MSSU women's basketball to play exhibition at Wichita State

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern women's basketball team heads off to take on the Wichita State Shockers of the American Athletic Conference (AAC) tomorrow night at 6:30 pm inside Charles Koch Arena.

Game Information
Date: Thursday November 1, 2018
Tip-Off: 6:30 pm
Location: Wichita, Kan.
Site: Charles Koch Arena
Series Record: First meeting

Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Fox Sports Joplin 101.3, 103.5 FM, and AM 1560; 88.7 FM KXMS
Audio: http://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/WMBH
Webcast: TBD
Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=237488

Quick Notes
Stop the Polls
The Lions enter this year chosen to finish to 10th in the conference after going 11-17 and 8-11 in MIAA play during the 2017-18 campaign. Defending NCAA Champions Central Missouri was chosen to win the MIAA with 13 first-place votes while Fort Hays received the remaining vote in second as Emporia State (3), Washburn (4), and Central Oklahoma (5) rounded out the top-5. Both UCM and FHSU are ranked in the D2SIDA Media Poll at No. 1 and 22 respectively.

1 Central Missouri (15) 0-0 397
2 Union 0-0 360
3 Lubbock Christian (1) 0-0 350
4 Carson-Newman 0-0 347
5 Lewis 0-0 335
6 Ashland 0-0 314
7 Alaska Anchorage 0-0 302
8 Bentley 0-0 298
9 Edinboro 0-0 287
10 Virginia Union 0-0 230
11 West Texas A&M 0-0 222
12 Drury 0-0 209
13 Southwestern Oklahoma 0-0 197
14 Sciences 0-0 193
15 Florida Southern 0-0 157
T16 North Georgia 0-0 154
T16 Northwest Nazarene 0-0 154
18 IUP 0-0 146
19 Stonehill 0-0 123
20 Azusa Pacific 0-0 87
21 Wingate 0-0 57
22 Fort Hays State 0-0 55
T23 Valdosta State 0-0 47
T23 Angelo State 0-0 47
25 Glenvile State 0-0 43

Others Receiving Votes: Northern Michigan (38), UC San Diego (19), Grand Valley (13), Sioux Falls (8), Jefferson (6), California (3), Eckerd (2), Black Hills State (1)

Leader of the Pride
Guard Chelsey Henry returns as the only senior from last year's squad and will be looked upon to make sure that all nine newcomers understand what it means to compete in what is the MIAA. She closed out last year's schedule fifth in the MIAA in scoring (17.5 ppg), fourth in free-throw percentage (86.6%), and seventh in field-goal percentage (43.0%) to earn All-MIAA honorable mention while being just 130 points shy of breaking the 1,000 career-point barrier in the green and gold.

How many Transfers are we going to take before passing? FOUR!!!
With eight players departing, the coaching staff mapped out the entire college basketball landscape in order to find four transfers and they did in the shape of 6'1 forward Laue Assena (Lipscomb University), 5'10 guard Chasidee Owens (Ouachita Baptist), 5'8 guard Destiny Cozart (John A. Logan), and 6'2 center Jordan Schoenberger (Independence CC).

Up Next
The Lions begin the regular season in Shawnee, Oklahoma to take on Oklahoma Baptist (11/9) and No. 13 Southwestern Oklahoma State (11/10) as part of the conference challenge between the Great American (GAC) and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) next weekend

MSSU football to play at Emporia State Saturday

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern football team will travel to Emporia, Kan. this weekend as the Lions will take on Emporia State for the final road game of the year. Kickoff from Welch Stadium is slated for 2 pm.

Game Information
Team Records: MSSU 1-8, 1-8 MIAA | ESU 5-4, 5-4 MIAA
Date: Saturday, November 3, 2018
Kick-Off: 2:00 pm, CT
Location: Emporia, Kan.
Site: Welch Stadium (7,000)
Series Record: MSSU leads 22-21
Coaches: Joe Bettasso (1-5 at MSSU, 11-6 overall) | Garrin Higgins (75-61 at ESU, 121-66 overall)

Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Fox Sports Joplin 101.3, 101.7 and AM 1560; 88.7 FM KXMS - Mike McClure, Play-by-Play, Scott Boudreaux, Color
Video Webcast: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/mssulions
Live Stats: https://www.esuhornets.com.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @mosofootball

The Series: Missouri Southern leads the all-time series with an overall record of 22-21, including an 13-8 mark at home and 9-13 record in Emporia. Emporia has won the last six games in a row, but the Lions had won the previous four meetings. Southern dominated the series early when both teams were in the NAIA, winning 12 of the first 15 matchups. In the last ten meetings between the two schools, the average margin of victory for either team has been 13.3 points. However, five out of the ten games have been decided by a touchdown or less.

The Dish On The Hornets: The Hornets are 5-4 this season, but have won three of their last four games. The team averages 152 yards on the groudn and 241 through the air for 393 yards of total offense per game. Quarterback Braxton Marstall leads the offensive attack for the Hornets and has thrown for over 2,000 yards this season. He is 223-372 for 2,112 yards, 17 touchdowns and has also rushed for 316 yards and eight touchdowns. Landon Nault has the bulk of the carries with 162 carries for 739 yards and six scores. Kai Collins has 212 yards on the ground and a touchdown. Through the air, Justin Brown is Marstall's favorite target with 56 receptions for 577 yards and four touchdowns. Tyler Harris has 49 catches for 610 yards and nine scores, while Nault has caught one touchdown pass, as well. Defensively, the Hornets are led by Jace McDown. McDown has 97 tackles with ten tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks with five forced fumbles. Garry Goods has 63 stops with a sack and three forced fumbles, while Logan Thompson has 61 tackles, seven tackles for a loss and one interception. The Hornets will finish off the regular season next week as they will travel to Central Oklahoma for a 2 pm kickoff from Wantland Stadium.

A Victory vs. ESU Would: keep the series between the two schools from being tied up. It would be the first in seven tries against the Hornets.

NFL Representation: The Lions will have Brandon Williams as the lone MSSU alum in the NFL this season. Williams has blossomed into one of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL and last season became one of the highest-paid, as well, signing 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 Fox Sports Joplin this year as Southern can now be heard on three separate FM stations, as well as an AM station. Fox Sports Joplin will air the Lions' games on 101.3 and 101.7 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 one team in the coaches top 25 this week. Northwest Missouri is 10th. The Super Region Three, which the Lions are a part of, has four teams in the top ten and has seven teams in the top 25. There are 12 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.

