Southern Athletics This Week

Sept. 29, 2003

Volume 1, Issue 5

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Football Lions look to rebound at Missouri Western

Coming off a 50-7 loss at Central Missouri State on Saturday, the Missouri Southern football team will look to bounce back this week when it heads to St. Joseph, Mo. for a conference date with Missouri Western.

Southern dropped to 1-3 overall and 1-1 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association in Saturday’s loss in which the No. 7 Mules scored 31 second-quarter points. The Lions lone score of the game came on a 26-yard pass from redshirt freshman QB Garrett Taylor to junior WR DeMarcus Mathes in the third quarter. Taylor completed 9-of-12 passes for 72 yards in relief of suspended QB Kokain Mothershed. Mathes caught three passes for 41 yards and finished with 104 all-purpose yards.

The Lions did become the first team this year to muster more than 39 rushing yards against the stout CMSU defense. Southern ran for 75 yards in the first quarter alone and finished with 108 rushing yards. Senior RB/WR Darvin Willard led the ground attack with 47 yards on 12 carries.

Two MSSU wideouts surpassed a couple of milestones in the defeat. Senior WR Chris Turner topped the 1,000 career receiving yards plateau as he finished with two catches for 24 yards. Junior WR Craig Winfrey bumped former Lion and current Philadelphia Eagle James Thrash from the career top 10 in receptions. Winfrey, who caught three balls for 25 yards, moved into a tie for ninth on the Southern career receptions list with 80.

Missouri Western (2-2, 1-1) lost 27-24 on Saturday at No. 17 Emporia State on a 32-yard interception return with 2:34 to play.

This week at Missouri Western, the Lions expect to have QB Mothershed back in the fold. He missed last week’s game while suspended by the NCAA for dropping below full-time status in terms of his classload. Mothershed has the once-dropped course back on his schedule and has been reinstated. The infraction is still pending review by MIAA officials.

Volleyball looks to halt four-match skid

Following a stretch of three nationally-ranked foes in four matches, the Missouri Southern volleyball team (7-5, 1-4 MIAA) continues its tough schedule when it wraps up its longest homestand of the season on Wednesday vs. Missouri Western (7-5, 1-4). From there, Southern ventures to No. 8 Truman (15-2, 5-0) on Friday and visits Northwest Missouri State (2-15, 0-5) on Saturday.

Last week, the Lions dropped three straight, starting with a 3-0 sweep at No. 22 (tie) Washburn. At home on Friday, Southern lost a 3-1 decision to Emporia State and had No. 21 Central Missouri State on the ropes on Saturday, but fell by a 3-2 count.

Junior OH Jackie Gallagher averaged a team-leading 4.0 kills per game in the three matches last week, but missed most of the CMSU affair with a back injury. Senior OH Amy Little averaged 3.75 kills and 5.17 digs on the week. She had 16 kills and 26 digs in the loss to Emporia State.

In Saturday’s clash with Central Missouri, junior OH Sara Jaynes and senior RS Jessie Puszewski each finished with 16 kills. Puszewski added 25 digs.

Senior S Kym Mutert finished with 11.75 assists per game last week.

Women’s Soccer stays unbeaten in league action

Missouri Southern’s women’s soccer team stayed unbeaten in MIAA play with a 2-0 victory on Thursday (Sept. 25) over Central Missouri State and former head coach Geoff VanDeusen. The victory raised Southern’s conference record to 2-0-1 and improved its overall mark to 3-4-1.

Junior Tera Reisner scored both Lions goals in the second half and raised her team-leading goal count to seven on the season. Her first tally came in the game’s 72nd minute off an assist from junior Sarah Sneed. Reisner added the second goal approximately six minutes later, this time unassisted on a breakaway.

Senior goalkeeper Kim Boessen charted two saves in picking up her first shutout of the season. The Boessen shutout pushed her into a tie for the MSSU career lead, with Moe Ybarra (2000-01) in that category. Boessen now has five career shutouts.

For the game, the Lions out-shot Central Missouri 17-10, including 10-2 on goal.

This week, Southern continues conference play on the road with a match on Wednesday at Northwest Missouri State (2-5-1, 1-2-1 MIAA) and on Saturday at Southwest Baptist (3-5, 2-0).

