MATCH 12: SBU BEARCATS (5-4-2, 4-3-2 MIAA)
vs #2 CENTRAL MISSOURI JENNIES (8-0, 10-0 MIAA)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14 • 3:00 PM
SBU SOCCER FIELD • BOLIVAR, MO

M13: vs MISSOURI WESTERN GRIFFONS (1-3-5, 1-5-5 MIAA)
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16 • 2:00 PM
SBU SOCCER PITCH • BOLIVAR, MO

GAME NOTES
 
BOLIVAR, Mo. -- After a bump in the road last week against Emporia State, the SBU Bearcats look to get back on track through the second half of the MIAA schedule. Things certainly don't get easier, as the 'Cats host #2 Central Missouri for a mid-week matchup, followed by Missouri Western over the weekend.

The Bearcats remain one of the highest-powered offenses in the MIAA, with 19 goals to date, second-best in the league, and 1.73 goals per game. SBU also has 17 assists on the year, just two behind Central Missouri's 19 for tops in the league.

Forward Shonee Samia looks to continue her hot streak, as the freshman has scored five goals over the past three matches. After being named MIAA Player of the Week for her performance against Washburn two weeks ago, Samia scored her first collegiate hat trick to bring the 'Cats back from an 0-2 deficit against Missouri Southern. Samia, along with fellow freshman forward Ashley Creason, is tied with Central's Alyssa Rhodes for the conference lead in goals.

Sophomore Brittani Ready racked up her MIAA-leading eighth assist on the season last week. Ready is averaging 0.8 assists per game, ranking her sixth in the nation.

Goalkeeper Megan Link earned her fourth win of the season, and eleventh of her career against Missouri Southern. Link leads the conference in save percentage, with a .841 mark. Link's 6.62 saves per game ranks fourth-best in the MIAA.

THE COACHES AND THE ALL-TIME SERIES
Bearcat head coach Rob Podeyn is in his second season along the SBU sideline. Podeyn led the Bearcats to a 7-9-3 record last year after coming to SBU from Northwood University (Texas). After earning his 60th career win earlier this season, Podeyn has a career mark of 66-64-11.

Lewis Theobald enters his fourth season as head coach of the Jennies with a 51-13-8 record. In his first three years on the Central Missouri sideline, Theobald has captured more wins than any other UCM coach in their first three seasons.

Jeff Hansen begins his fifth season as the head coach of Missouri Western. Hansen is coming off the most successful season in the program's early history, finishing with a 8-10-2 record.

Central Missouri holds a 17-9-1 mark over the Bearcats, and have won the past four meetings. SBU and Missouri Western have gone 5-5 against each other; Western has taken four of the last five matchups to even the series.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
The Jennies remain as one of three perfect teams in Division II, with a 10-0 record. Their average of 2.8 goals per game is 16th best in the country, led by Alyssa Rhodes' 5 goals on the year. Central Missouri has six players among the MIAA top ten scoring leaders (Rhodes, Carly Stanley and Kayla Shain with 4 goals, and Becky Lackey, Jenna Stones, and Sharaya Sidebottom each with three).

Missouri Western is riding a four-game unbeaten streak into their mid-week match against Northwest Missouri. The Griffons are led by current MIAA Player of the Week, Jenna Weis. Weis has a conference-best 73 saves, and 6.64 saves per game. Her .839 save percentage ranks just below SBU's Link for tops in the league. Offensively, the Griffons have struggled, scoring just six goals on the year. Audrey Henderson and Heather Schmiemeier lead the team with two goals apiece.