This Week in Truman Athletics Sept. 30-Oct. 6
 
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – A full boat of Bulldog action this week with the road warrior Volleyball squad finally returning home, Swimming, Cross Country, Football, and Tennis all on the road, and Men's and Women's Soccer squads in Kirksville Sunday for a Stokes Stadium twin bill.
 
 
VOLLEYBALL
0-13 Overall, 0-1 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC)
 
VS. ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD* (9-4 Overall, 0-0 GLVC)
PERSHING ARENA
7 P.M. // OCT. 3 // KIRKSVILLE, MO.
 
VS. QUINCY (ILL.)* (13-1 Overall, 2-0 GLVC)
PERSHING ARENA
3 P.M. // OCT. 5 // KIRKSVILLE, MO.
 
THIS WEEK
Truman State returns home for the first time this season for a pair of GLVC matches in Pershing Arena versus Illinois Springfield Thursday and Quincy Saturday. The Bulldogs continue to hold all-time series advantages against both with an 8-6 advantage over the Prairie Stars and 50-27 when squared off against the Hawks in a series dating back to 1973. Both UIS and Quincy notched GLVC wins against Truman State one year ago with the Bulldogs suffering a 3-0 sweep to UIS while falling to Quincy, 3-2.
 
LAST WEEK
The Bulldogs continued playing tough volleyball with their eighth five-set affair in 13 matches after taking Upper Iowa University the distance before falling, 15-10, in Set 5. The Bulldogs were tied with UIU as late as 8-8 in the final frame before two Peacock kills, coupled with two attack errors from the Purple and White, gave UIU all the breathing room it would need. Hannah Hosty and Makayla Way racked up 12 and 10 kills, respectively, for Truman State while Emma Baierl (23) and Tori Creason (20) led the 'Dogs in assists.
 
 
SWIMMING
AT WILLIAM JEWELL (Mo.)
KRESGE POOL
5 P.M.  // OCT. 4 // LIBERTY, MO.
 
THIS WEEK
The teams will square off against William Jewel College on Friday in Liberty, Mo having split in 2023 with the Truman State women winning 134-71 while the men were defeated 127.5 to 77.5. The Bulldog women won 10 of the 11 events contested with seven different Bulldogs picking up event wins. Meg Heveroh was the lone 'Dog to win two events as she took the 1000 and 100 freestyle events. Kylie Strobl took the 200 free, Emily Traube the 50 free, Sidney Durbin the 100 fly, Jahmia Harley the 100 back, Emma Harris the 500 free and Chloe Myers with the 100 breast.
 
On the men's side, A.J. Kohler won his customary two events with a 1:40.43 time in the 200 free and 50.01 clocking in the 100 fly. Ashton Bailey was the victor in the 100 breast and a tie occurred in the 100 back with Alex Burkhard and Maxwell Evigman from William Jewell both touched the timing pad in 53.81.
 
LAST WEEK
Truman State Swimming opened its season Saturday with a home dual with Quincy (Ill.) University. The Bulldog men lost a tight race to the Hawks, 111.50 to 93.50, while the women were victorious posting a 148-57 tally.
 
AJ Kohler and Micah Ragsdell were double-winners for the Bulldogs with Kohler claiming the top spot in both the 100 and 200 freestyle events. Kohler swam 1:42.55 in the 200 and 46.95 in the 100. Ragsdell made his collegiate debut with victories in the 100 breast (59.68) and the 200 IM (1:58.85).
 
Meg Heveroh and Emily Traube were multiple winners on the ladies side of things. Heveroh won the two distance races in the 500 (5:23.26) and 1000 (11:09.09) frees while Traube took the two sprints swimming 24.19 in the 50 and 53.40 in the 100.
 
 
CROSS COUNTRY
GRIFFON INVITE
MWSU CROSS COUNTRY COURS
OCT. 5 // ST. JOSEPH, MO.
 
THIS WEEK
Truman State's Women's and Men's Cross Country teams race at the Missouri Western Griffon Invite Saturday in St. Joseph, Missouri.
 
LAST WEEK
The Truman State Men's Cross Country team finished 23rd with 649 points competing in the Open 8-kilometer race as part of the University of Missouri's Gans Creek Classic on Sept. 29. Gavin Hill and Andrew Gonski led the Bulldog contingent finishing identically at 26:26.9. Evan AuBuchon was the third Bulldogs to cross in 26:38.2 and was 191st overall. Jacob Gutzman (26:41.0) and Nolan Meara (26:57.6) were the final two scorers for the team with places of 198 and 221, respectively.
 
The Women's Cross Country team will be in action for the first time since a Sept. 20 second-place finish at Bradley (Ill.) University. Addie Mathis was fourth overall and the first Bulldog to cross the line on the three-mile course in 17:13.90. Lexy Henrikson was next in 12th overall position in 17:51.30. Cora Stimpson, Kate Yates and Clare Stahr nabbed the final team points with a 15th, 16th and 18th finish overall. 
 