Men’s Soccer hosts Missouri Valley this week

Lightning and wet grounds forced the postponement of the Lions’ only game last week, a home clash with Missouri Valley on Friday night. That match has been rescheduled for Friday (Oct. 3) at 6 p.m. at Hal Bodon Field.

True freshman B.J. Wylie leads Southern (0-6) with three goals on the season. Junior Adam Skiermont has a team-best two assists and 17 shots.

Before this week’s Missouri Valley game in Joplin, Missouri Southern visits John Brown (Ark.) on Wednesday. The Lions host Missouri-Rolla on Sunday (Oct. 5).

Cross Country teams return to action

After a week out of competition following the Southern Stampede, both Missouri Southern cross country teams will be back in action on Saturday (Oct. 4).

The Missouri Southern men head to Stillwater, Okla. for the Oklahoma State Jamboree where the Lions will again see their share of competition from the NCAA Division I ranks. Missouri Southern was ranked 12th in the nation and fourth in the region in the latest NCAA Division II Coaches poll.

MSSU’s women, ranked fourth in the South Central Region, will be at the Miner Invitational, hosted by the University of Missouri-Rolla on Saturday.

On Oct. 11, both Lion teams will be in Edwardsville, Ill. for the Missouri-Illinois Border War. That’s the final competition for Southern before the MIAA Championships, which will be held Oct. 25 in Kirksville.

Golf team at Tahlequah today

The Lions had a week off last week after finishing second their first MIAA event of the year, the Truman Bulldog Classic in Kirksville.

This week, the Lions are competing today and Tuesday in Muskogee, Okla. at the Northeastern State Classic.

Junior transfer Travis Stockholm is tied with sophomore Kellen Bollinger for the Missouri Southern team lead through two meets this fall with an average of 74.0 strokes per round. Junior Geir Askvik averages 74.5 and was the Lions’ top finisher at the Truman event. Askvik carded 148 (74-74) in the tournament to place seventh. Stockholm was medalist at Southern’s fall opener, the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Norsemen Invitational.

Tennis team wraps up fall season this weekend

After starting its short fall schedule on Sept. 6, the MSSU women’s tennis team finishes up fall portion of its season at the ITA Tournament in Maryville on Friday through Sunday (Oct. 3-5).


