Southern volleyball falls to Northwest Missouri in four sets

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Maryville, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern volleyball team got double-figure kills from both Bailey Rexford and Janelle Brehm, but fell in four sets today at Northwest Missouri. Individual set scores were 14-25, 17-25, 25-18, and 18-25.

The Lions (9-9, 2-3 MIAA) were led by Rexford's 14 kills and a .400 attack average as she added three digs and two blocks. Brehm had 11 kills and eight digs, while Alicia Pickett had nine kills, six digs and three blocks.

Morgan Nash had a double-double with 32 assists and 18 digs. Teryn Scott and Whitney Harrison had 18 and 10 digs, respectively, while Kat Gries added nine digs of her own.

Northwest Missouri (9-8, 3-2 MIAA) was led by Maddy Bruder's 21 kills and 17 digs, while Sofia Schleppenbach had 14 kills, as well.

The first two sets were won by Northwest as set one featured two ties and two lead changes, while set two saw just one tie and a lead change. Set three saw five ties and two lead changes. With the set tied at 15, back-to-back kills from Rexford and Brehm put the Lions up 17-15 and the team never looked back.

The fourth set was all Northwest as the Bearcats led 7-6, but pulled away for the match clincher.

The Lions will be back in action next week as Southern travels to Lindenwood and Central Missouri on Friday and Saturday.

MSSU football drops Homecoming contest to Nebraska-Kearney 16-6

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern football team fell just short in a defensive struggle as the Lions dropped a homecoming game to visiting Nebraska-Kearney, 16-6 in front of more than 5,000 fans at Fred G. Hughes Stadium inside the Robert W. Plaster Sports Complex.

The Lions (0-5, 0-5 MIAA) split their quarterbacks today as Dante Vandeven got the start and went 12-20 for 126 yards, while TJ Fleeton came in and went 10-21 for 94 yards. Fleeton added 11 yards on the ground and a rushing touchdown.

Shemar Coleman had eight carries for 30 yards, and caught three passes for 53 yards in the game. Josiah Bennett had six receptions for 53 yards, while Carson Daycaught five passes for 29 yards. Kene Anigbogu had a catch for 33 yards, while nine different Lions caught a pass today. Josh Hadley ran the ball three times for 23 yards and Nicholas Roller had four carries for nine yards.

Defensively, Akel Beard had 15 tackles in the game with one tackle for a loss. Angelo Sumler had 13 stops including a sack and one and a half tackle for a loss. Roc Robbins had 11 tackles and a fumble recovery, while Brayden Scott had a forced fumble. Keith Beverly had four pass break ups in the game.

The Lopers (2-3, 2-3 MIAA) were led by Thomas Russell with 39 carries for 178 yards and two rushing touchdowns.

UNK got on the board first with a 21-yard field goal from Brendan Wentling with 4:43 left in the first. Russell had a pair of rushing touchdowns, one in the second with 4:04 left in the second and another with 9:14 left in the fourth.

The Lions got on the board with a five-yard rushing score from Fleeton. That play capped off a 13-play, 69-yard scoring drive for the Lions.

Southern will be back in action next weekend as the Lions travel to Washburn University. Kickoff is slated for 1 pm.

MSSU soccer loses 5-2 to Missouri Western

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

St. Joseph, Mo. – Despite coming back in the second period to tie it at 2-2, the Missouri Southern soccer team would eventually fall short by giving up three unanswered goals to the No. 24-ranked Missouri Western State Griffons in a 5-2 loss inside Craig Field at Spratt Memorial Stadium Friday night.

MSSU's (0-6-2, 0-2) Jessica Edwards knotted it up with a shot towards the top of the net as it seemed as the momentum was switching towards MSSU's push,
but two seconds later Griffon's Cassidy Menke took a shot from ten yards out that found the left side of the goal to put MWSU back on top. Bridget Blessie and Sara Collins each added a header for the fourth and fifth goal of the night to secure the victory for the Griffons, who improve to 8-1 overall and 2-0 in MIAA conference play.

Freshman Centre midfielder Carina Calderon scored the first goal of her career in the 35th minute on a free kick to send the Lions into halftime only down by one (2-1). The Lion's defense was able to shut down the Griffon's rapid scoring attack by keeping them off balance for the last 38 minutes of the first period.

MWSU's Ashley Mathis scored the first goal of the game in the third opening minute off a pass from Sydney Cluck that found Mathis splitting two defenders and driving towards the goal as the goalkeeper came out to defend. Then a corner kick by Madeline Cowell deflected off a Lions' player, causing the ball to roll past everyone into the goal to give the No. 24 ranked team in the country an early 2-0 lead.

Goalkeeper Luz Galindo played in all 90 minutes, allowing five goals on 15 shots faced in her second start between the posts for Southern.

The Lions look to rebound on Sunday as they take on the North West Missouri Bearcats at 12:30 pm inside Bearcat Pitch.

MSSU volleyball falls to Missouri Western

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

St. Joseph, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern volleyball team took the first set, but Missouri Western won the final three as the Lions fell three sets to one tonight against the Griffons. Individual set scores were 26-24, 16-25, 19-25, and 16-25.

Southern (9-8, 2-2 MIAA) was led by Janelle Brehm as the freshman had 15 kills and six digs. Alicia Pickett had ten kills and three digs, while Morgan Nash had a double-double with 38 assists and ten digs. Teryn Scott had a team-high 15 digs in the match.

Western (9-8, 3-1 MIAA) had four in double-figure kills, led by Stephanie Doak with 22.