NCAA Team Stats Rankings: The Lions lead the NCAA in blocked punts allowed, while ranking seventh in fumbles recovered, 20th in fewest penalty yards per game, 25th in fewest penalty yards, and 49th in both fewest penalties per game and blocked kicks allowed.

MIAA Team Stats Rankings: This year, the Lions lead the MIAA in blocked punts allowed, fumbles recovered, fewest penalty yards and fewest penalty yards per game. The team ranks third in turnovers forced, while ranking fourth in fourth down defense, fewest penalties, fewest penalties per game and fumbles lost.

Individual Stats Rankings: Individually, Mark Mudd ranks 17th in fumbles recovered, while Riley Hathorn ranks 32nd in punting.

MIAA Individual Stats Rankings: Mudd ranks third in fumbles recovered, while Korenzo Credit ranks 3rd in interceptions. Cole Dunbar ranks third in kick returns, while Dalton James ranks fourth in both rushing yards and rushing yards per game. Hathorn ranks sixth in punting.

New Interim Head Coach: Lions' defensive coordinator Joe Bettasso has be tabbed as the Interim Head Coach after Denver Johnson stepped down on September 18.

Defensive Stand: Twice in the final three minutes against Northeastern State, the Lions' defense held strong and forced a turnover on downs. The first time, NSU had driven inside the Southern 2-yard line and the second was with 30 seconds left and allowed the Lions to go into victory formation.

Spread The Wealth: A total of 15 different Lions have caught a pass this year for Missouri Southern. Tight end Eric Dedrick, Jr. leads the way with 19 catches for 184 yards.
Recovery In Motion: Southern ranks seventh nationally in fumble recoveries as a total of nine different Lions have one fumble recovery each, with Mudd picking up two.

Run, Sean, Run: Sean Kelly had his longest run from scrimmage in his career as the quarterback nearly broke off a score with a 58-yard run against NSU.

Rushin' 100: For the third time this year, Dalton James has rushed for over 100 yards in a game with his 109 yard performance against UCO.

Stop Em' Glanville: Alan Glanville had his third ten-plus tackle game of the season against UCO. The ten tackle performance against the Bronchos is the third time in the last five games for Glanville with ten-plus stops and he ranks second on the team with 55 tackles this season.

Hall of Fame: On October 20, former Missouri Southern All-American Colin Bado was inducted into the Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame. Bado led all of Division II with 88 receptions in 2006 and finished his career with a school-record 250 receptions, 54 in front of the next highest mark.

Watch Party Headquarters: For those wanting to catch the Lions on the road, but not able to travel, Gusanos in Joplin will host the official road watch party each Saturday. Come by their location at 7th and Duquesne to check out all the action.

Tackling a Legacy: Richard Jordan Jr., the son of Lions' Hall of Famer Richard Jordan Sr. is following in his father's footsteps rather nicely. Jordan recorded his first collegiate sack against Lindenwood and followed that up with a pass break up on the ensuing play.

Defensive Lineage: Three former Lions' defensive coaches, all whom current Interim Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator Joe Bettasso learned under, are all in high-profile positions. Scottie Hazelton (04-05) is the Defensive Coordinator at Wyoming, Brian Ward (2005) is the Defensive Coordinator at Syracuse and Todd Wash (2004) is the Defensive Coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL.

Weather Report: The weather report for the Emporia area on Saturday calls for a high of 56 and afternoon rain. Precipitation chance is listed at 90% with a South, Southeast wind of 15 mph.

Remembering Willie McCovey

When you watch baseball long enough, you end up go through a number of disappointments.

For a six-year-old watching the San Francisco Giants play the New York Yankees in the 1962 World Series, it was important that the National League win the Series since that was the league the St. Louis Cardinals were in.

My first World Series memory was Game 7 of the 1960 World Series. Though I was only 4, I can remember Bill Mazeroski hitting a walk-off home run (though they didn't call them that at the time) off the Yankees' Ralph Terry to give the Pittsburgh Pirates a 10-9 win and the world championship.

For some reason, I don't remember watching the next year when the Yankees beat the Reds.

But the 1962 series, just like in 1960, came down to the seventh inning and once again Ralph Terry was on the mound for the world champions.



The Giants had runners on second and third with two outs in the ninth, one of the Alou brothers, probably Felipe, and Willie Mays, if I recall and future first ballot Hall-of-Famer Willie McCovey was at the plate, one of the most feared sluggers to ever play the game.

When McCovey hit Terry's pitch, a vicious line drive that seemed destined to make Terry the World Series goat for a second time, somehow Yankee second baseman Bobby Richardson caught it and the World Series was over.

It was on the earliest of many disappointments baseball has brought me over the years, but what a great game and what great memories it leaves us.

That was the first thing I thought about a few minutes ago when I read that Willie McCovey died earlier today at age 80.

He was only in the fourth year of a 22-year major leage career and it was long before people began hitting home runs into McCovey Cove. Sadly, it was also the last time McCovey played in a World Series.

MSSU men's basketball team ranked in pre-season Top 25

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern men's basketball team will open the regular season ranked in the top-25 as the Lions are ranked 25th in the National Association of Basketball Coaches pre-season poll, the organization announced today.

The Lions, who were picked to win the MIAA in the preseason coaches poll, finished last season with a 20-10 record and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Southern finished in second place in the MIAA in 2017-18 and the Lions return eight letter winners from a season ago and three starters.

Elyjah Clark and Kinzer Lambert, both of whom earned All-MIAA honors last season, return to the starting lineup. Clark has set the single-season three-point record for MSSU in each of his first two seasons and is well on his way to the career record. Braelon Walker and Enis Memic both return to the lineup and both saw extensive playing time last year. Dexter Frisbie is back after sitting out last season due to injury.

Five outstanding newcomers will don the Green and Gold this season for the Lions including transfers Cam Martin (Jacksonville State), Ted Brown(Concordia-St. Paul) and Reggie Tharp (Paris JC). Freshman Kyle Younge and Jadis White, both St. Louis products, should also add depth in the lineup.

Head Coach Jeff Boschee was named the 2017-18 MIAA Men's Basketball Coach of the Year after leading the Lions to a second-place finish while being picked sixth in the preseason poll.

The Lions open up the regular season in the MIAA/NSIC Challenge in Mankato, Minn. Southern takes on No. 18 St. Cloud State and Minnesota State in the season-opening tournament on November 9 and 10.

The complete national poll is listed below.

