TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – The Northeastern State women's soccer team will head to Kansas this weekend for a pair of MIAA matches. The RiverHawks will first meet Emporia State at 7 p.m. Oct. 2 before heading to Washburn for a match beginning at 1 p.m. Oct. 4.

ABOUT NSU
NSU is currently 7-1-0 overall and 2-0-0 in conference play, with its lone loss coming against Central Oklahoma. The RiverHawks are coming off a week in which they won home matches against Northwest Missouri State and Missouri Western State. Northeastern State has outscored its opponents 29-3 this season. Junior forward Anastasia Robinson has been the leader on offense, with a team-leading six goals and five assists for a career-high 17 points. Junior midfielder Jennifer Cudjoe is second on the team in both goals and points (5g-1a=11p), while sophomore midfielder Julia Mathis is tied for the team lead in assists (2g-5a=9p). So far NSU has had 12 players score goals this season, which ties the school record for most goal scorers in a single campaign.

SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Emporia State University is located in Emporia, Kansas, and the team competes alongside NSU in the MIAA. ESU is 5-3-0 overall and 1-1-0 in conference play. The Hornets are coming off a 3-1 win over Lindenwood after dropping a 4-0 decision to No. 1 Central Missouri. Emporia State's most dangerous scorer is Amelie Heun. Heun is tied for the conference lead with eight goals (8g-1a=17p). McKenzie Koch (3g-1a=7p) and Grace Linton (3g-0a=6p) are both second on the team in goals. Hornet keeper Yadira Rivera (5-3) has played every minute so far this season. She holds a goals-against average of 1.38 and has a saves percentage of .784. She also has three shutouts. Northeastern State and Emporia State are 2-2 over their four meetings since NSU joined the MIAA in 2012. ESU has taken the last two matches against NSU.

SCOUTING THE ICHABODS
Washburn University is located in Topeka, Kansas, and the university is also a member of the MIAA. The team is 2-4-2 overall this season with a 1-1-0 mark in league play. Washburn is coming off a 1-0 loss to Central Missouri, and will play against Central Oklahoma before hosting the RiverHawks. The only two players to score more than one goal are Paige Swanson, and Michelle Keleher. The Ichabods have only five different goal scorers. Keeper Kaitlin Minnich has played every minute this season and has a goals against average of 1.16. Minnich has made 41 saves with a save percentage of .804. The RiverHawks lead the series over the Ichabods 4-1 and have defeated Washburn in all three meetings since they joined the MIAA in 2012. NSU has outscored WU 5-1 over the last three matchups.

REGIONALLY RANKED
The RiverHawks checked in at No. 6 in the NSCAA Central Region Rankings released Sept. 29. The mark ties the school record for highest regional rank, and NSU currently sits behind Central Missouri, Minnesota State, Augustana, Minot State and Winona State. The RiverHawks are the second-highest ranked team from the MIAA and have been at No. 6 each of the last three weeks.

MIAA RANKS
Anastasia Robinson currently leads the MIAA in both assists (5) and points (17). Her six goals are also fourth-best in the league. Julia Mathis also has a share of the MIAA assist lead (5), and she is ninth in the league with nine points. Jennifer Cudjoe is sixth in the conference in both goals (5) and points (11). Junior midfielder Kelsey McIntyre ranks third in the MIAA with four assists, while senior midfielder McKenzie Musella is fifth with three helpers. Jordan Woodruff is second in the conference in goals-against average (.284), saves percentage (.905) and shutouts (3).

NATIONAL STAT RANKINGS
Northeastern State ranks in the top 25 nationally in 10 different statistical categories. Those are all below:
8th in assists per game (2.88)
8th in total assists (23)
8th in goals-against average (0.375)
9th in scoring offense (3.63)
9th in total goals (29)
10th in total points (81)
11th in points per game (10.13)
13th in shutout percentage (0.625)
13th in won-lost-tied percentage (.875)
22nd in saves percentage (.875)

ROBINSON BRINGS HOME HARDWARE
Anastasia Robinson was named the MIAA Offensive Athlete of the Week this past Tuesday. The junior forward from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, had a hand in all four goals during NSU's 4-1 victory over Northwest Missouri State this past week. She finished with a career-high six points as she tallied two goals and two assists. She also led NSU in shots during the team's 1-0 victory over Missouri Western State.

SHARING THE WEALTH
Northeastern State has had 12 different players score goals this year through eight matches. The mark leads all teams in the MIAA. The number is already tied for the school record for most goal scorers in a single season.