The Griffons had a 22-21 lead late, and again at 23-22 and 24-23, but three-straight errors from Western gave the set to the Lions.

Set two had seven tied scores and four lead changes, but Western took a 14-13 lead midway through and didn't look back.

Set three had two tied scores and two lead changes, and set four saw Western lead from start to finish.

The Lions will be back in action tomorrow afternoon as Southern travels to Northwest Missouri. First serve from Bearcat Arena is slated for 2 pm.

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MSSU soccer wraps up road trip this weekend

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

MSSU Soccer team wraps up its four-game road trip this weekend with a couple matches, beginning at Missouri Western on Friday, Sept. 29 at 6 pm and finishing up on Sunday against Northwest Missouri for a 12:30 pm battle to kick off the month of October.

The Lions stand at 0-5-2 on the season after dropping their last two contests to Central Oklahoma, 3-1 and Northeastern State, 1-0, to close out the weekend in Oklahoma.

MWSU enters Friday's game as the leader in total shots (186 and shots on goal (97), reigning in the top-five of every other statistical category. The Griffons are currently third in the MIAA (7-1, 1-0) thanks to five shutout victories and a perfect 4-0 on home turf. They are coming off a weekend split, first falling to Central Missouri, 2-0, before rebounding with a 2-0 victory of their own at Lindenwood two days later.

NWMSU on the other hand is ninth in the MIAA standings (3-4, 0-1) and holds a 0-2 record at home. The Bearcats also come off a weekend split after defeating Lindenwood, 2-1, before being shut out by Central Missouri, 6-0.

MSSU football to play host to Nebraska-Kearney in Homecoming game

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern football team will play host to Nebraska-Kearney this Saturday as the Lions and Lopers will battle on Homecoming inside Fred G. Hughes Stadium. 

Game Information
Team Records: MSSU - 0-4, 0-4 MIAA | UNK 1-3, 1-3 MIAA
Date: Saturday, September 30, 2017
Kick-Off: 3:00 pm, CT
Location: Joplin, Mo.
Site: Fred G. Hughes Stadium Stadium (7,000)
Series Record: UNK leads the series 8-7
Coaches: Denver Johnson (3-22 at MSSU, 72-89 overall) | Rich Wright (28-17 overall, 1-3 at UNK)

Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: ESPN Joplin 101.3, 103.5 FM and AM 1560; 88.7 FM KXMS - Mike McClure, Play-by-Play, Scott Boudreaux, Color
Video Webcast: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/mssulions
Live Stats: http://sidearmstats.com/mssu/football
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @mosofootball

The Series: Nebraska-Kearney holds an 8-7 record in the overall series, however the two teams have only played each other three times since the 1988 season (all Lions wins) the last year Southern participated as a member of the NAIA and the Central States Intercollegiate Conference. The series features one of the most unique situations as both teams historically have been better at the other team's facility. The Lions are 2-5 at home, while 5-3 in Kearney. UNK won the first four meetings, but Southern took the next three. The Lions have won the last two, 34-17 in 2014, and 24-14 the last two seasons.

The Dish On The Lopers: Nebraska-Kearney started the season with a 14-3 win at home over Missouri Western. The Lopers, have since lost to Emporia State, Northwest Missouri and Washburn. Thomas Russell is the cog of the offense for the Lopers as he is the leading rusher with 223 yards on 67 carries and a touchdown, while also having the most receptions at eight with 48 yards and a score. Quarterback Steve Worthing is 48-93 for 552 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions, while also netting 115 yards on the ground. Dayton Sealey has 12 carries for 40 yards, while Sedarius Young has big-play threat written all over him with five receptions for 128 yards and two scores. Blake Holtmeier has caught seven passes for 72 yards and a score. Defensively, Sal Silvio has done a little bit of it all with a team-high 31 tackles, including five and a half for a loss, one sack, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble. Ty Botsford is second on the team with 27 tackles, while Malik Webb has a team-high two interceptions. Jordan Ingraham is one of three Lopers with 2.5 sacks, while the team has 14 collectively. As a team, UNK is averaging 242.5 yards of total offense a game, while giving up 330.2. The Lopers average 104.5 yards on the ground, but stymie defenses, allowing just 64.8 per game. Through the air, UNK, is averaging 138 yards per game, but the Lopers give up 265.5. The Lopers will be back in action next week as UNK plays host to Central Missouri at 2 pm.

A Victory vs. Nebraska-Kearney Would: be four in a row against the Lopers as Southern has won each game since the team joined the MIAA four years ago. It would also tie the series between the two teams at eight wins each.

NFL Representation: The Lions will have two different players on NFL rosters to start the season. Brandon Williams is a starter on the defensive line for the Baltimore Ravens, while Allen Barbre will be with the Denver Broncos this year.

Show Me The Money: Brandon Williams has become a leader on the defense for the Baltimore Ravens, as well as the NFL. In the offseason, Williams became the highest-paid nose tackle in the NFL and the eighth-highest paid defensive lineman when he signed a five-year, $54 million contract.

NFL Executive: Former Lion and former NFL wide receiver James Thrash is in his second season serving as the NFL and NFLPA's Appeals Officer. He hears all appeals for the NFL regarding on-field player discipline. Thrash played 12 seasons in the NFL for the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles.

Lions On Radio: The Lions will partner with ESPN Joplin this year as Southern can now be heard on three separate FM stations, as well as an AM station. ESPN Joplin will air the Lions' games on 101.3 and 103.5 FM, as well as AM 1560. MSSU's KXMS 88.7 will also simulcast the games giving the Lions a larger reach in the four-states than they've ever had.

