Southern Athletics This Week

Sept. 22, 2003

Volume 1, Issue 4

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Football Lions face first MIAA road test

Coming off their first victory of the 2003 season, the Missouri Southern football team heads to No. 7 Central Missouri State this Saturday (Sept. 27) for their conference road tilt of the season. The Lions were 49-35 winners last week over Missouri-Rolla at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.

The Mules (3-0, 1-0 MIAA) and No. 17 Northwest Missouri State were knotted at 24-24 after three quarters before Central exploded for four fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 52-24 win in Maryville.

Southern (1-2, 1-0) had two 100-yard rushers for the first time since Sept. 30, 2000, in its win over the Miners. Senior Darvin Willard, a converted wide receiver in his first collegiate start at running back, amassed 162 total yards, including 111 rushing, and senior quarterback Kokain Mothershed added 101 on the ground and another 207 passing.

Willard also recovered a key fumble on a UMR punt return in the fourth quarter and later cashed in with a 4-yard touchdown run, his second TD rush of the night. The Miners fumble came with Southern nursing a 41-35 lead, and allowed the Lions to go up by two scores with under five minutes to play.

The 49 points by the Lions tied for their third most since joining the MIAA in 1989. The Lions had 56 against Missouri-Rolla in 1995 and put 52 on the board last year vs. Washburn.

Three key conference matchups for Volleyball Lions

The Missouri Southern volleyball team faces three key matches this week in the MIAA race. The Lions visit No. 22 Washburn on Wednesday and host Emporia State and No. 20 Central Missouri on Friday and Saturday.

Southern slipped to 7-2 on the season, and 1-1 in the MIAA last week, after a tough 3-2 loss at No. 24 Pittsburg State. Earlier in the week, the Lions downed Southwest Baptist via sweep in Young Gymnasium.

At Pittsburg on Thursday, junior Jackie Gallagher knocked down 21 kills and senior Kym Mutert became the Lions career leader in assists, but the Gorillas rallied from a 12-5 deficit in the decisive Game 5 to pull out the match with a 3-2 victory. PSU had won the first two games of the duel by identical 30-24 scores. Southern seized the momentum in Game 3 with a 30-22 victory and forced a fifth game by squeaking out a 33-31 decision in Game 4.

Seniors Amy Little (10 kills, 17 digs) and Jessie Puszewski (13 kills, 18 digs) had double-doubles, as did Gallagher (21 kills and 13 digs). Mutert finished with 52 assists and passed Danielle Bishop (1989-92) for the Lions career lead. Mutert now has 3,728 assists for her career.

On Tuesday (Sept. 16), Gallagher hit .514 with 21 kills and Missouri Southern hit a season high .370 in a quick sweep of Southwest Baptist.

Women’s Soccer steps back into league play

Missouri Southern meets former head coach Geoff VanDeusen on Thursday in Joplin, as Central Missouri State comes calling in the Lions third conference game of the 2003 season.

New MSSU head coach Trevor Wachsman’s charges are currently 2-4-1 on the season, including 1-0-1 in MIAA action. The Lions are coming off a 3-1 win on Sunday over South Dakota. CMSU is currently 3-3 on the year, but 3-0 in league contests.

On Sunday in Vermillion, S.D., the South Dakota struck for its only goal of the game just over 16 minutes into the contest. The Lions rallied with three goals, all in the last 30 minutes. Junior Tera Reisner took an assist from freshman Jessica Buhman in the 62nd minute, knotting the score at 1-1. Approximately 18 minutes later, Reisner struck again, this time unassisted, with her fifth goal of the year. Freshman Samantha Lee accounted for the final tally with her second of the season, off a feed from Reisner. Senior Kim Boessen charted six saves en route to the win.

Saturday’s result saw Southern blanked for the third time in four games, as North Dakota State won a 4-0 game also in Vermillion. Boessen saved 11 shots, but NDSU outshot Missouri Southern 33-7.

Men’s Soccer hosts Missouri Valley this week

Head coach Kiley Cirillo will seek his first career win this week, as the Lions host Missouri Valley on Friday at Hal Bodon Field. The Lions (0-6), dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker on Saturday to Central Arkansas, falling on an overtime penalty kick in the 99th minute of the game.

True freshman B.J. Wylie was a bright spot for the Lions, who scored more than one goal for the first time this season. Wylie put in both MSSU goals, the last of which came in the 76th minute and forced overtime. Redshirt freshman Travis Haight stopped five shots, but Sammy Tejada’s penalty kick decided the match that pitted the Lions against an NCAA Division II Final Four team from last year.

Wylie leads the Lions with three goals and six points on the season. Junior Adam Skiermont paces the squad with two assists.

