Games 1 & 2
Emporia State Hornets (0-0, 0-0 MIAA)
at Ouachita Baptist (0-0, 0-0 GAC)
Friday, September 2 • 4:00 p.m. • Arkadelphia, Ark.
Series History: First Meeting Last Meeting: First Meeting
vs Harding (0-0, 0-0 GAC)
Sunday, Sept. 4 • 11:00 a.m. • Arkadelphia, Ark.
Series History: ESU leads 2-0 Last Meeting: ESU 3, HU 1 (Sept. 4, 2015)
 Up Next: at Colo. State-Pueblo
Friday, Sept. 11 • 7:00 p.m. • Pueblo, Colo.
 
LET'S GET THINGS STARTED
Emporia State will begin their 16th season of intercollegiate soccer at the MIAA-GAC Challenge in Arkadelphia, Ark. It is the third straight year the Hornets have opened against a pair of teams from the Great American Conference.  Emporia State is 4-0 in the first two years of the MIAA-GAC Challenge. 
 
THE COACHES
Bryan Sailer is 32-44-16 as he starts his sixth year at Emporia State and is the winningest coach in program history. He is the only coach in Hornet history to have two winning seasons. This is his first meeting with Ouachita Baptist while he is 2-0 against Harding.
Kevin Wright is 40-32-3 in his fifth year at Ouachita Baptist. This is his first meeting with Emporia State.
Dr. Greg Harris is 115-133-20 in his 16th season at Harding. He is 0-2 against Emporia State.
 
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
The Hornets finished last season 9-8-1 for the second best winning percentage in school history and third straight non-losing season.  Emporia State outscored their opponents 33-22 on the season as seven of their eight losses were by a single goal, while all nine of their wins were by at least two goals. Former MIAA Keeper of the Year Yadira Rivera leads a four person senior class that has never had a losing record with the Hornets. Rivera was the 2014 Co-Goalkeeper of the Year and earned honorable mention All-MIAA honors last year after missing two games with an injury. Junior Jaide Allenbrand is in her fourth year with the Hornets and was named third-team All-MIAA as a defender last season. Sophomore Maria Walden scored two goals with an assist on her way to honorable mention All-MIAA honors last season. Senior McKenzie Koch was an honorable mention All-MIAA pick as a freshman in 2013. The Hornets will have nine newcomers this season, including Ashlynn Summar and Maddie Taylor. Summar was the Jayhawk Conference Offensive Player of the Year after scoring 25 goals with eight assists as a sophomore for Johnson County CC. Taylor scored 26 goals as a senior for Manhattan HS as a senior last year.
 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Ouachita Baptist was 11-7 last year and 10-2 in the GAC. They are picked to finish third in the league this season. The Tigers return four All-GAC performers - unanimous First-Team selection Tessa Woodcock and three midfielders. Woodcock was a three-time First-Team pickon defense. Ouachita brings back First-Team selection Bryson Rial, Second-Team pick Natalia Arteaga and Bryson Thomas, an Honorable Mention choice in the midfield.
 
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the first meeting between the Tigers and the Hornets.
 
SCOUTING THE BISON
Harding was 15-4-2 last year, 10-1-1 in the GAC and regular season conference champions. They are picked to repeat as GAC champs after advancing to the NCAA Tournament last year. The Bison return five 2015 All-GAC selections led by Sutherland sisters –  senior defender Melita, and sophomore midfielder Bethany. Melita captured GAC Defensive Player of the Year honors and was a Third Team All-America honors. Bethany set the GAC single-season records with 23 goals and 51 points. She was the GAC Freshman of the Year and named to the D2CCA All-America Team. The Lady Bisons bring back All-GAC forwards Rachel Bacon and Carley Stevens as well as All-GAC defender Sierra Phillips.
 
SERIES HISTORY
This will be the third meeting between Emporia State and Harding. The Hornets have won the first two matches, each by two goals.
 
LAST TIME AGAINST HARDING
Amelie Heun scored two goals to lead Emporia State to a 3-1 win over Harding in the season opener.  Harding scored the first goal in the 17th minute to take a 1-0 lead before Heun scored on a penalty kick in the 34th minute to tie the match. She scored the game winner in the 84th minute and  Jacki Martinek added an insurance goal in teh 88th minute.
 
UP NEXT
Emporia State travels to Colorado for a pair of non-conference games next weekend.