Women's Soccer | 10/15/2026 10:11:00 AM

Matches 14-15
Emporia State Hornets (6-3-4, 3-1-3 MIAA)
vs. Missouri Southern Lions (3-5-4, 2-2-3 MIAA)
Friday, Oct. 16 • 2:00 p.m. • Emporia, Kan. • ESU Pitch
Series History: MSSU leads 16-12-6 • Last Meeting: ESU 1, MSSU 0 (10/12/25)

at #25 Central Missouri Jennies (10-1-2, 5-0-2 MIAA)
Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026 • 1:00 p.m. • Warrensbug, Mo. • South Rec Complex
Series History: UCM leads 29-9-2 • Last Meeting: #12 UCM 1, ESU 0 (10/26/25)
Complete Notes in PDF • The MIAA Network • Live Stats

SPLIT WEEKEND
Emporia State soccer takes on Missouri Southern and Central Missouri in a split weekend.

LAST TIME OUT
The Hornets played host to Newman and Washburn at the ESU Pitch. On Friday afternoon, Emporia State celebrated senior day with a 3-0 shutout over the Jets, the fourth shutout of the season for the Hornets. Megan Kephart, Ella Favot and Peyton Pipes all found the back of the net for ESU. Sunday featured a Turnpike Tussle matchup between the Hornets and Ichabods. Ella Favot scored her second goal of the weekend but Washburn followed immediately with a goal of their own as the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

ABOUT THE COACHES
Jane Grimley-Gunn is in year three at Emporia State in 2026 and has a 21-17-12 record with the Hornets.
Elliot Chadderton is in his first year at Missouri Southern and is 3-5-4 this season with the Lions
Lewis Theobald is 329-58-33 in his 20th season as the head coach at Central Missouri.

TOP GUNN
Jane Grimley-Gunn is in year two at the helm of Hornet Soccer and is 20-17-11. Grimley-Gunn spent the previous two seasons as the head coach for Missouri S&T's women's program. In 2023, the Miners had their longest unbeaten streak to start a season since 1997 and made a trip to the GLVC Tournament for the fourth time in school history. Prior to her time in Rolla, Grimley-Gunn was the associate head coach at her alma mater Goldey-Beacom College for four years. In those four seasons, the Lightning went 48-24-4. She was also named a recipient of the "30 under 30" award by the United Soccer Coaches in 2019. 

A LOOK AT THE HORNETS
Emporia State is 6-3-4 through the first 13 matches of the season and have started 3-1-3 in the MIAA as they currently sit in a tie for fourth with 12 points in association play. Ella Favot and Megan Kephart lead the way for the Hornets in attack, as they have seven and six goals respectively. Favot is coming off her second MIAA Offensive Athlete of the Week award, as she picked up five points in the Hornets two matchups last week. Defensively, the Hornets have improved in MIAA action, as they four of their last six matches have been shutouts and they have allowed one goal or fewer in each of their last nine. 

SCOUTING THE LIONS
Missouri Southern is 3-5-4 on the season with a 2-2-3 MIAA record as they are currently seventh in the standings with nine points. The Lions have been outscored by opponents 19-10 on the season, but have improved of late, allowing just three goals over their last six outings. Offensively, Sophie Spoonmore is the leading the scorer with four goals on the season, while Presley Whitmore and Talia Sanders have both scored a pair of goals. 

SERIES HISTORY
Missouri Southern leads the series with Emporia State 16-12-6, but the Hornets have won nine straight meetings dating back to 2016.

SCOUTING THE JENNIES
Central Missouri is 10-1-2 on the season with a 5-0-2 record in the MIAA, as they sit at 17 points, just two back of first-place Washburn in the standings. The Jennies moved back into the United Soccer Coaches Poll this week, as they are slated 25th. Offensively, Mikayla Ernst, who was a First Team All-MIAA and All-Region selection in 2025, has a team-high six goals. Coryn Jespersen leads the Jennies with 17 points as she has three goals and 11 assists on the season. Her assist total is the second-highest mark in Division II this season. As a team, Central Missouri is outscoring opponents 33-4, which includes nine shutouts by the Jennies defense.

SERIES HISTORY
Central Missouri leads the series 29-9-2 over the Hornets, with five of the nine wins for Emporia State coming since 2021. Eight of the last ten meetings have been decided by one goal.