Team Record Points
1. Bellarmine (Ky.) 29-3 398 (14 first place votes)
2. West Liberty (W.Va.) 26-4 364 (1 first place vote)
3. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) 32-2 347
4. West Texas A&M 32-4 332
5. Northwest Missouri State 27-4 277 (1 first place vote)
6. Saint Anselm (N.H.) 22-9 272
7. Queens (N.C.) 32-4 259
8. Indiana (Pa.) 22-8 231
9. Cal Poly Pomona 23-7 225
10. Southern Nazarene (Okla.) 27-3 207
11. Valdosta State (Ga.) 26-5 196
12. West Florida 28-4 195
13. Ferris State (Mich.) 31-8 183
14. Western Washington 21-8 182
15. East Stroudsburg (Pa.) 27-6 155
16. Virginia State 25-5 144
17. Morehouse (Ga.) 25-3 136
18. St. Cloud State (Minn.) 24-9 121
19. Regis (Colo.) 27-6 117
20. Southwest Minnesota State 25-9 93
21. Dallas Baptist (Texas) 26-6 92
22. Florida Southern 21-11 78
23. Findlay (Ohio) 28-5 70
24. UC San Diego 21-11 65
25. Missouri Southern 20-10 48

Others receiving votes: Clayton State (Ga.) 40, Fairmont State (W.Va.) 38, UNC Pembroke 35, Point Loma (Calif.) 34, Saint Martin's (Wash.) 32, Northern State (S.D.) 27, Nova Southeastern (Fla.) 19, Barry (Fla.) 18, Minnesota State 18, Texas A&M-Commerce 17, Drury (Mo.) 13, Shaw (N.C.) 13, Azusa Pacific (Calif.) 12, Dominican (N.Y.) 12, Ashland (Ohio) 11, Lees-McRae (N.C.) 13, Tarleton State (Texas) 10, Claflin (S.C.) 9, Daemen (N.Y.) 8, Fort Lewis (Colo.) 4, Merrimack (Mass.) 4, Chico State (Calif.) 3, King (Tenn.) 3, Clark Atlanta (Ga.) 2, Stanislaus State (Calif.) 2, Colorado School of Mines 1, Dixie State (Utah) 1.Records are final from 2017-18 season.

MSSU soccer falls in final regular season match

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Edmond, Okla. - The Missouri Southern women's soccer team closed out the regular season with a 2-1 loss to No. 5 Central Oklahoma inside Tom Thompson Field Sunday afternoon.

The Lions (7-8-3, 3-6-2 MIAA) tied the match up at 1-1 after senior midfielder Alex McCord connected on a penalty shot for her fourth goal of the season. Senior Jeannine Escobar, sophomore Sarah Tatum, and freshman Courtney Marten each registered a shot as well.

Junior goalkeeper Luz Galindo made eight saves on 24 total-shots faced in all 90 minutes of play.

UCO's (17-1, 10-1 MIAA) Katie Killion recorded both goals on the day for the Bronchos. The first one came in the 15th minute of the first period from the right side of box and then the second one in the 71st minute off a crossing pass toward the front of the box as the Bronchos retook the lead towards the win.

Southern will now head into the offseason looking to build upon the 2018 season that began with the program's best start through ten games (6-2-2), which included a huge 2-2 tie at No. 8 Central Missouri, while returning 15 underclassman that saw significant time in over ten matches during the season.

St. Louis Cardinals hire two coaches

(From the St. Louis Cardinals)

The St. Louis Cardinals announced today they have hired Jeff Albert as hitting coach and Richard “Stubby” Clapp as first base coach.

The 2019 St. Louis Cardinals coaching staff under manager Mike Shildt is now complete, with Albert and Clapp joining Oliver Marmol (bench coach), Mike Maddux (pitching coach), Ron “Pop” Warner (third base coach), Mark Budaska (assistant hitting coach), Willie McGee (assistant coach) and Bryan Eversgerd (bullpen coach).

“We are excited to have our coaching staff in place for the upcoming season,” said John Mozeliak, St. Louis Cardinals President of Baseball Operations. “The off-season focus moving forward is to improve our roster.”

Albert, who will turn 38-years old on Wednesday, has been with the Astros organization for the last six years after coming over from the Cardinals organization following the 2012 season. The Rochester, N.Y., native held three coaching roles in the Astros organization, most recently as the second hitting coach for the Major League club in 2018. In 2013, Albert served as the roving hitting instructor, and from 2014-17 the Astros minor league hitting coordinator. The Astros had the second fewest amount of strikeouts in Major League Baseball (1,197) during the 2018 season and have posted four of the top six season home run totals in the organization’s history over the past four years, three times hitting 200 or more round-trippers.

As a member of the Cardinals organization, Albert served as the hitting coach in short-season Batavia (2008) helping the club to a New York-Penn League Championship and had the same role at High-A Palm Beach (2009-12). Albert played college baseball at Butler University and two seasons in Independent Leagues before starting his coaching career.

Clapp, 45, has been the manager of the Memphis Redbirds for the past two seasons, leading the club to back-to-back Pacific Coast League Championships and the Triple-A Championship in 2018. His 2017 club set the franchise record with a 91-50 regular season mark and he was named Baseball America’s Minor League Manager of the Year.

The former 36th round draft pick of the Cardinals in 1996, played one season in St. Louis in 2001, batting .200 with an RBI in 23 Major League games.

Clapp held previous coaching roles with the Canadian National Team in the Olympics, World Baseball Classic and Pan-American Games and professionally in the Blue Jays (2013-16) and Astros (2007-12) organizations.

MSSU spikers lose in three sets to Missouri Western

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Janelle Brehm had nine kills, while Shaylon Sharp added six, and the Missouri Southern women's volleyball team fell three sets to none tonight at Missouri Western. Individual set scores were 15-25, 14-25 and 12-25.

Southern (3-23, 3-13 MIAA) was led offensively by Brehm who had nine kills and five digs. Sharp added six kills and four digs, while Kylee Kaaihue dished out 19 assists and added seven digs.

Western (14-15, 6-10 MIAA) was led by Rachel Losch with 11 kills and Lauren Murphy added 35 assists.

Set one saw six tied scores and one lead change as a 4-0 run by the Griffons forced a Lions timeout and set the pace for the set.

Set two saw two ties and one lead change with a mid-set 5-2 run from the Griffons putting Western on top 14-9 and the Lions didn't get any closer.

Set three had the Griffons lead from start to finish.

The Lions will finish up the regular season next weekend as Southern travels to Central Missouri on Friday and Lindenwood on Saturday. Both matches start at 6 pm.