Tough League/Region: The MIAA has two teams in the coaches top 25 this week. Northwest Missouri is 1st, while Fort Hays State is 14th. The Super Region Three, which the Lions are a part of, has six teams in the top 25. There are 11 teams total that are either ranked or receiving votes in the poll from the region.

Lions On TV: Missouri Southern's KGCS will air every Lions home game live this year during the season. They will also re-broadcast the games on Sunday evenings at 7 pm.

Lions On The Web: All of MSSU's football games are carried live online as part of the MIAA Network. Fans can go to www.mssulions.com to view live and on-demand games.

Streaming Options: Fans now have even more options to view the Lions online in their homes and on the road. Not only can you view on your computer, fans can now view The MIAA Network on its over the top apps for either Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Android TV.

Team Stats Rankings: Southern leads Division II in blocked punts allowed, while ranking seventh in fewest penalty yards per game and ninth in fewest penalties per game. The team ranks 44th in red zone offense and 35th in tackles for a loss.

Individual Stats Rankings: Individually, Alexander Wade is 18th in solo tackles, while ranking 37th in total tackles. Carson Day ranks 57th in kickoff returns, while DAnte Vandeven ranks 57th in completions per game.

Roc(K) Steady: Roc Robbins had a heck of a good season opener with two sacks against Fort Hays. The sophomore had 3.5 tackles for a loss and two sacks.

Score!: Junior quarterback Dante Vandeven threw four touchdown passes against Emporia State. That number is the second-highest single-game total and Vandeven is the eighth Lion to ever hit that mark.

Spread The Wealth: In two of the Lions' three games this year, the Lions have thrown passes to at least nine different individuals. Against Emporia State, that number was seven and Northwest Missouri the number was eight.

Behind the Line: The Lions had eight tackles for a loss against Emporia State. Southern stopped the Hornets for a loss of 26 yards.

Big Man Jo: Josiah Bennett had a couple of big catches for the Lions against Emporia State. Bennett caught four passes for 75 yards and a score against the Hornets. For the season, Bennett is averaging 14.9 yards per catch.

New Position: Junior Brayden Scott showed a little wrinkle to his skills. Scott lined up as a wide out and executed a perfect end around and threw a 46-yard pass to Carson Day. Scott also had a pass break up and a sack on defense.

MIAA Preseason Polls: The MIAA released its preseason polls as part of its annual Media Day on August 2. The Lions were picked 11th in the coaches poll and tenth in the media poll.

Weather Report: The weather report for the Joplin area on Saturday calls for partly cloudy conditions and a high of 79 degrees with a zero percent chance of precipitation.

Up Next: Southern will be on the road as the Lions travel to Washburn next weekend to take on the Ichabods. Kickoff is slated for 1 pm.

MSSU golf ties for eighth at Minnesota meet

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Lake City, Minn. -- The Missouri Southern Golf Team finished in a tie for eighth and Tristan Haltom was tied for 14th as the Lions competed in the JR Watkins Invite hosted by Winona State University at The Jewell GC in Lake City, Minn.

Haltom shot a second-round 73 to finish with a two-day total of 147 and was tied for 14th. Tripper Jensen shot a second-day 80 to finish with a 153 and tied for 42nd, while connor Neil and Taylor Haltom both tied for 49th with Neil shooting a day-two 81 and Haltom carding a 77. Both shot a two-day total of 154. Jake Beckerimproved by two strokes and shot a 79 in day two to finish tied for 8th with a 160.

Central Missouri, Arkansas-Fort Smith and Minnesota State finished tied for the team lead at ten-over 586. Missouri Western was fourth, followed by Washburn, Minot State, Winona State, Southern, Oklahoma Baptist and Bemidji State to round out the top ten.

St. Cloud and Manitoba finished 11th, while Bently, Sioux Falls, Winona State (B) Augustana, Upper Iowa, Concordia-St. Paul and Lincoln finish out the team totals.

The Lions will be back in action on October 16 and 17 as Southern competes in the Washburn Invitational at Topeka CC.

Brehm records 12 kills as MSSU volleyball sweeps Southwest Baptist

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern Volleyball team got 12 kills from Janelle Brehm as the Lions swept visiting Southwest Baptist three sets to none in volleyball action tonight. Individual set scores from Young Gymnasium were 25-22, 25-17 and 25-19.

The Lions (9-7, 2-1 MIAA) now have more wins than the previous two years combined and have surpassed the eight wins in coach John Napier's first season.

Brehm led the way offensively with 12 kills, while Bailey Rexford added ten kills and hit .320. Morgan Nash had 31 assists and ten digs for a double-double, while Kat Grieshad 13 digs of her own. Alicia Pickett had four kills and four blocks, while Alissa Diaz added five kills, four blocks and a .400 attack average.

The Lions had eight blocks as a team.

SBU (2-14, 1-2 MIAA) was led by Katie Robinson with ten kills.

The Bearcats jumped out to a 17-12 lead in the first set, but the Lions roared back and tied the match at 19 after a a 7-2 run and went ahead 21-19 on a block from Mikayla Monk and Pickett and an ace from Teryn Scott, forcing an SBU timeout. The Lions finished out the set to go up 1-0.

Southern led 13-6 midway through the second set and led 18-9 to force a Bearcat timeout. The Lions rolled to the set win. In the third set, the Lions and Bearcats traded points early on, but Southern jumped ahead and led 11-6 midway through the set. The lead was 17-11 after a kill from Brehm to force an SBU timeout and led 23-19 to force another timeout. A kill from Diaz and a block from Nash and Diaz closed out the match.

