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TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - The No. 15-ranked Northeastern State men's soccer team will head to Missouri for a pair of road MIAA matches over the next few days.

The RiverHawks (6-2, 4-0 MIAA) will first meet Lindenwood (5-3-2, 3-1-0 MIAA) at 2 p.m. Oct. 4 in St. Charles, Missouri, before stopping in Bolivar, Missouri, on the way home for a 1:30 p.m. matchup Oct. 6 with Southwest Baptist (0-9, 0-4 MIAA). Northeastern State is currently riding a 14-match road unbeaten streak of 10-0-4. NSU's last true road loss was a 1-0 setback at Incarnate Word on Oct. 5, 2012.

NSU is the only undefeated team in MIAA play this season. The side is coming off a pair of MIAA victories this past week over Southern Nazarene (2-1) and Harding (4-0). Jordan Schmoker (4g-4a-12p) leads the RiverHawks in goals, assists and points this season. Jackson Biles (5-2) serves as the top goalkeeper with a 0.92 goals-against average and .793 saves percentage.

WHO ARE THE LIONS?
Lindenwood is on a three-match unbeaten streak against Northeastern State, which includes a 2-1 victory over the RiverHawks in Tahlequah a year ago and a 1-0 triumph in the 2012 MIAA Championship finals. The two-time defending conference champs have never lost to NSU at Hunter Stadium. The two sides played to a 0-0 draw the last time they met on the Lions' home pitch in 2012.

LWU began the 2014 season with a 2-3-2 mark that included an 8-0 drubbing at the hands of Fort Hays State. Since that loss to the Tigers, the Lions have rattled off three-straight victories over Upper Iowa (2-1 OT), Truman State (3-2) and Southern Nazarene (3-0). Lindenwood has been outscored 26-16 through 10 matches this season, a year removed from conceding just 16 goals total and advancing to the NCAA Championship Quarterfinals. The Lions, however, are still unblemished at home and have not dropped a home match since Oct. 26, 2011 (20-0-2). Andre Hayne and Mitchell Hunt both lead the squad with nine points each (4g-1a). Eduard Spragge Campo and Ethan Baer (0g-3a) hold the team lead in assists. Andrew Hamerlink (4-2-3) is the top goalkeeper, and he carries a 2.08 goals-against average and a .622 saves percentage.

WHO ARE THE BEARCATS?
Northeastern State and Southwest Baptist have met each of the last two years, which were the first two meetings between the programs since NSU joined the NCAA in 1996. The RiverHawks defeated SBU 5-0 in Bolivar in 2012 and picked up a 10-0 victory in Tahlequah last season. The Bearcats are currently on a 28-match losing streak that dates back to late in the 2012 season. They have been outscored 43-9 this season.

Justin Schaeffer (4g-1a=9p) and Ryan Estus (2g-1a=5p) are the only two Bearcats with more than two points this season. Lajos Zadravecz (0-6) and Alan Shriner (0-3) have split time in net. Zadravecz carries a 5.97 GAA and a .438 S%, while Shriner owns a 4.02 GAA with a .600 S%.

IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
NSU earned a national rank of No. 15 this week, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America announced this past Tuesday. The RiverHawks moved up one spot after checking in at No. 16 a week ago. NSU is the only team from the Central Region to earn a national rank in all four polls issued by the NSCAA so far this season. No. 25 Fort Hays State, the only other team ranked from the Central Region, re-entered the polls after dropping out last week. Northeastern State also remained atop the Central Region rankings for the fourth week in a row.

-GoRiverHawksGo.com-