	Southern Athletics This Week Sept. 29, 2003 Volume 1, Issue 5 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Football Lions look to rebound at Missouri Western Coming off a 50-7 loss at Central Missouri State on Saturday, the Missouri Southern football team will look to bounce back this week when it heads to St. Joseph, Mo. for a conference date with Missouri Western. Southern dropped to 1-3 overall and 1-1 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association in Saturday’s loss in which the No. 7 Mules scored 31 second-quarter points. The Lions lone score of the game came on a 26-yard pass from redshirt freshman QB Garrett Taylor to junior WR DeMarcus Mathes in the third quarter. Taylor completed 9-of-12 passes for 72 yards in relief of suspended QB Kokain Mothershed. Mathes caught three passes for 41 yards and finished with 104 all-purpose yards. The Lions did become the first team this year to muster more than 39 rushing yards against the stout CMSU defense. Southern ran for 75 yards in the first quarter alone and finished with 108 rushing yards. Senior RB/WR Darvin Willard led the ground attack with 47 yards on 12 carries. Two MSSU wideouts surpassed a couple of milestones in the defeat. Senior WR Chris Turner topped the 1,000 career receiving yards plateau as he finished with two catches for 24 yards. Junior WR Craig Winfrey bumped former Lion and current Philadelphia Eagle James Thrash from the career top 10 in receptions. Winfrey, who caught three balls for 25 yards, moved into a tie for ninth on the Southern career receptions list with 80. Missouri Western (2-2, 1-1) lost 27-24 on Saturday at No. 17 Emporia State on a 32-yard interception return with 2:34 to play. This week at Missouri Western, the Lions expect to have QB Mothershed back in the fold. He missed last week’s game while suspended by the NCAA for dropping below full-time status in terms of his classload. Mothershed has the once-dropped course back on his schedule and has been reinstated. The infraction is still pending review by MIAA officials. Volleyball looks to halt four-match skid Following a stretch of three nationally-ranked foes in four matches, the Missouri Southern volleyball team (7-5, 1-4 MIAA) continues its tough schedule when it wraps up its longest homestand of the season on Wednesday vs. Missouri Western (7-5, 1-4). From there, Southern ventures to No. 8 Truman (15-2, 5-0) on Friday and visits Northwest Missouri State (2-15, 0-5) on Saturday. Last week, the Lions dropped three straight, starting with a 3-0 sweep at No. 22 (tie) Washburn. At home on Friday, Southern lost a 3-1 decision to Emporia State and had No. 21 Central Missouri State on the ropes on Saturday, but fell by a 3-2 count. Junior OH Jackie Gallagher averaged a team-leading 4.0 kills per game in the three matches last week, but missed most of the CMSU affair with a back injury. Senior OH Amy Little averaged 3.75 kills and 5.17 digs on the week. She had 16 kills and 26 digs in the loss to Emporia State. In Saturday’s clash with Central Missouri, junior OH Sara Jaynes and senior RS Jessie Puszewski each finished with 16 kills. Puszewski added 25 digs. Senior S Kym Mutert finished with 11.75 assists per game last week. Women’s Soccer stays unbeaten in league action Missouri Southern’s women’s soccer team stayed unbeaten in MIAA play with a 2-0 victory on Thursday (Sept. 25) over Central Missouri State and former head coach Geoff VanDeusen. The victory raised Southern’s conference record to 2-0-1 and improved its overall mark to 3-4-1. Junior Tera Reisner scored both Lions goals in the second half and raised her team-leading goal count to seven on the season. Her first tally came in the game’s 72nd minute off an assist from junior Sarah Sneed. Reisner added the second goal approximately six minutes later, this time unassisted on a breakaway. Senior goalkeeper Kim Boessen charted two saves in picking up her first shutout of the season. The Boessen shutout pushed her into a tie for the MSSU career lead, with Moe Ybarra (2000-01) in that category. Boessen now has five career shutouts. For the game, the Lions out-shot Central Missouri 17-10, including 10-2 on goal. This week, Southern continues conference play on the road with a match on Wednesday at Northwest Missouri State (2-5-1, 1-2-1 MIAA) and on Saturday at Southwest Baptist (3-5, 2-0). Men’s Soccer hosts Missouri Valley this week Lightning and wet grounds forced the postponement of the Lions’ only game last week, a home clash with Missouri Valley on Friday night. That match has been rescheduled for Friday (Oct. 3) at 6 p.m. at Hal Bodon Field. True freshman B.J. Wylie leads Southern (0-6) with three goals on the season. Junior Adam Skiermont has a team-best two assists and 17 shots. Before this week’s Missouri Valley game in Joplin, Missouri Southern visits John Brown (Ark.) on Wednesday. The Lions host Missouri-Rolla on Sunday (Oct. 5). Cross Country teams return to action After a week out of competition following the Southern Stampede, both Missouri Southern cross country teams will be back in action on Saturday (Oct. 4). The Missouri Southern men head to Stillwater, Okla. for the Oklahoma State Jamboree where the Lions will again see their share of competition from the NCAA Division I ranks. Missouri Southern was ranked 12th in the nation and fourth in the region in the latest NCAA Division II Coaches poll. MSSU’s women, ranked fourth in the South Central Region, will be at the Miner Invitational, hosted by the University of Missouri-Rolla on Saturday. On Oct. 11, both Lion teams will be in Edwardsville, Ill. for the Missouri-Illinois Border War. That’s the final competition for Southern before the MIAA Championships, which will be held Oct. 25 in Kirksville. Golf team at Tahlequah today The Lions had a week off last week after finishing second their first MIAA event of the year, the Truman Bulldog Classic in Kirksville. This week, the Lions are competing today and Tuesday in Muskogee, Okla. at the Northeastern State Classic. Junior transfer Travis Stockholm is tied with sophomore Kellen Bollinger for the Missouri Southern team lead through two meets this fall with an average of 74.0 strokes per round. Junior Geir Askvik averages 74.5 and was the Lions’ top finisher at the Truman event. Askvik carded 148 (74-74) in the tournament to place seventh. Stockholm was medalist at Southern’s fall opener, the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Norsemen Invitational. Tennis team wraps up fall season this weekend After starting its short fall schedule on Sept. 6, the MSSU women’s tennis team finishes up fall portion of its season at the ITA Tournament in Maryville on Friday through Sunday (Oct. 3-5).