 
FOOTBALL
1-3 Overall, 0-1 GLVC
@ UPPER IOWA* (3-2 Overall, 2-0 GLVC)
HARMS-EISCHEID STADIUM
6 P.M. // OCT. 5 // FAYETTE, IOWA
 
THIS WEEK
Truman State continues its 2024 GLVC schedule at Upper Iowa one week after the Peacocks, down 20-7 heading into the fourth quarter, outscored Quincy 22-7 in the final 15 minutes to run their GLVC conference record to 2-0. Jayden Mitchell busted loose for 169 yards on 22 carries with three scores for UIU. With a 4-0 series lead against UIU, including a 14-7 Bulldog win one year ago, Truman State looks to even its 2024 GLVC record at 1-1 after a 41-34 loss at UIndy Sept. 14.
 
LAST WEEK
Down 10-3 at half against Wayne State (Mich.) University, the Bulldogs used a 21-0 third quarter to secure their first win of the season, 31-17. It marked the first win in interim head coach Kellen Nesbitt's career while snapping a three-game losing streak to open the '24 campaign. Running back Denim Cook crossed the goal line twice in the third quarter, the first a rush for 8 yards to tie the game at 10-10 with a pass reception from Dylan Hair for 11 yards and Cook's second score. A stingy Bulldog defensive effort in the third forced a Warrior punt less than three minutes later that Jake Closser returned 80 yards for the final Bulldog score of the quarter.
 
 
TENNIS
4-1 Overall, 0-0 GLVC
@ MISSOURI WESTERN
NOYES TENNIS COURTS
1:30 P.M. // OCT. 6 // ST. JOSEPH, MO.
 
THIS WEEK
Missouri Western State University Griffons dealt the Truman State Tennis Team a 7-0 loss on Wednesday to wrap-up the fall home season in 2023. Akansha Negi was defeated 6-0, 6-1 at number one. Sydney Dial lost 6-2, 6-0 at number two, Abbi Worster lost 6-0, 6-1 at number three.
 
LAST TIME OUT
It came down to the end but Missouri Baptist edged the Truman State Women's Tennis team 4-3 Sept. 27. The Spartans won the first doubles match, but the Bulldogs evened the score when Finley Laforge and Amelia Willing scored six straight to win number three, 6-3. At number two, Akansha Negi and Abbi Worster got up 5-4 but their opponents battled back to tie the contest and eventually win 7-4 in the tie break to win the doubles points for Missouri Baptist.
 
WOMEN'S SOCCER
2-3-3 Overall, 1-2-2 GLVC
 
VS. QUINCY* (1-4-2 Overall, 1-1-2 GLVC)
STOKES STADIUM
12 P.M. // OCT. 6 // KIRKSVILLE, MO.
 
THIS WEEK
Quincy enters the match having played Upper Iowa to a 1-1 draw in Fayette Sept. 29. Dache Johnson netted the match's first goal in the 70th minute off an assist by Belle Dehner, but the Hawks could not hold the Peacocks at bay allowing a goal in the 82nd minute. In play from one year ago, the Bulldogs downed Quincy, 3-0, to record their first conference win of season. Lia Quintero, Emma Thompson, and Gianna Gorman all scored while Tatumn Damron notched a career-best 12 saves in protecting the shutout. Truman State is 15-13-6 all time against the Hawks last lost to Quincy, 1-0, in 2018.
 
 
LAST WEEK
A quick swing through Iowa and Illinois last week saw the Bulldogs go a 1-0-1 record in GLVC competition at Upper Iowa, a 1-1 tie on Sept. 27, and 3-0 shutout tossed at the Lewis Flyers Sept. 29. Sophomore Quinn Nauman's first goal of the season provided Truman State with a 1-0 lead, but UIU scored the equalizer off a free kick in the 52nd minute. Emma Thompson got things rolling early at Lewis with her second goal of the season in the third minute. Emma Thiessen notched the first goal of her career in the 17th minute while Lia Quintero found the net for the first time in '24 to finish scoring with a 3-0 Bulldog lead.
 
 
MEN'S SOCCER
2-3-2 Overall, 1-2-2 GLVC
 
VS. QUINCY* (2-4-1 Overall, 1-2-1 GLVC)
STOKES STADIUM
2:30 P.M. // OCT. 6 // KIRKSVILLE, MO.
 
THIS WEEK
Quincy picked up its first GLVC win after downing Upper Iowa in Fayette, 2-1, Sept. 29. The two played to a 1-1 tie after one, but a goal from Joao Pedro Amaral in the 51st minute provided the margin of victory for the Hawks. George Roke tallied four saves against one goal allowed during the match. Last season, Truman State won its second GLVC match against no losses after a 2-1 win over Quincy in Kirksville. Bulldog scores came from Luke Payne and Thomas Weber, with Justin Olwig recording two saves. The Purple and White are 15-14-4 all-against Quincy time including consecutive 2-1 wins in '22 and '23, but Quincy has the edge in the previous ten with seven wins to three from the Bulldogs.
 
LAST WEEK
Scoring late in the matches against Upper Iowa and Lewis allowed Truman State to pick up four points after a 3-2 victory at the Peacocks Sept. 27 and 1-1 tie at the Flyers Sept. 29. Knotted at one all in the 85th minute, Caden Hoehns scored on his second penalty kick of the match for a 2-1 Bulldog advantage. UIU scored the equalizer in the 88th minute, sure to end the match in a 2-2 tie, before a Jacob Panagos header off a Slayton Spencer corner provided the game-winning goal with 26 seconds remaining in the match. Down 1-0 since late in the first half, Landon Keisker assisted by Holden Kocher knotted the score in the 82nd minute and allowed Truman State to claim its fourth point of the road trip in the Lewis draw.