The Lions will be back in action this weekend as Southern travels to Missouri Western on Friday and Northwest Missouri on Saturday.

MSSU golf tied for sixth after first day of J. R. Watkins Invitational

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Lake City, Minn. -- The Missouri Southern golf team is tied for sixth place today after the first day of the JR Watkins Invitational hosted by Winona State University at the Jewell GC in Lake City, Minn.

Connor Neil and Tripper Jensen are both tied for 17th after the pair shot a first-round, one-over par 73. Tristan Haltom shot a 74 and is tied for 31st, while Taylor Haltomshot a 77 to finish tied for 55th. Jake Becker is tied for 90th after a first-round 81.

Neil and Jensen are just four shots off the lead.

Arkansas Fort Smith is in the lead in the team standings after the first round as they shot a four-under as a team. Minnesota State is second, followed by Central Missouri and Missouri western tied at third and Washburn in fifth to round out the top five team scores.

The Lions and Winona State are tied for sixth followed by Oklahoma Baptist, St. Cloud State, Augustana, Winona State (B), Minot State, Bemidji State, Bentley, Manitoba, Sioux Falls, Concordia-St. Paul, Upper Iowa and Lincoln to finish out the team totals.

Southern will be back in action tomorrow morning as the Lions will play the final 18 holes.

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MSSU golf headed to Winona State

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern golf team will be back in action on Monday and Tuesday as the Lions travel to Winona State University to participate in the JR Watkins Invite held at the Jewell Golf Club in Lake City, Minn.

This will be the first time the Lions have ventured to Minnesota in the fall and the first time the team has played on this golf course. Southern is coming off of a 6th place finish at Central Missouri and an 11th place finish last weekend at Northeastern State.

The Lions will bring Connor Neil, Tristan Haltom, Taylor Haltom, Tripper Jensen and Jake Becker as the scoring five to the tournament. Neil and Taylor Haltom both finished tied for tenth place individually at NSU. Tristan Haltom finished fifth at Central Missouri, but was the top MIAA individual finisher and is in first place in the early MIAA standings.

The Lions will play 18 holes on Monday and another 18 holes on Tuesday.

Missouri Southern soccer falls to NSU

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Tahlequah, Okla. - After missing their first three shots of the match, a shot by senior-forward Melissa Giles found the back of the net to lift the RiverHawks past Missouri Southern 1-0 to open MIAA conference play inside Dr. Dan F. Deloache Field Sunday afternoon.

MSSU's (0-5-2, 0-1) offense picked up the pressure by out-shooting NSU in the second half, 6-1 in shots on goal, but could not capitalize and tie the game up at one. Tayler LePage and Carina Calderon both had two shots apiece to lead the Lions (LePage both on goal).

Goalkeeper Hannah Stevenson (0-4-1) played in all 90 minutes (, making eight saves and allowing only one goal after seeing 16 shots total. NSU's goalie Brennan Hockett also went the distance with 90 minutes between the pipes, making nine saves on 11 total shot attempts.

The RiverHawks remain undefeated (7-0, 1-0) with the team's fifth shutout of the season. They led 11-3 in shot attempts (8-3 SOG), while boosting opportunities to attack with five corner kicks in the first half; holding the Lions to none.

The Lions continue their four-game road trip against Missouri Western on Friday, Sept. 29th at 6 pm inside Craig Field at Spratt Memorial Stadium.

MSSU volleyball sweeps Pittsburg State

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern volleyball team won a couple of thrillers in the first two sets and then put the match away early in the third as the Lions took out visiting Pittsburg State today three sets to none. Individual set scores were 26-24, 26-24 and 25-11.

The Lions (8-7, 1-1 MIAA) were led by Alicia Pickett as the sophomore had 11 kills and nine blocks, while hitting .292 in the match. Bailey Rexford had 13 kills, while Janelle Brehm had ten kills and 13 digs. Morgan Nashhad 39 assists and nine digs, while Teryn Scott had 13 digs of her own.

PSU (3-11, 0-2 MIAA) was led offensively from Lauren Regier with nine kills.

In the first set with the Gorillas leading 20-18, two quick points by the Lions, the later on a block from Brehm and Pickett forced a PSU timeout. Both teams traded points until the set was tied at 24 before another PSU timeout. The Lions scored the final two points of the set to go up 1-0.

Southern led 20-16 in the second set to force a PSU timeout, but the Gorillas would fight back and eventually tie it at 24. A kill from Nash and a block from Pickett and Rexford sealed the set.

The third set was all Lions. Southern scored the first three points and after Pitt got a qick point to make the score 3-1, Pickett served out the next 11 points in a row, pushing the score to 14-1 and forcing the Gorillas to use both timeouts during the run.

The Lions would lead 18-7 and rolled to the 25-11 set win.

Southern will be back in action on Tuesday evening as the Lions will play host to Southwest Baptist at 6 pm inside Young Gymnasium.

MSSU football falls 63-0 to number one Northwest Missouri State

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Maryville, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern football team fell 63-0 today at number one ranked Northwest Missouri State on Mel Tjeerdsma Field inside Bearcat Stadium.

The Lions (0-4, 0-4 MIAA) suffer the program's worst defeat in history, the previous being a 53-0 loss in 1968 to Arkansas Tech. It is tied for the most points allowed to an MIAA opponent in Southern history with 63 against Emporia State in a 63-17 loss at Emporia in 1998.

