MATCH 9: SBU BEARCATS (3-3-2, 2-2-2 MIAA)
vs. WASHBURN LADY BLUES (3-2, 3-3-1 MIAA)
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2 • 3:00 PM
SBU SOCCER PITCH • BOLIVAR, MO

GAME NOTES

BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The SBU Bearcats will look to carry some momentum after picking up four points last week, as they face off against conference foe Washburn. After a late-game goal by Nebraska-Omaha stole away a win from the 'Cats, SBU came back from 0-1 and 1-2 defecits against Northwest Missouri to pick up the victory.

The Bearcats remain one of the highest-powered offenses in the MIAA, with a second-most 12 goals to date, and 1.5 goals per game. SBU also has 12 assists on the year, just three behind Central Missouri's 15 for tops in the league.

Sophomore forward Brittany Ready was named MIAA Soccer Student-Athlete of the Week, thanks to her goal and three assists last week. The current MIAA leader in assists, Ready ranks fifth nationally with 0.86 assists per game, and is one of three different Bearcats to win the award this year, which SBU athletes have won three out of the first four weeks of the season.

Goalkeeper Megan Link saw limited action last week, as freshman Paige Hemphill started against Northwest Missouri. Link continues to lead the conference with 7.0 saves per game, Link also ranks 29th in the nation with a .875 save percentage.

Ashley Creason, a forward from Lee's Summit, Mo., is currently the top goal scorer in the MIAA, with 5 scores. Along with her lone assist, Creason's 11 points is best in the league as well, and puts her among the top 100 in Division II.

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), where he captured two conference titles over three years. After earning his 60th career win earlier this season, Podeyn has a career mark of 65-63-11.

The only head coach in Washburn's history, Tim Collins has built a program from the ground up to appear in two NCAA tournaments over the past three years. Over eight seasons, Collins has compiled a school record of 71-51-22.

The SBU-Washburn series has been one of the most evenly matched in program history, as SBU holds a 5-4-5 advantage all-time over the Lady Blues. Washburn got the better of the 'Cats in Topeka last season, while both sides played to a 2-2 draw in Bolivar.

SCOUTING THE LADY BLUES

Washburn is currently riding a three-game winning streak into Thursday's matchup with conference leaders Truman. After starting the season 0-3-1, the Lady Blues have rebounded, scoring five goals over the past three games and allowing just two. Goalkeeper Ashley Klone's 5.86 saves per game ranks her third in the MIAA, and her .804 save percentage puts her in the top 100 of Division II. Leah Talley leads the Lady Blues with five points, off a pair of goals and an assist. The Washburn attack comes from a number of players, as seven different Blues have recorded a point. Washburn does have a history of starting slow, however, as they have yet to net a goal in the first half of a match.