TAHLEQUAH – Fresh off a nail-biting 2-1 win at Northwest Missouri, the RiverHawks Women's Soccer team will be back in action this weekend when they travel to face Nebraska-Kearney and Fort Hays State. Kickoff Friday at Kearney is set for 5:30 p.m., while Sunday's match will begin at 1 p.m.
First Touches
1. The RiverHawks are 10-3-1 and are on a season best five-match win streak, including their thrilling 2-1 victory over Northwest Missouri on Sunday where
Sarah Rector scored in the 88th minute to lift NSU to the win. The RiverHawks are 5-2-0 in conference action this season, second in the conference behind Central Missouri, who are 5-0-1 in conference action.
2.
Mariah Nicolet continues to lead the team with 10 goals this season as well as 28 shots on goal.
Paulina Chavez has five goals while Rector has scored four times.
Sommer Franks has been the most helpful RiverHawk with five assists.
Brennan Hockett and
Ainsley Cunningham have split time in net for the RiverHawks, with Hockett making 29 saves and Cunningham making 18.
3. This will be the first time this season that the RiverHawks will face the Lopers and Tigers. NSU has a 4-2-1 record against the Lopers, with a 1-2-2 record in Kearney. The last time the RiverHawks faced Fort Hays State was Sept. 30, 2018 and resulted in a 1-0 loss off an 84th minute goal. The last time that NSU topped the Tigers was Oct. 20, 2017 when they picked up a 1-0 win.
4.
Chase Wooten is in his ninth season as head coach of the RiverHawks, with a career record of 118-53-15, the best in school history. He has taken NSU to the MIAA Tournament for seven straight seasons, including a berth in the conference finals in 2015.
5. The Lopers will bring a 1-7-6 record into the matchup and have yet to win a conference match, though they have four draws this season in conference action. They are coming off a 2-0 loss to Central Missouri on Sunday. Megan Merkel leads the team with 17 shots on goal while Allie Prososki has made 63 saves in 11 matches played.
6. The Tigers are 8-3-1 this season and 4-1-1 in conference action entering the weekend. They are on a one-match win streak after topping Missouri Southern 3-0 on Sunday and will open the weekend on Friday against Rogers State. Darby Hirsch and Cailey Perkins have both scored four goals this season, with Perkins also having 13 shots on goal. Megan Kneefel has made 47 saves in net while playing in 10 matches.
Looking Ahead: The RiverHawks will wrap up the season with a pair of home matches when they face Rogers State on Nov. 1 and Newman on Nov. 3 before competing in the MIAA Tournament.