Dante Vandeven was 14-21 for 112 yards, with Brandon Martin catching three passes for 24 yards and Kene Anigbogu catching two passes for 32 yards. Josiah Bennett caught two passes for 30 yards.

Defensively, Alexander Wade, Angelo Sumler and Carter Rees had nine tackles each. Roc Robbins and Levi Marlaycombined for a sack, while Trevor Plafcan had six tackles and three quarterback hurries.

Northwest Missouri (4-0, 4-0 MIAA) held the Lions to just 112 yards of total offense in the game.

Northwest led 14-0 after one and 42-0 at the break.

The Lions will be back in action next week as Southern plays host to Nebraska-Kearney for homecoming. Kickoff from Fred G. Hughes Stadium inside the Robert W. Plaster Sports Complex is slated for 3 pm.

MSSU volleyball falls in three to Central Oklahoma

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern volleyball team ran into a hot-hitting Central Oklahoma squad tonight as the Lions fell three sets to none to the tenth-ranked Bronchos inside Young Gymnasium. Individual set scores were 10-25, 11-25 and 14-25.

The Lions (7-7, 1-1 MIAA) got seven kills from Janelle Brehm and six from Sydney Dose. Morgan Nash and Whitney Harrison both had 11 assists, while Kat Gries had eight digs.

UCO (14-1, 1-0 MIAA) was led by Taylor Bevis with 14 kills and a .444 attack average. The Bronchos hit .434 as a team.

Set one saw three tied scores and one lead change, while set two saw just one tie. The Bronchos led from start to finish in the final set.

The Lions will be back in action tomorrow afternoon as Southern plays host to Pittsburg State. First-serve from Young Gymnasium is slated for 2 pm.

Missouri Southern soccer drops match to Oklahoma Central

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Edmond, Okla. - The Missouri Southern soccer team knotted it up at one a piece, but would eventually fall, 3-1, from two unanswered goals by Oklahoma Central inside Tom Thompson Field Friday afternoon.

The Lions (0-4-2) went into the half down by one goal until sophomore forward Jessica Edwards shot a 35-yarder over the goalkeeper's head to the tie the match up 1-1 in the 52nd minute.

OCU (3-4, 1-0) answered back four minutes later as Broncho's Camille Greer put them back up with a straight-away shot and never looked back towards the end. Kelsie Eason added an insurance goal, beating a defender on a one-on-one break in 75th minute. Teammate Morgan Cherry began the scoring output, finding the ball off a corner kick and heading it in for the 1-0 lead heading into the half.

Taylor LePage and Brooke Ishmael each had two shot attempts, while Maria Sturluson, Meredith Belrose, and Sarah Tatum all had one; Tatum's being the second one on goal for the Lions.

MSSU's goalkeeper Hannah Stevenson remained in the game for all 90 minutes and made eight saves on the day deposit allowing three scores. She moves to 0-3-1 now on the season.

Now the Lions will travel to face the undefeated Northeastern State River Hawks (5-0) to open MIAA conference play on Sunday inside Dr. Dan F. Deloache Field at 1 pm.

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MSSU soccer to begin four-game road trip with matches at Central Oklahoma

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern Women's soccer heads to Oklahoma for two matches to kick off a four-game road trip. First, by wrapping up non-conference play against Central Oklahoma on Friday at 4 pm (rematch on senior day) and then two days later open up MIAA conference play with Northeastern State on Sunday, Sept. 24th at 1 pm.

The Lions remain in sight for the team's first win of the season while standing at 0-3-2 after falling to Southwest Baptist, 2-0, last Friday night in Joplin.

UCO is coming off an impressive 9-2 victory at Southwest Baptist last Sunday and has won two of its last three games after starting the season 0-3 (all on road).

On the other hand, NSU is a perfect 5-0 on the season, including four-straight shutouts (3 home, 1 away) to start the season before allowing two goals in a 3-2 victory at UCO last Friday. The River Hawks are currently tied in third for fewest goals allowed (.502) and fourth in goals scored (16) so far.

Both matches will provide live stats throughout each contest. Links can be found above or under schedule for the specific event.

MSSU volleyball to open MIAA play this weekend

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern volleyball team will open up MIAA play this weekend as the Lions play host to No. 10 Central Oklahoma on Friday at 6 pm and Pittsburg State on Saturday at 2 pm.

Southern enters the matches 7-6 overall after dropping a midweek match at Drury on Tuesday night. Freshman Janelle Brehm leads the offensive attack for the Lions as she is averaging 3.66 kills per set and 2.38 digs per set, while posting a 0.47 blocks per set mark. Freshman Morgan Nash is dishing out 10.32 assists per set, while sophomore Alicia Pickett is averaging 1.30 blocks per set and junior Erica Freudinger is at 1.19 blocks per set, as well.

Central Oklahoma is 13-1 overall and ranked tenth nationally. The Bronchos have the top record in the MIAA and have won ten matches in a row.

Pittsburg State is 3-9 and the Gorillas have dropped three matches in a row.

Both matches will have live stats and for the first time will be streamed live via the MIAA Network. Links can be found above in the story.

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MSSU football on the road at Northwest Missouri State Saturday

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern football team will head north to take on top-ranked Northwest Missouri State this Saturday. Kickoff from Bearcat Stadium is slated for 1:30 pm. 