MSSU soccer falls in overtime to Southwest Baptist

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern women's soccer team tied the game up at 1-1 to force overtime, but fell to Southwest Baptist after the Bearcats scored with one second left in first overtime inside Fred G. Hughes Stadium Friday evening.

The Lions (7-7-3, 3-5-2 MIAA) got on the board with four minutes remaining as sophomore Sarah Tatum gathered the ball off a rebound and shot it toward the left corner of the goal as the teams headed to overtime.

SBU (2-13-2, 2-7-1 MIAA) responded by taking control in the final seconds of the first overtime period and scoring the game-winner after launching a corner kick into the scramble.

Junior goalkeeper Luz Galindo played all 100 minutes between the posts, making two saves on four shots faced.

Prior to the match, the Missouri Southern women's soccer program recognized its five seniors including forward Denine Tahbaz, midfielders Alex McCord and Julia Liberty, and defenders Jeannine Escobar and Maria Sturluson for all their hard work throughout every season while wearing the green and gold.

Now with five teams clinching a spot in the MIAA tournament (Central Oklahoma, Emporia State, Missouri Western, Fort Hays State, and Central Missouri), the Missouri Southern Lions enter their final regular-season match against No. 5 UCO tied with Washburn and Northeastern State for sixth along with Lindenwood and Nebraska-Kearney trailing by one point in the current standings. The match will begin at 1:00 pm inside Tom Thompson Field.

Missouri Southern football falls 31-0 to Central Oklahoma

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Dalton James had his third 100-plus rushing game of the year, while Alan Glanville recorded his third double-digit tackle game this year but the Lions fell 31-0 at home to Central Oklahoma today inside Fred G. Hughes Stadium at the Robert W. Plaster Sports Complex.

Southern (1-8, 1-8 MIAA) was led by James' day with 109 yards on 30 carries and a long of 12 yards. Sean Kelly went 7-of-16 for 53 yards and rushed nine times for 26 yards. Shemar Coleman had seven carries for 18 yards, while Adrian Aviles caught two passes for 15 yards.

Riley Hathorn had nine punts for 381 yards and an average of 42.3, including a long of 54 yards and two inside the 20-yard line.

Defensively, Glanville led the way with ten tackles on the day. Mark Mudd had six stops, all solo, with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Korenzo Credit had five solo tackles with a tackle for a loss, an interception and two pass break ups. Trevor Plafcan had a sack, while Richard Jordan Jr. had six tackles.

UCO (6-3, 6-3 MIAA) got a 19-of-29 day from quarterback Will Collins as he threw for 227 yards and a touchdown. Justin Curry and Clay McKenzie had a rushing touchdown each.

The Lions won the toss and took the ball to start the game. Southern moved the ball at ease across the 50-yard line and into UCO territory, eventually getting to the 31-yard line. Kelly started the drive with a 12-yard pass to Avilles, and a run from James for 11 yards put the ball at the UCO 43-yard line, before a 12-yard rush from Kelly pushed the ball to the 31. But a pass from Kelly was tipped at the line and picked off by the Bronchos' Colton Lindsey, stalling the Lions' drive.

The Bronchos led 3-0 after one and 10-0 at the half. The Southern defense held strong in the first half, including a big stop on downs when the Bronchos had driven inside the Lions' 40-yard line. One more stop for the defense occurred when Credit picked off a pass from Collins at the Lions' 15-yard line right before halftime.

UCO led 24-0 after three quarters. Midway through the fourth, the Lions were forced to punt, but excellent coverage on the return led to Mudd forcing a fumble and diving on the ball to give the Lions back the ball. The drive stalled, however, on a fumble that was returned 70 yard for a score to see the Bronchos go up 31-0. That proved to be the final score.

The Lions had 167 yards on the ground and 209 yards overall. Southern led the time of possession battle 32:55 to 27:05.

Southern will be back in action next week when the Lions travel to Emporia State for a 2 pm kickoff from Welch Stadium.

MSSU volleyball falls in three sets to Northwest Missouri

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Maryville, Mo. -- Shaylon Sharp narrowly missed out on a double-double as the Missouri Southern volleyball team fell three sets to none at Northwest Missouri tonight in Maryville. Individual set scores were 23-25, 14-25 and 20-25.

The Lions (3-22, 3-12 MIAA) were led by Sharps night as she had nine kills and 12 digs on the night. CC Pollard had nine kills and six digs, while Kylee Kaaihue dished out 25 assists. Morgan Nash had 12 digs, while Janelle Brehm added eight kills and nine digs.

The Bearcats (20-6, 12-3 MIAA) had two in double-figure kills led by 16 from Maddy Bruder.

Southern opened the first set on a 13-5 run, forcing a Northwest timeout. The Bearcats, however, rebounded and went on an 8-2 run to get within two (15-13), forcing a Lions' timeout. Northwest led 20-18 late to force the second Lions' timeout and the Bearcats hung on to win the opening set.

Northwest led from start to finish in the second set. The third set saw the Lions get out to a 3-1 lead and led 7-4, but a 5-0 run from Northwest forced a Southern timeout at 9-7. The two teams traded points until Northwest took a four-point lead at 20-16. The Lions got back to three on the next point after a kill from Mikayla Monk, but wouldn't get any closer.

The Lions will be back in action tomorrow night as Southern travels to Missouri Western for a 6 pm first-serve.

MSSU volleyball to play at Northwest Missouri, Missouri Western this weekend

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern volleyball team will go back on the road this weekend as the Lions will play at Northwest Missouri on Friday and Missouri Western on Saturday.

Southern (3-21, 3-11 MIAA) had a solid showing last week from Janelle Brehm as the sophomore averaged 4.36 kills per set and 3.09 digs per set, while hitting .241 in three matches. Last week Kylee Kaaihue averaged 9.36 assists per set and Morgan Nash was at 4.73 digs per set. Alicia Pickett and Olivia Lewis both averaged 1.00 blocks per set, while the Lions, as a team, averaged 1.73 blocks per set.

Northwest Missouri (19-6, 11-3 MIAA) has won 14 of its last 17 matches. The Bearcats are led by Maddy Bruder who averages 4.16 kills per set and 3.09 digs per set. Maddy Ahrens averages 11.15 assists per set, while Olivia Nowakowski is averaging 4.45 digs per set this season. The Bearcats have clinched a spot in the 2018 MIAA Volleyball Tournament.

Western (12-15, 4-10 MIAA) sits just one game in front of the Lions in the MIAA standings. The Griffons and Lions played earlier in the season and Southern took out the Griffs in a thrilling 3-2 set win where the Lions came from 2-0 down to win.

