#18 Stephanie Williams
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Junior
: F