Game Information
Team Records: MSSU - 0-3, 0-3 MIAA | NWMSU 3-0, 3-0 MIAA
Date: Saturday, September 23, 2017
Kick-Off: 1:30 pm, CT
Location: Maryville, Mo.
Site: Bearcat Stadium (6,500)
Series Record: Northwest leads the series 24-4
Coaches: Denver Johnson (3-21 at MSSU, 72-88 overall) | Rich Wright (3-0 overall, at NWMSU)

Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: ESPN Joplin 101.3, 103.5 FM and AM 1560; 88.7 FM KXMS - Mike McClure, Play-by-Play, Scott Boudreaux, Color
Video Webcast: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/mssulions
Live Stats: http://sidearmstats.com/nwmissouri/football
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @mosofootball

The Series: Northwest holds a 24-4 record against the Lions. Southern won last in 1994, 34-9 at Hughes Stadium, the only win at home in the series. Southern is 3-11 in Maryville, and 1-13 at home, but haven't beat the Bearcats since 1994. Since 1998, the average margin of victory for Northwest has been 31 points. The Bearcats own the longest current winning streak against the Lions at 22-straight games.

The Dish On The Bercats: Northwest Missouri is the two-time defending Division II National Champions. The Bearcats are 3-0 this season and have won their last 33 games in a row. Northwest started the season with a convincing 34-0 win at home over then No. 4 ranked Emporia State and have defeated Nebraska-Kearney and Washburn on the road. Cameron Wilcox leads the rushing attack with 41 carries for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Jordan Grove has 125 yards on the ground, as well. Zach Martin leads the passing attack, going 78-108 for 774 yards and three touchdowns with just one interception. Shane Williams is Martin's favorite target in the air catching 22 passes for 200 yards and a score. Shawn Bane has two touchdown receptions and 197 yards in the air, while Grove has caught 15 passes for 167 yards. Defensively, the Bearcats are led by Ben Althoff with 18 tackles and two tackles for a loss. Nick Hess has 14 tackles and a team-high two sacks, while Edward Richey has a sack and is one of three Bearcats with an interception. As a team, Northwest is averaging 390 yards of total offense, while giving up just 173. The Bearcats average 130 per game on the ground and 260 through the air. Northwest has outscored its opponents 60-31 this season and is holding the ball for an average of 15 minutes more per game than its opponents. Northwest will be back in action next as the Bearcats play Central Missouri in the Arrowhead Classic at Arrowhead Stadium.

A Victory vs. Northwest Missouri State Would: stop a 22-game losing streak against the Bearcats. It would also be the first-ever win over a No. 1 ranked team for Southern and the first time the Lions have won in Maryville since 1994. It would also stop Northwest Missouri's 33-game win streak.

NFL Representation: The Lions will have two different players on NFL rosters to start the season. Brandon Williams is a starter on the defensive line for the Baltimore Ravens, while Allen Barbre will be with the Denver Broncos this year.

Show Me The Money: Brandon Williams has become a leader on the defense for the Baltimore Ravens, as well as the NFL. In the offseason, Williams became the highest-paid nose tackle in the NFL and the eighth-highest paid defensive lineman when he signed a five-year, $54 million contract.

NFL Executive: Former Lion and former NFL wide receiver James Thrash is in his second season serving as the NFL and NFLPA's Appeals Officer. He hears all appeals for the NFL regarding on-field player discipline. Thrash played 12 seasons in the NFL for the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles.

Lions On Radio: The Lions will partner with ESPN Joplin this year as Southern can now be heard on three separate FM stations, as well as an AM station. ESPN Joplin will air the Lions' games on 101.3 and 103.5 FM, as well as AM 1560. MSSU's KXMS 88.7 will also simulcast the games giving the Lions a larger reach in the four-states than they've ever had.

Tough League/Region: The MIAA has three teams in the coaches top 25 this week. Northwest Missouri is 1st, while Emporia State is 15th and Fort Hays State is 18th. The Super Region Three, which the Lions are a part of, has seven teams in the top 25, including the top two teams nationally. There are 11 teams total that are either ranked or receiving votes in the poll from the region.

Lions On TV: Missouri Southern's KGCS will air every Lions home game live this year during the season. They will also re-broadcast the games on Sunday evenings at 7 pm.

Lions On The Web: All of MSSU's football games are carried live online as part of the MIAA Network. Fans can go to www.mssulions.com to view live and on-demand games.

Streaming Options: Fans now have even more options to view the Lions online in their homes and on the road. Not only can you view on your computer, fans can now view The MIAA Network on its over the top apps for either Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Android TV.

Team Stats Rankings: Southern ranks 10th nationally in fewest penalties and 14th in fewest penalty yards. The team also ranks 20th nationally in tackles for a loss.

Individual Stats Rankings: Individually, Alexander Wade is 22nd nationally in solo tackles, while Carson Day ranks 18th in kickoff returns. Dante Vandeven ranks 36th nationally in passing touchdowns, while Wade ranks 42nd nationally in total tackles. Clint Sills ranks 27th nationally in passes defended.

Roc(K) Steady: Roc Robbins had a heck of a good season opener with two sacks against Fort Hays. The sophomore had 3.5 tackles for a loss and two sacks.

Score!: Junior quarterback Dante Vandeven threw four touchdown passes against Emporia State. That number is the second-highest single-game total and Vandeven is the eighth Lion to ever hit that mark.

Spread The Wealth: In two of the Lions' three games this year, the Lions have thrown passes to at least nine different individuals. Against Emporia State, that number was seven.

Behind the Line: The Lions had eight tackles for a loss against Emporia State. Southern stopped the Hornets for a loss of 26 yards.

Big Man Jo: Josiah Bennett had a couple of big catches for the Lions against Emporia State. Bennett caught four passes for 75 yards and a score against the Hornets.

