FINAL HOME WEEKENDThe Hornets will play their final two regular season home matches at the EHS Pitch this weekend against Neb.-Kearney and Ft. Hays State. Friday's match against the Lopers is set to begin at 7:00 p.m. with the Sunday's Senior Day Match against the Tigers set for a 2:00 p.m. kick-off. It will be the final regular season home match for seniors Ashlyn Parker, Shannon Thomas, Mallory Walden, Elizabeth High and Jordan Foutch.
LAST TIME OUTEmporia State fell short to Missouri Southern 1-0 last Sunday on the EHS Pitch.
The Hornets and Lions played to a 0-0 tie at half time. The lone goal came on a penalty kick from the Lions' Kelsey Haist in the 54th minute.
Yadira Rivera recorded seven saves in the game for Emporia State while Bryar Wiley recorded five saves for Southern. The Hornets attempted 10 total shots and the Lions attempted 16 total shots. Emporia State had 10 fouls and four offsides called against them and Missouri Southern had a total of nine fouls called against them and one offside penalty.
THE COACHESBryan Sailer is 21-34-14 in his fourth year at Emporia State after a break through year in 2013 in which he led the Hornets to just the second winning record in the 13 year history of the program. He is 9-7-5 over his last 21 matches dating back to last year. He is 0-2-0 against Neb.-Kearney and 0-2-3 against Ft. Hays State.
John Maessner is 20-25-6 in his third season as head coach at Neb.-Kearney. He is 2-0-0 against Emporia State.
Craig Shaw is 35-30-7 in his fourth year at Ft. Hays State and 75-49-9 in seven years as a head coach. He is 2-0-3 against Emporia State.
SCOUTING THE HORNETSEmporia State is 5-5-4 on the season and 2-4-4 in the MIAA with ten points to place seventh in the conference standings. The Hornets have had nine different players score a goal while the ninth person didn't score a goal until the 19th match last season. Grace Linton has five goals on the season to lead Emporia State in scoring but has not played the last two matches with concussion like symptoms. It is the most goals scored by a Hornet through 12 matches since Melanie Zdanek scored five in the first five games of 2005 on the way to a nine goal season. Â Jordan Foutch and Amelie Heuhn both have two goals on the season while Jessica Schellhase has three assists. Yadira Rivera has a 1.07 goals against average with five shutouts this season. She had a streak of 424:46 without allowing a goal snapped at Missouri Western. Â She holds the Emporia State career record with 14 shutouts in her first two years.
SCOUTING THE LOPERSNeb.-Kearney is 3-10-1 overall and 3-7-0 in the MIAA. They are 0-7-1 on the road this season. They have only played three overtime matches this season, going 0-2-1 in them. Montanna Hosterman has three goals and assisted on two of the other seven on the season to lead the Lopers. Katelin Mielke and Regan Zach have split time in goal this season with Mielke getting the start the last two games. Kielke has a 1.92 goals against average and one shut out while Zach has a 2.23 goals against average with one shut out.
LAST TIME AGAINST NEBRASKA-KEARNEYNebraska-Kearney defeated Emporia State 2-0 last season at the EHS Pitch. The game was played on a Saturday after being postponed Friday night due to inclement weather.
Montanna Hosterman scored on a free kick in the 15th minute to end a Hornets scoreless streak that had been carried over four-plus matches. Hosterman scored a second goal off an assist from Kirsti Rheler in the 25th minute and the teams played a scoreless second half.Â
Yadira Rivera had eight saves in the game for Emporia State.
SCOUTING THE TIGERSFt. Hays State is 8-4-2 on the season and 6-2-2 in the MIAA. They are on a four match unbeaten streak entering play this weekend. Kelsey Steffens has five goals and four assists while Cenayda Gusman and Jordan Hester each have four goals. Hailey Davey has two goals and nine assists. Kristen Thompson has a 0.61 goals against average with nine shutouts on the season.
LAST TIME AGAINST FT. HAYS STATEFor the second straight match Emporia State went to double overtime in MIAA play, this time in a 0-0 tie with Ft. Hays State in Hays, Kan.
The Hornets outshot the Tigers 8-6 in the first half, getting three shots on goal to just one for Ft. Hays State. The second half was the opposite with FHSU getting five shots to three for Emporia State. The Tigers outshot the Hornets 4-1 in the first overtime and got the only shot of the second overtime as well.
Yadira Rivera recorded her 11th career shutout as she saved eight shots for Emporia State. Grace Linton had four shots, two of them on goal for the Hornets.Â
SERIES HISTORIESThis will be the third meeting between Emporia State and Neb.-Kearney. The Lopers have won both matches, with each coming under unusual circumstances. The first match between the two was played at 10 p.m. in 2012 to accommodate a high school football game in Kearney. The second match was delayed one day due to inclement weather in the Emporia area last season.
This will be the sixth meeting between Emporia State and Ft. Hays State with the Tigers leading 2-0-3.
A LOOK AT THE MIAA STANDINGS
The MIAA soccer standings are based on a point system with three points for a win and one point for a tie. Emporia State is currently tied with Northwest Missouri and Missouri Southern for seventh place with ten points. The Hornets defeated the Bearcats and lost to the Lions earlier this year. Three of Emporia State's final four matches are with teams below them in the standings. The top eight teams make the MIAA Tournament with the top four teams hosting first round games.
UP NEXTThe Hornets end the regular season next weekend. On Friday they travel to Washburn for a Halloween edition of the Turnpike Tussle. The final regular season match will be at Neb.-Kearney on Sunday afternoon.
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