The Griffons are led by Stephanie Doak at 3.82 kills per set. Lauren Murphy is dishing out 10.92 assists per set, while Audrey Keim averages 5.35 digs per set.

Up Next

The Lions will finish out the regular season next weekend with matches at Central Missouri and Lindenwood on Friday and Saturday.

MSSU soccer to finish regular season home schedule this weekend

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern women's soccer team concludes its five-match home stretch tomorrow against Southwest Baptist at 6:00 pm before going on the road to face No. 5 Central Oklahoma on Sunday at 1:00 pm in the final match of regular season.

Tomorrows match will also be part of Senior Day as the women's soccer program will recognize its five seniors prior to kick off. The Lions (7-6-3, 3-4-2 MIAA) currently sit in a tie for the sixth spot in the conference standings with Washburn, who holds the tiebreaker over the Lions after defeating them head-to-head in Topeka.

The Rundown
Friday: Southwest Baptist - Fred G. Hughes Stadium - Senior Day - 6:00 p.m.
Sunday: Central Oklahoma - Tom Thompson Field - 1:00 p.m.

TV/Stream:
SBU - http://www.themiaanetwork.com/mssulions/
UCO - TBD
Live Stats:
SBU - https://mssulions.com/sidearmstats/wsoc/summary
UCO - https://bronchosports.com/sidearmstats/wsoc/summary

What the Opponents are Bringing to the Battle!
Southwest Baptist
(1-13-2, 1-7-1 MIAA)
Series: SBU leads 19-16-3

Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association ... Tied-11th (3-13-2 overall / 1-9-1 MIAA) ... picked last in the conference pre-season poll ... retained two All-MIAA selections from a season ago in redshirt-senior midfielder Tessa Wagner (HM) and sophomore forward Raegan Edwards (HM ... six other starters join them with ten of more starts during the 2017 season ... SBU felt to the Lions in a 2-1 loss earlier this season at home ... head coach Megan Link enters her 4th season at the helm of the Bearcats with a .260 winnings percentage (12-37-3) where she has coached 11 All-MIAA, four All-Region, and 48 MIAA Academic selections.

Central Oklahoma (16-0, 9-0 MIAA)
Series: MSSU leads 11-3-1

Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association ... picked fifth in the conference pre-season poll ... retained five of six All-MIAA selections from a season ago in sophomore midfielder Kelsie Eason (1st), junior forward Asha Haile (2nd), junior defender Madison Motil (3rd), senior forward Kate Killion (3rd), and sophomore defender Camille Greer (HM) ... five other join them with ten of more starts during the 2017 season ... one of six undefeated teams left throughout the NCAA landscape with four of them registering a draw ... defeated the Lions 2-0 on the road earlier in the season ... head coach Mike Cook enters her 21st season at the helm of the Bearcats with a .704 winnings percentage (287-112-30) since the program's inception back in 1998, coaching 103 All-Conference, 59 All-Region, and seven All-American players.

Next Stretch
After both matches are completed, the Lions will find out their seed and opponent as they hit the road to kick off the opening round of the MIAA Tournament next week.

Blackney named MSSU head softball coach

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Missouri Southern Director of Athletics Jared Bruggeman has named Hallie Blackney as the next head softball coach.

Blackney, who started on August 1 as an assistant coach and then was elevated to Interim Head Coach in mid-August will become the ninth head coach in the history of the program at Missouri Southern.

"I would like to thank Jared Bruggeman, Karesa Burr, and the rest of the hiring committee for entrusting me with the outstanding opportunity to lead our Lions Softball program," Blackney said. "When I first came to MSSU, I knew it was a special place. The student-athletes I get to work with daily and the relationships I have built across campus, have only strengthened that feeling. I am excited to build upon what we have developed so far and look forward to all that we will accomplish on and off the field in the future."

Blackney came to Southern after two seasons with Division I George Washington University. In 2018, Blackney helped guide the program to a record 33 wins and a return to the A-10 Championship behind a nationally ranked offense that averaged more than six runs per game. The Colonials set new program bests for batting average (.328), on-base percentage (.394), slugging percentage (.493), hits (493), runs (331), home runs (42), total bases (741), steals (108) and more.

Thanks to that impressive production, GW equaled a program record with its six A-10 postseason honorees.

In her first season in 2017, Blackney helped GW to a then-record 28 victories, including 11 in A-10 play. The Colonials set program records for hits (426), batting average (.302), RBI (243), extra-base hits (125), total bases (626), slugging percentage (.444), fewest strikeouts (201) and best fielding percentage (.964).

Blackney joined the Colonials after serving as assistant coach at the University of South Dakota for three seasons. Blackney coached 15 All-Summit League selections, three NFCA All-Region honorees and one academic All-American for the Coyotes.

Blackney helped South Dakota amass 72 wins during her tenure and worked primarily with the hitters, leading the squad to a Summit League-record 77 home runs in 2015, ranking 17th nationally.

Prior to her stint at South Dakota, Blackney helped the Fort Wayne Mastodons in Indiana claim a Summit League Tournament Title to earn a trip to NCAA Regionals during her two years as assistant coach.

Blackney began her Division I coaching experience at Southeast Missouri State University during the 2011-12 season. She is a 2008 graduate of Truman State University where she was an All-MIAA utility player. She served as a graduate assistant coach at Division II Bemidji State University from 2009-11.

"After a national search, it was evident to myself and the search committee that the right candidate for the position was already on campus," Bruggeman said. "Hallie has stepped in and showed not only that she was effective at handling the transition, but that she was the right person to take over the program. I have every bit of confidence in her and look forward to see what she can do with the program."

With Blackney's hiring, a national search for a new assistant coach will be conducted immediately.

Yadier Molina wins Roberto Clemente Award

(From the St. Louis Cardinals)

Yadier Molina has been named the recipient of the 2018 Roberto Clemente Award, the most prestigious individual player award from Major League Baseball.

Molina is the fifth Cardinals player to receive the Roberto Clemente Award, the most by any MLB club, joining Lou Brock(1975), Ozzie Smith (1995), Albert Pujols (2008) and Carlos Beltrán (2013). 

Molina, 36, is the third Puerto Rican-born player to win the Award (Carlos Delgado-2006 and Beltrán-2013). Edgar Martinez, who is of Puerto Rican descent but was born in New York, won the award as well, in 2004.