New Position: Junior Brayden Scott showed a little wrinkle to his skills. Scott lined up as a wide out and executed a perfect end around and threw a 46-yard pass to Carson Day. Scott also had a pass break up and a sack on defense.

MIAA Preseason Polls: The MIAA released its preseason polls as part of its annual Media Day on August 2. The Lions were picked 11th in the coaches poll and tenth in the media poll.

Weather Report: The weather report for the Maryville area on Saturday calls for partly cloudy conditions and a high of 87 degrees with a 10 percent chance of precipitation.

Up Next: Southern will be back at home as the Lions will play host to Nebraska-Kearney for Homecoming on September 30 Kickoff is slated for 3 pm.

MSSU Golf finishes Muskogee tournament tied for 11th

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Muskogee, Okla. -- The Missouri Southern golf team shot a final round 307 today and finished tied for 11th today at the 2017 NSU Men's Fall Classic hosted at Muskogee Country Club.

Taylor Haltom shot a final-round 72 to finish tied for tenth at a three-round total of 214. Connor Neil shot a 73 today to finish tied with Haltom at 214. Logan Greer, playing as an individual, shot a final round 76 to finish tied for 44th at 222, while Tripper Jensen shot an 82 today to finish tied for 73rd at 229.

Tristan Haltom shot a final-round 84 to finish at 233 and in 84th place, while Jake becker shot an 80 to finish at 235 and in 90th.

Central Oklahoma won the team title with a four-under 848, while Arkansas Tech was in second, five strokes back. Central Missouri and Harding tied for third, while Southeastern Oklahoma, Lindenwood, Southwestern Oklahoma, Washburn, Henderson State and Missouri Western round out the top ten at the tournament.

Southern, Northeastern State, and Southern Nazarene tied for 11th, while Southwest Baptist, Minnesota State, Bemidji State and Fort Hays State round out the team scores.

The Lions will be back in action next week as they travel to Lake City, Minn. to compete in the JR Watkins Invite, hosted by Winona State at the Jewell CC.

Brehm's 16 kills not enough as MSSU volleyball falls to Drury

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Springfield, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern Volleyball team picked up a 16-kill performance from Janelle Brehm, but the Lions couldn't quite get past Drury tonight as the Lions lost in three sets.

The Lions (7-6) dropped set one 20-25 and the final two sets 22-25 and 23-25. Brehm led the way offensiely with 16 kills and seven digs, while Alicia Pickett had eight kills and four blocks, hitting .444 in the match. Morgan Nashdished out 34 assists, while Bailey Rexford had eight kills. Teryn Scot and Kat Gries had nine digs each.

Drury (9-2) had two with double-figure kills, led by Bentley Mara's 14.

Set one saw 16 tied scores and four lead changes before Drury took a 20-19 lead and didn't look back. Set two saw three ties and one lead change, while set three saw just one tie as Drury never trailed in the set.

The Lions will be back in action this Friday as they play host to Central Oklahoma at 6 pm inside Young Gym.

MSSU's Kiptoo named MIAA Cross Country Runner of the Week

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Missouri Southern sophomore runner Nickson Kiptoo has been named the MIAA Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week, the league announced today.

Kiptoo, a native of Eldama Ravine, Kenya, helped the Lions to a fourth-place finish at the 28th running of the Missouri Southern Stampede this past weekend. In the University race, Kiptoo placed ninth individually but was the fourth-highest finishing D-2 runner and top MIAA athlete in the race. He traversed the 8k race in a time of 24:58.28, a little under a minute off of the lead runner.

He and the Lions are off until October 7 when they travel to Lewis University for the MIAA/GLVC Crossover.

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MSSU Golf in sixth place after first day of NSU Men's Fall Classic

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern golf team shot a 291 in the opening round and a 288 in round two as the Lions sit in sixth place after day one at the NSU Men's Fall Classic held at Muskogee Country Club.

Connor Neil leads the way for the Lions after day one as he shot a one-under 70 in round one and was even par 71 in round two to finish the day one-under and tied for 8th place.

Taylor Haltom is tied for 13th as the freshman shot a 72 in round one and a 70 in round two. Tripper Jensen shot a 76 in round one and a 71 in round two to finish day one tied for 38th.

Tristan Haltom is tied for 54th with a 73 in round one and a 76 in round two. Jake Becker, playing in the fifth spot shot a 79 in round one and a 76 in round two to finish tied for 86th. Freshman Logan Greer, playing as an individual, shot a 78 in round one, but had a tremendous round two, improving by ten strokes to shoot a three under 68 and finish tied for 32nd after day one.

Central Oklahoma leads the team scores after one day. Arkansas Tech is second, ten strokes back, while Southeastern Oklahoma State is third, Harding is fourth, Southwestern Oklahoma is fith and the Lions are sixth, 16 strokes off the lead. Central Missouri is seventh, followed by Lindenwood, Henderson State, Missouri Western and Northeastern State to round out the top ten.

The Lions will play a final 18 holes tomorrow to conclude the tournament.

MSSU golf to compete at NEU Men's Fall Classic

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern golf team will be back in action Monday and Tuesday when the Lions travel to Muskogee, Okla. to compete in the 2017 NSU Men's Fall Classic hosted by Northeastern State at Muskogee CC.

The Lions are coming off of a sixth place finish last week at Central Missouri in the first MIAA points event of the season. Southern finished fourth amongst MIAA schools and junior Tristan Haltom was the top finishing MIAA individual to sit in first-place after one event in the individual standings.

