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Burpo, Munnelly earn MIAA Athlete of the Week honors

Two Missouri Southern student-athletes were named Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Athletes of the Week today, the league office announced.

Junior defensive back Ryan Burpo (Oronogo, Mo./Webb City HS) earned the Wilson/MIAA Defensive Player of the Week honor after charting 12 tackles (five solos) and three pass breakups in the Lions' 38-7 win on Saturday at Northeastern State (Okla.).

Of his three pass breakups, two forced punts as they ended third-down conversion attempts by the Redmen. Burpo (5-11, 185) also recorded one tackle for a loss of two yards.

The Lions held NSU to 233 yards of offense (111 passing and 122 rushing) and handed the Redmen their worst setback in the history of the series, which spans 15 games.

Sophomore midfielder Ashley Munnelly (Springfield, Mo./Kickapoo HS) earned the MIAA Player of the Week honor for women's soccer after scoring three goals and adding two assists as the Lady Lions went 2-1 for the week.

Munnelly had the game-winning goal in Southern's 2-1 win at home over Central Arkansas on Tuesday (Sept. 10) and assisted on the other tally. In a 4-3 double overtime win over North Dakota State on Saturday, her second goal of the day, scored in the 86th minute, sent the game into overtime. Munnelly then assisted on the winning goal on her way to a five-point outing (two goals and one assist).

Munnelly is coming off a freshman campaign in which she set the MIAA's single-season goal scoring record (17). The Lady Lions had started the season 4-0 before suffering a 3-0 loss on Sunday at Nebraska-Omaha.