"Yadier has been one of baseball's greatest representatives as a perennial All-Star while also devoting himself, often without fanfare, to communities and families in St. Louis and Puerto Rico," said Commissioner Rob Manfred. "Most notably, the results of Yadier's personal efforts this past year to support Puerto Rico following the devastation of Hurricane Maria have been both meaningful and inspiring. On behalf of Major League Baseball, we congratulate Yadier for adding this prestigious honor to his already exemplary Major League career."


"One of the things closest to Roberto's heart was his beloved island of Puerto Rico, and Yadi's commitment to help the Puerto Rican community heal after such a catastrophic event embodies Roberto's philanthropic spirits. It is my honor to welcome Yadi to this wonderful family of Roberto Clemente Award winners," said Vera Clemente, widow of Roberto Clemente.

"It's a great honor to win this award, and it's even more special to me because I'm Puerto Rican. For us, Clemente is a hero and a legend, and we highly respect and admire him not only as a one of the greatest players, but as a humanitarian who lost his life helping those in need - and to be associated with him is a true privilege," said Molina.

The Roberto Clemente Award is the annual recognition of a Major League player who best represents the game of Baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field. The concept of honoring Major League players for their philanthropic work was created in 1971 as the "Commissioner's Award," but was renamed the "Roberto Clemente Award" in 1973 in honor of the Hall of Famer and 15-time All-Star who died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

Molina has exuded strength and leadership as the anchor of the St. Louis Cardinals, with his work in the community speaking for itself. Molina established Foundation4 (Fundación4) in 2010 to "create happier lives and futures for the underprivileged children of Puerto Rico" by providing opportunities to those affected by poverty, abuse and cancer. Through the Foundation, the veteran catcher has helped fund the "Hogar Mis Primeros Pasos" safe house for battered children in Dorado, Puerto Rico, the purchase of an anesthesia machine for Puerto Rico Children's Hospital of Bayamon's pediatric oncology ward, and the growth of the Fundacion Go Gogo in Ponce facility that specializes in caring for pediatric cancer patients and more. Molina has also refurbished baseball fields and awarded scholarships to youth in Puerto Rico.

Molina's efforts expanded after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico and plunged the island's 3.4 million residents into a humanitarian crisis in 2017. Forty-eight hours after the end of the Cardinals' 2017 season, Molina, accompanied by friends and family, arrived on the island with seven industrial-sized crates of supplies. For weeks, Molina worked from dawn until midnight, picking up debris, moving fallen trees, clearing roads, replacing roofs and handing out a week's worth of provisions to thousands. In January 2018, Molina returned to distribute grocery vouchers to the community. In June 2018, he hosted the Flavors of Puerto Rico charity dinner with the support of his teammates in his adopted home of St. Louis. To date, over $800,000 has been raised to provide aid for Puerto Rico.

In St. Louis, Molina meets with the city's Puerto Rican Society, attends teammates' charitable events, and actively supports Cardinals Care by participating in the annual Winter Warm-up, signing memorabilia that raises funds to aid children throughout Cardinals Nation.

MSSU football to play host to Central Oklahoma

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern football team will play host to Central Oklahoma this Saturday in MIAA football action. Kickoff from Fred G. Hughes Stadium/Robert W. Plaster Sports Complex is slated for 2 pm.

Game Information
Team Records: MSSU 1-7, 1-7 MIAA | UCO 5-3, 5-3 MIAA
Date: Saturday, October 27, 2018
Kick-Off: 2:00 pm, CT
Location: Joplin, Mo.
Site: Fred G. Hughes Stadium/Robert W. Plaster Sports Complex (7,000)
Series Record: UCO leads 4-2
Coaches: Joe Bettasso (1-4 at MSSU, 11-5 overall) | Nick Bobeck (35-40 at UCO, overall)

Media Coverage
MSSU Radio: Fox Sports Joplin 101.3, 101.7 and AM 1560; 88.7 FM KXMS - Mike McClure, Play-by-Play, Scott Boudreaux, Color
Video Webcast: http://www.themiaanetwork.com/mssulions
Live Stats: https://www.mssulions.com.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @mosofootball

The Series: This is just the seventh meeting all-time between the two schools. UCO leads the series 4-2, overall. The Lions defeated Central Oklahoma 25-20 in 2012 in Edmond in the season-opener and also won 52-38 in 2014. UCO picked up a triple overtime win in 2014 in a thriller in Edmond, as well as wins in each of the last three seasons.

The Dish On The Bronchos: The Bronchos are 5-3 this season. UCO lost its first two games of the season, but are 5-1 since then with wins over Lindenwood, Northwest Missouri, Central Missouri, Missouri Western and Washburn. The Bronchos have won three in a row. Quarterback Will Collins will be starting just his fourth game of the year, but has done nicely since stepping into the starting role. He has completed 46-of-63 passes for 622 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. Clay McKenzie is the leading rusher with 99 carries for 378 yards and three scores. Chandler Garrett has 64 carries for 249 yards and three touchdowns. Dustin Basks leads the receiving corps with 45 receptions for 594 yards and four scores. Mekail Hall has 20 catches for 310 yards, while L'liott Curry has 17 catches for 266 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, Colton Lindsey leads the wa with 60 tackles and 4.0 for a loss of 12 yards and an interception. O'Shay Harris has 51 stops with two tackles for a loss, while Eli Hooks has a team-high 3.5 sacks. The Bronchos average 120 yards per game on the ground and 226 in the air for a total of 346 per game of total offense. UCO will be back in action next week traveling to Northeastern State for a 2 pm kickoff at Doc Wadley Stadium.

A Victory vs. UCO Would: stop a four-game winning streak the Bronchos have over the Lions. It would get the Lions to within one on the series with the Bronchos (4-3).

NFL Representation: The Lions will have Brandon Williams as the lone MSSU alum in the NFL this season. Williams has blossomed into one of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL and last season became one of the highest-paid, as well, signing 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 Fox Sports Joplin this year as Southern can now be heard on three separate FM stations, as well as an AM station. Fox Sports Joplin will air the Lions' games on 101.3 and 101.7 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 one team in the coaches top 25 this week. Northwest Missouri is 11th. The Super Region Three, which the Lions are a part of, has three teams in the top ten and has nine teams in the top 25. There are 13 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.

NCAA Team Stats Rankings: The Lions lead the NCAA in blocked punts allowed, while ranking ninth in fumble recoveries, 31st in fewest penalty yards per game, 37th in fewest penalty yards and 48th in tackles for a loss allowed.

