Women's Soccer | 8/25/2026 4:52:00 PM

Matches 1-2
Emporia State Hornets (0-0-0)
at Drury Panthers (0-0-0)
Thursday, August 27 • 5:00 p.m. • Springfield, Mo.
Series History: DU leads 3-2-1 • Last Meeting: at DU 1, ESU 0 (9/4/25)

vs. #21 Maryville Saints (0-0-0)
Saturday, August 27 • 11:00 a.m. • ESU Pitch
Series History: MU leads 1-0 • Last Meeting: #25 MU 2, ESU 1 (9/6/25)

SEASON OPENING SPLIT
Emporia State soccer will split their opening weekend of the 2026 season with a pair of GLVC foes. The Hornets will travel to take on Drury before returning to the ESU Pitch to host Maryville.

2025 RECAP
The Hornets improved from six wins to nine in year two under head coach Jane Grimley-Gunn, and advanced to the MIAA Semifinals for the fourth time in the past five seasons. Emporia State returns six All-MIAA honorees from last season, including Ella Favot and Megan Kephart who both earned second team recognition as they had 17 points each last season. Peyton Pipes, Ruby Ryan, Madeline Bracy and Sammy Quiroz all return after being named honorable mention.

ABOUT THE COACHES
Jane Grimley-Gunn is entering year three at Emporia State in 2026 and has a 15-14-8 record with the Hornets.
Justin Olson is entering his seventh season at Drury and has a 65-24-27 career record with the Panthers.
Lori Lawson is entering her eighth season leading the Saints and has a 100-28-34 career record at Maryville.

TOP GUNN
Jane Grimley-Gunn is in year two at the helm of Hornet Soccer and is 15-14-8. 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 went 9-6-5 in the 2025 season, and made their fourth trip in the past five seasons to the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament. Six returners for the Hornets earned All-MIAA honors, including Ella Favot and Megan Kephart who both received second team recognition. Favot led the Hornets with seven goals and added three assists for 17 points, while Kephart had 17 points of her own through five goals and seven assists. Peyton Pipes, Ruby Ryan, Madeline Bracy and Sammy Quiroz all return after earning honorable mention nods last fall, and the Hailey Gancarz, who was the third Hornet with double-figure points also returns after scoring four goals and adding three assists last season. Emporia State's top eight point scorers from 2025 all return in 2026 as they improved from 1.35 goals per game in 2024 to 1.60 last season while also improving their goals against average from 1.47 to 1.00, which included seven shutouts.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Drury went 10-3-8 last season with an 8-1-5 mark in the GLVC before winning the GLVC Tournament championship for the third time. The Panthers return three players that scored multiple goals in 2025, including Keira Love who had four goals and six assists. Senior defender Anna Harris had two assists last season and was a Third Team All-GLVC selection. Senior goalkeeper Katy Fitzler had ten solo shutouts and two more combined last season on her way to GLVC Goalkeeper of the Year honors after posting a 0.57 goals against average. The Panthers have won double-digit matches in four of the past five seasons with three NCAA Tournament appearances. 

SCOUTING THE SAINTS
Maryville went 13-3-6 in 2025 with a 9-1-4 mark in the GLVC. The Saints fell in in the GLVC Tournament semifinals but still advanced to the NCAA Tournament and made a run to the Midwest Regional Final before falling to fellow GLVC foe Missouri St.-Louis. The Saints' leading scorer from 2025 was Sophia Carter, who as a freshman scored seven goals and added four assists on her way to GLVC Freshman of the Year honors and multiple First Team All-Midwest region selections. Agnes Vilen returns in goal after starting 19 matches last season with nine shutouts. Other notable returners for Maryville include Allison Estanich, Carissa Speight and Ashtyn Fry who all scored multiple goals last season.