Cross Country teams off after Southern Stampede

After hosting a meet of more than 1,000 runners, the Missouri Southern cross country teams won’t be in competition this week as they ready for the October portion of their schedule. On Oct. 4, the Missouri Southern women head for the Missouri-Rolla Miner Invitational, while the men venture south to the Oklahoma State Jamboree.

This past weekend, the MSSU men’s team, ranked sixth in the nation (as of Sept. 15) and No. 2 in the South Central Region, placed fifth in the final team standings of the Southern Stampede. The University of Arkansas won the meet, with No. 12 Harding (Ark.) placing second.

Senior Magnus Holmstrom led three Missouri Southern runners in the top 30. Holmstrom finished 12th overall (ninth among attached runners) with a time of 24:54.80 over the 8000-meter course. Juniors Craig Rhoads and Paul Koehler placed 23rd and 27th, respectively.

On the women’s side, senior Jen Noelken led the Lions with a 17th-place finish in the 5000-meter race with a time of 18:23.90. Three more Lions nabbed top-40 finishes, including sophomore Megan Russell in 31st, senior Rachel (Patterson) McGowan in 36th and junior Ashley Caffey in 37th.

The Missouri Southern women, No. 4 in the South Central Region, finished sixth in corrected team standings.

Golf team resumes next week in Tahlequah

After garnering top-two finishes in each of their first two tournaments of the fall, the Missouri Southern golf team takes this week off before heading to Tahlequah, Okla. for the Northeastern State Invitational next Monday and Tuesday (Sept. 29-30).

The Lions placed second in the first MIAA-sanctioned event of the fall, the Truman Bulldog Classic in Kirksville, Mo. Junior transfer Gier Askvik led the Lions with a seventh-place finish and a score of 148 (74-74). Another transfer, junior Travis Stockholm, tied for eighth overall and was one stroke back of Askvik.

Stockholm, medalist at the Lions first tournament of the fall, the Norsemen Invitational in Miami, Okla., leads the team with an average of 74 strokes per round.

Tennis team nearing end of brief fall slate

After starting their short fall schedule on Sept. 6, the MSSU women’s tennis team is out of action until closing the fall portion of its season at the ITA Tournament in Maryville on Oct. 3-5.

Senior Sheryl Posch, sophomore Kim McMunn and the doubles team of Posch and junior Lacey McMunn posted wins in a scrimmage with Drury on Sept. 13.