MIAA Team Stats Rankings: This year, the Lions lead the MIAA in fewest penalty yards and fewest penalty yards per game while also leading the league in blocked punts allowed and fumble recoveries. The team ranks second in turnovers gained, fourth in fumbles lost and fifth in tackles for a loss allowed.

Individual Stats Rankings: Individually, Riley Hathorn ranks 41st in punting and Alan Glanville ranks 41st in forced fumbles.

MIAA Individual Stats Rankings: Hathorn ranks fourth in punting, while Cole Dunbar is fourth in kick returns, Paul Wolff is fifth in field goal percentage and Glanville is 6th in forced fumbles.

New Interim Head Coach: Lions' defensive coordinator Joe Bettasso has be tabbed as the Interim Head Coach after Denver Johnson stepped down on September 18.

Defensive Stand: Twice in the final three minutes against Northeastern State, the Lions' defense held strong and forced a turnover on downs. The first time, NSU had driven inside the Southern 2-yard line and the second was with 30 seconds left and allowed the Lions to go into victory formation.

Spread The Wealth: A total of 15 different Lions have caught a pass this year for Missouri Southern. Tight end Eric Dedrick, Jr. leads the way with 19 catches for 184 yards.

Recovery In Motion: Southern ranks ninth nationally in fumble recoveries as a total of ten different Lions have one fumble recovery each.

Run, Sean, Run: Sean Kelly had his longest run from scrimmage in his career as the quarterback nearly broke off a score with a 58-yard run against NSU.

Hall of Fame: On October 20, former Missouri Southern All-American Colin Bado was inducted into the Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame. Bado led all of Division II with 88 receptions in 2006 and finished his career with a school-record 250 receptions, 54 in front of the next highest mark.

Watch Party Headquarters: For those wanting to catch the Lions on the road, but not able to travel, Gusanos in Joplin will host the official road watch party each Saturday. Come by their location at 7th and Duquesne to check out all the action.

Tackling a Legacy: Richard Jordan Jr., the son of Lions' Hall of Famer Richard Jordan Sr. is following in his father's footsteps rather nicely. Jordan recorded his first collegiate sack against Lindenwood and followed that up with a pass break up on the ensuing play.

Defensive Lineage: Three former Lions' defensive coaches, all whom current Interim Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator Joe Bettasso learned under, are all in high-profile positions. Scottie Hazelton (04-05) is the Defensive Coordinator at Wyoming, Brian Ward (2005) is the Defensive Coordinator at Syracuse and Todd Wash (2004) is the Defensive Coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL.

Weather Report: The weather report for the Joplin area on Saturday calls for a high of 67 and mostly sunny conditions. Precipitation chance is listed at 10% with a west, northwest wind of 7 mph.

Crowder College advances to Region 16 soccer championship

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Neosho, MO – The Crowder College Soccer team defeated East Central and Jefferson to earn a place in the Region 16 championship Saturday, October 27, 2pm, vs. St. Louis Community College.

The Roughriders are now 11-6-1 on the season.

The seven team bracket is as follows:

MSSU's Kiptoo, Kuykendall wins MIAA Cross Country Male and Female Athlete of the Week awards

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern cross country programs swept the weekly MIAA awards today as the league announced the Cross Country Male and Female Athlete of the Week honors.

Nickson Kiptoo and Ashlee Kuykendall swept the award for the Lions this week.

Kiptoo helped the Lions dominate at the University of Central Missouri Mule Run this past weekend as he won a race that saw Southern place four runners in the top five and all nine runners in the top 21. Kiptoo traversed the course in a time of 25:27.24, just seven-tenths of a second in front of teammate Gidieon Kimutai.

Kuykendall placed second, but was the top MIAA runner at the University of Central Missouri Mule Run this past weekend. She crossed the finish line of the 6k course in a time of 22:16.05 as the Lions placed third overall as a team.

The Lions will be back in action on November 3 when the team will travel to Emporia State for the 2018 MIAA Cross Country Championships.

MSSU women's golf places third in final event of fall season

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Parkville, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern women's golf team placed third today in its final event of the fall season as the Lions competed at the Park University Fall Classic hosted at The National Golf Club of Kansas City.

Kylie Carnes improved by 11 strokes in round two to finish tied for sixth with a two-round total of 169. Maggie Moore was also tied for fifth at 169 after shooting a round-two score of 88.

Elizabeth Poe shot a 182 and finished 12th, while Madison Soetaert finished 41st at 211. Allison Cunningham withdrew after round one.

Southern placed three individuals in the top 12 and finished tied for third as a team. The Lions shot three strokes better in day two and shot a 723 over two rounds.

Oklahoma Wesleyan won the tournament by three strokes over Truman State. The Lions and Missouri Baptist tied for third, followed by Park, Friends, Ottawa and Graceland to round out the team totals.

The Lions will now take the winter off and start their season back up in March.

MOSO Madness to kick off Missouri Southern basketball season

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

It may be hard to believe, but basketball season is right around the corner and your chance to meet both the Missouri Southern men's and women's programs is tomorrow night at MOSO Madness inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.

The event will feature free hot dogs and drinks which will be available starting at 6:30 pm. Doors open at 6 pm with Madness check-in and season ticket pickup at 7 pm.

There will be two scrimmages featuring campers from the Little Lion Academy with those 10-minute games taking place at 7:10 pm and 7:20 pm.

The women's basketball introductions will be at 7:30 pm with its scrimmage starting at 7:30 pm. A 3-point shootout with mixed gender teams will be at 8 pm, while the men's intros start at 8:15 pm. The men's scrimmage will begin at 8:20 pm.

Both men's and women's scrimmages will feature a running 20-minute clock.

Be sure to show up early as teams will sign autographs during the other's scrimmage times. The event is expected to end sometime around 8:45 pm.

USA Table Tennis tournament set for November 2-3 at Joplin's Memorial Hall

(From the City of Joplin)

Once again, it’s time for the USA Table Tennis (USATT) Sanctioned Tournament! The 2018 Fall Open Table Tennis Championship will be held on Friday, November 2 and Saturday, November 3 at Memorial Hall, 212 W. 8th Street in Joplin. Prize money totals $1,200 for this tournament.

An Exhibition City Challenge will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 3. Teams from Joplin City Council, Parks & Recreation Department, Police Department, and Fire Department will participate in this fun challenge.

The tournament is open for the public at any age and gender. Players include boys and girls as young as seven-years-old to older adults up to age 87. Tournament organizers expect to have participants and audience members from Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Nebraska.