The Lions will bring Connor Neil, Taylor Haltom, Tristan Haltom, Tripper Jensen and Jake Becker as the scoring five, while also bringing Logan Greer as an individual.

The teams will play 36 holes on Monday with the final 18 holes on Tuesday.

"I should have been satisfied with our sixth-place finish last week, but I wasn't, not at all," said head coach Mike Wheeler. "If we would have played as well the last round as we did the first two, which we are capable of , second woudl have been our finish. Adam Vining injured his wrist last week, so Jake Becker is stepping into the five spot for the first time. We're at Muscogee CC and there will be birdies to be had in this 54-hole regional tournament with opportunity for us to improve our position in the rankings."

MSSU volleyball splits pair in MIAA/GAC Challenge

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Bethany, Okla. -- The Missouri Southern volleyball team split a pair of matches Saturday in the final day of the 2017 MIAA/GAC Challenge, losing to Northwestern Oklahoma in four sets, but sweeping East Central in three.

In the Lions' (7-5 ) first match, Southern won the first set 25-22, but dropped the next three by three by the scores of 11-25, 21-25 and 17-25.

Janelle Brehm had a double-double with a career-high 20 kills and 14 digs in the match. Morgan Nash had a double-double of her own with 36 assists and 15 digs. Marija Milivojev had 12 digs, while Teryn Scott had 10 of her own. Alicia Pickett had eight kills and three blocks.

Northwestern Oklahoma (8-5) had three in double-figures for kills.

In the Lions' second match, Southern dispatched of East Central in straight sets, winning 25-19, 25-13 and 25-22.

Brehm had another stellar match as she had 17 kills and hit .326 with eight digs and five blocks. Alyssa Diaz had ten kills and hit .304, while Nash had another double-double with 32 assists and 14 digs. Scott had a match-high 18 digs, while Erica Freudinger, Diaz and Pickett had six and four blocks, respectively. The Lions, as a team, had ten blocks in the match.

ECU (4-9) was led by Madeline Mayer with ten kills and a .625 attack average.

The Lions will be back in action this week as they head to Drury on Tuesday and then play host to Central Oklahoma on Friday and Pittsburg State on Saturday.

MSSU football comes close to upset, falls to Emporia State 36-29

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern football team got four touchdown passes from Dante Vandeven and nearly pulled the upset of visiting 14th-ranked Emporia State, but the Hornets came away with a 36-29 win Saturday night inside Fred G. Hughes Stadium at the Robert W. Plaster Sports Complex.

The Lions (0-3, 0-3 MIAA) got a stellar game from Vandeven as he went 22-39 for 211 yards and four touchdowns. The four touchdowns are the most in a game since Brayden Scott had four last year at Central Oklahoma. Shemar Coleman also had his first collegiate 100-plus yard game as the redshirt freshman rushed for 121 yards on 14 carries, including a long of 49 yards and caught five passes for 25. Josiah Bennet caught four passes for 75 yards and a touchdown, while Donovan Carter, Carson Day and Nicholas Roller had a touchdown catch each. Kene Anigbogu had five catches for 47 yards.

Scott, in his second game since switching over to defense, got some action on both sides of the ball. He converted a marvelous end around as he connected on a 46-yard pass with Carson Day that helped the Lions along in a drive. He also had a sack on defense with two tackles and a pass breakup.

Akel Beard had 14 tackles to lead both teams with a half a sack, a TFL, a pass break up and a quarterback hurry. Alexander Wade, Angelo Summler and LaRonzo Davishad nine tackles each with Davis picking up a half a sack. The Lions had eight tackles for a loss of 26 yards as a team.

Taylor Cornish had four punts for an average of 40.8, including a long of 65, while Brock Renken connected on a 34-yard field goal in the third quarter.

Emporia State (2-1, 2-1 MIAA) got 113 yards on the ground from Landon Nault, as Braxton Marstall went 21-36 for 236 yards and two touchdowns.

Southern got the scoring started in the first quarter as the Lions took their first possession and drove 12 plays for 54 yards and Vandeven hit Carter for an 18-yard score to go up 6-0. The extra point was blocked and returned by the Hornets to make the score 6-2. A 36-minute lightning delay was weathered by both teams before play resumed.

ESU answered back on its next drive and Marstall hit Louis Dailey to make the score 9-6 ESU. That would be how the first quarter ended.

The Hornets got a field goal from Austin Morton for 30 yards to go up 12-6, before a touchdown from Vandeven to Day put Southern on top 13-12. That drive featured the end-around pass from Scott to Day to start the possession.

ESU got a touchdown to go up 19-13, but Southern got the ball with 1:03 to go in the half and promptly drove the length of the field to tie it up. The Lions got pass plays of eight and 14 yards to Coleman and Carter to start the drive, as well as a huge play from Vandeven to Bennett on a roll out for 44 yards. The duo hooked up again, this time for a fade pattern score in the back of the endzone to tie the score at 19 going into halftime.

Renken's field goal put Southern on top 22-19 with 8:45 left in the third, but another touchdown from ESU gave the Hornets a 26-22 lead with 2:43 to go in the quarter. A field goal from Morton put ESU up 29-22, and a pick six for the Hornets' defense gave ESU a 36-22 lead with a nine and a half minutes to go in the game.

Vandeven capped a 10-play, 58-yard drive with a shovel pass to Roller for a four-yard score (36-29), but that was as close as the Lions got.

Southern will be back in action next Saturday as the Lions travel to No. 1 ranked Northwest Missouri. Kickoff from Maryville is slated for 1:30 pm.