	Southern Athletics This Week Sept. 22, 2003 Volume 1, Issue 4 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Football Lions face first MIAA road test Coming off their first victory of the 2003 season, the Missouri Southern football team heads to No. 7 Central Missouri State this Saturday (Sept. 27) for their conference road tilt of the season. The Lions were 49-35 winners last week over Missouri-Rolla at Fred G. Hughes Stadium. The Mules (3-0, 1-0 MIAA) and No. 17 Northwest Missouri State were knotted at 24-24 after three quarters before Central exploded for four fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 52-24 win in Maryville. Southern (1-2, 1-0) had two 100-yard rushers for the first time since Sept. 30, 2000, in its win over the Miners. Senior Darvin Willard, a converted wide receiver in his first collegiate start at running back, amassed 162 total yards, including 111 rushing, and senior quarterback Kokain Mothershed added 101 on the ground and another 207 passing. Willard also recovered a key fumble on a UMR punt return in the fourth quarter and later cashed in with a 4-yard touchdown run, his second TD rush of the night. The Miners fumble came with Southern nursing a 41-35 lead, and allowed the Lions to go up by two scores with under five minutes to play. The 49 points by the Lions tied for their third most since joining the MIAA in 1989. The Lions had 56 against Missouri-Rolla in 1995 and put 52 on the board last year vs. Washburn. Three key conference matchups for Volleyball Lions The Missouri Southern volleyball team faces three key matches this week in the MIAA race. The Lions visit No. 22 Washburn on Wednesday and host Emporia State and No. 20 Central Missouri on Friday and Saturday. Southern slipped to 7-2 on the season, and 1-1 in the MIAA last week, after a tough 3-2 loss at No. 24 Pittsburg State. Earlier in the week, the Lions downed Southwest Baptist via sweep in Young Gymnasium. At Pittsburg on Thursday, junior Jackie Gallagher knocked down 21 kills and senior Kym Mutert became the Lions career leader in assists, but the Gorillas rallied from a 12-5 deficit in the decisive Game 5 to pull out the match with a 3-2 victory. PSU had won the first two games of the duel by identical 30-24 scores. Southern seized the momentum in Game 3 with a 30-22 victory and forced a fifth game by squeaking out a 33-31 decision in Game 4. Seniors Amy Little (10 kills, 17 digs) and Jessie Puszewski (13 kills, 18 digs) had double-doubles, as did Gallagher (21 kills and 13 digs). Mutert finished with 52 assists and passed Danielle Bishop (1989-92) for the Lions career lead. Mutert now has 3,728 assists for her career. On Tuesday (Sept. 16), Gallagher hit .514 with 21 kills and Missouri Southern hit a season high .370 in a quick sweep of Southwest Baptist. Women’s Soccer steps back into league play Missouri Southern meets former head coach Geoff VanDeusen on Thursday in Joplin, as Central Missouri State comes calling in the Lions third conference game of the 2003 season. New MSSU head coach Trevor Wachsman’s charges are currently 2-4-1 on the season, including 1-0-1 in MIAA action. The Lions are coming off a 3-1 win on Sunday over South Dakota. CMSU is currently 3-3 on the year, but 3-0 in league contests. On Sunday in Vermillion, S.D., the South Dakota struck for its only goal of the game just over 16 minutes into the contest. The Lions rallied with three goals, all in the last 30 minutes. Junior Tera Reisner took an assist from freshman Jessica Buhman in the 62nd minute, knotting the score at 1-1. Approximately 18 minutes later, Reisner struck again, this time unassisted, with her fifth goal of the year. Freshman Samantha Lee accounted for the final tally with her second of the season, off a feed from Reisner. Senior Kim Boessen charted six saves en route to the win. Saturday’s result saw Southern blanked for the third time in four games, as North Dakota State won a 4-0 game also in Vermillion. Boessen saved 11 shots, but NDSU outshot Missouri Southern 33-7. Men’s Soccer hosts Missouri Valley this week Head coach Kiley Cirillo will seek his first career win this week, as the Lions host Missouri Valley on Friday at Hal Bodon Field. The Lions (0-6), dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker on Saturday to Central Arkansas, falling on an overtime penalty kick in the 99th minute of the game. True freshman B.J. Wylie was a bright spot for the Lions, who scored more than one goal for the first time this season. Wylie put in both MSSU goals, the last of which came in the 76th minute and forced overtime. Redshirt freshman Travis Haight stopped five shots, but Sammy Tejada’s penalty kick decided the match that pitted the Lions against an NCAA Division II Final Four team from last year. Wylie leads the Lions with three goals and six points on the season. Junior Adam Skiermont paces the squad with two assists. Cross Country teams off after Southern Stampede After hosting a meet of more than 1,000 runners, the Missouri Southern cross country teams won’t be in competition this week as they ready for the October portion of their schedule. On Oct. 4, the Missouri Southern women head for the Missouri-Rolla Miner Invitational, while the men venture south to the Oklahoma State Jamboree. This past weekend, the MSSU men’s team, ranked sixth in the nation (as of Sept. 15) and No. 2 in the South Central Region, placed fifth in the final team standings of the Southern Stampede. The University of Arkansas won the meet, with No. 12 Harding (Ark.) placing second. Senior Magnus Holmstrom led three Missouri Southern runners in the top 30. Holmstrom finished 12th overall (ninth among attached runners) with a time of 24:54.80 over the 8000-meter course. Juniors Craig Rhoads and Paul Koehler placed 23rd and 27th, respectively. On the women’s side, senior Jen Noelken led the Lions with a 17th-place finish in the 5000-meter race with a time of 18:23.90. Three more Lions nabbed top-40 finishes, including sophomore Megan Russell in 31st, senior Rachel (Patterson) McGowan in 36th and junior Ashley Caffey in 37th. The Missouri Southern women, No. 4 in the South Central Region, finished sixth in corrected team standings. Golf team resumes next week in Tahlequah After garnering top-two finishes in each of their first two tournaments of the fall, the Missouri Southern golf team takes this week off before heading to Tahlequah, Okla. for the Northeastern State Invitational next Monday and Tuesday (Sept. 29-30). The Lions placed second in the first MIAA-sanctioned event of the fall, the Truman Bulldog Classic in Kirksville, Mo. Junior transfer Gier Askvik led the Lions with a seventh-place finish and a score of 148 (74-74). Another transfer, junior Travis Stockholm, tied for eighth overall and was one stroke back of Askvik. Stockholm, medalist at the Lions first tournament of the fall, the Norsemen Invitational in Miami, Okla., leads the team with an average of 74 strokes per round. Tennis team nearing end of brief fall slate After starting their short fall schedule on Sept. 6, the MSSU women’s tennis team is out of action until closing the fall portion of its season at the ITA Tournament in Maryville on Oct. 3-5. Senior Sheryl Posch, sophomore Kim McMunn and the doubles team of Posch and junior Lacey McMunn posted wins in a scrimmage with Drury on Sept. 13.