Admission is free of charge to spectators. Entry fees vary depending on the event that the player participates. Funds raised in the tournament will be used to buy a new table which can cost up to $2,000.

“We are hoping this sanctioned tournament will bring more players and visitors to Joplin which will also benefit local businesses,” said Janus Lazarus, President of the Joplin Table Tennis Club. “We are excited at the opportunity to share this historic event with Joplin and encourage interested citizens to participate in our tournament. We also welcome spectators to the tournament. It is really fun to watch these players at such high-skill levels.”

For more information, please visit the organization’s Facebook page, website at joplinttc.wix.com/jttc or email them at joplinttclub@gmail.com . They can also be reached at 417-319-1441.

This tournament is organized by the Joplin Table Tennis Club (JTTC), which was established in 2014. Joplin Table Tennis Club is affiliated with USA Table Tennis and hosts numerous tournaments with participation of players from the local area and surrounding states

USA Table Tennis is organized under the United States Olympic Committee as the National Governing Body for the sport of table tennis in the United States, which has participation by more than 250 clubs across the nation. USA Table Tennis is a member of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), and is responsible for international competition including the Pan American and Olympic Games.

MSSU women's golf tied for second after first day of Park University Fall Classic

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Parkville, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern women's golf team is in second place after day one and Maggie Moore leads the field at the Park University Fall Classic held at The National Golf Club of Kansas City.

Moore shot a round one 81 to lead the field by one stroke. Elizabeth Poe (89) and Kylie Carnes (90) are ninth and tenth, while Allison Cunningham is tied for 30th after a 103. Madison Soetaert is tied for 42nd.

The Lions, as a team, shot a 363 and are ten strokes behind first-place Oklahoma Wesleyan. Truman is third, followed by Missouri Baptist, Ottawa, Park, Friends and Graceland to round out the team scores.

Southern will be back at it tomorrow morning with 18 final holes.

MSSU soccer ties with Nebraska-Kearney

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern women's soccer team jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first period, but could not hang on as Nebraska-Kearney tied it up to force a draw inside Fred G. Hughes Stadium Sunday afternoon.

The Lions (7-6-3, 3-4-2 MIAA) outshot the Lopers 9-8 and held the advantage on corner kicks as well by four (11-7). Senior midfielder Alex McCord scored the first goal on a penalty kick attempt followed by freshman Bailey Belcher's break-away score eight minutes later in the first period.

UNK (5-10-1, 3-5-1 MIAA) got on the board off a rebound inside the box to get within one heading into halftime and then added the tying goal 11 minutes into the second period which remained through 34 minutes left in regulation and two overtime periods.

Junior goalkeeper Luz Galindo registered two saves on four shots faced in all 110 minutes of play.

Women's soccer is back in action on Friday at 6:00 pm for its last home match of season against Southwest Baptist as part of Senior Day where the program's five seniors will be recognized prior to the match.

James rushes for 138 yards as MSSU posts first win of season, defeating Northeastern State 24-19

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Dalton James rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown and the Missouri Southern defense came up with two huge defensive stops down the stretch as the Lions defeated Northeastern State 24-19 tonight inside Fred G. Hughes Stadium at the Robert W. Plaster Sports Complex.

Southern (1-7, 1-7 MIAA) got 138 yards on 28 carries and a score from James. Sean Kelly rushed for 71 yards on six carries, including a long of 58 and a score, while Shemar Coleman had two carries for nine yards and a score. Kelly went 14-of-22 passing with 97 yards, while Coleman caught four passes for 44 yards in his first start as a slot receiver.

Paul Wolff was 1-for-2 in field goals, but his one make was big, a 44-yarder that gave the Lions' breathing room in the fourth quarter.

Defensively, Justin Legier had 12 tackles, including two for a loss, a break up and a quarterback hurry. Alan Glanville and Desmond Payton both forced fumbles with LaRonzo Davis picking up one of the fumbles, while Korenzo Credit had an interception return for 56 yards that was nearly a pick six.


Southern got on the board with two scores on its first two possessions. After holding NSU (0-8, 0-8) to a three and out on its opening drive, the Lions picked up the ball on the NSU 43 yard line. Kelly hit Cole Dunbar for a pass of 11 yards to start the drive and then James took over. He had carries of ten, two and his final of 18 for a score to put the Lions up 7-0.

After another NSU punt, Southern took over on its own 46-yard line. James rushed to midfield, before Kelly hit Carson Day for a 20-yard strike to put the ball at the NSU 30. James then rushed for six, three and two yards, before rushing again for five yards to put the ball at the NSU 14. Kelly pushed the ball to the eight before Coleman finished off the drive with an 8-yard run for gold.

NSU got on the board with a pair of field goals in the second to make the score 14-6 at the break.

A one-yard rush and score from Kelly capped off a 13-play, 80-yard drive that took more than six minutes off the clock. James again led the charge with rushes of 16, 10 and 17 in the drive to give the Lions a 21-6 lead after three quarters.

NSU would make it interesting, however. The RiverHawks scored to make it 21-13 early in the fourth and added another touchdown with a failed two-point conversion to make the score 21-19 with 10:41 left in the fourth.

The Lions answered right back with Wolff's 44-yard field goal to make the score 24-19 and that's when the Southern defense took over. Southern forced two separate turnover on downs on the RiverHawks final two possessions, the last one with just 30 seconds left on the clock to secure the win.

Southern had 228 yards rushing and 97 yards through the air in the game.

The Lions will be back in action next weekend as Southern plays host to Central Oklahoma. Kickoff is slated for 2 pm.

MSSU women's cross country takes third at Central Missouri Mule Run

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern women's cross country team placed four runners in the top 15 and the Lions placed third overall today at the Central Missouri Mule Run.

Ashlee Kuykendall placed second individually as she traversed the 6k course in a time of 22:16.05. Julianna Determan was 10th in a time of 23:06.15, while Sarah Usher placed 13th at 23:12.21. Alice Evans was 15th in a time of 23:22.04, while Mady Gepford was 24th in a time of 23:55.03.

Gabriel Hill was 31st in a time of 24:16.23, while Abbi Rogers was 36th in a time of 24:26.26. Danielle Prince placed 59th in a time of 25:27.16.

Southwest Baptist won the meet with 50 points and there was just one point separating Pittsburg State and the Lions. Drury was fourth, followed by Missouri S&T, Missouri Western, Rockhurst, Central Missouri, William Jewell and Lincoln rounded out the team scores.

Southern will be back in action on October 3 as the Lions will travel to Emporia State for the 2018 MIAA Cross Country Championships.