Fort Hays State Women's Soccer hits the road this weekend for two games versus conference opponents. The Tigers travel to Topeka, Kan., on Friday (Oct. 24) to face Washburn, before heading for Emporia, Kan., and the Emporia State Hornets on Sunday (Oct. 26). Friday's game time is 5 p.m., with Sunday's contest set for 2 p.m.
FHSU (8-4-2, 6-2-2 MIAA) sits tied for third in the conference standings with Central Oklahoma, and is undefeated in its last four games (including a tie with the Bronchos), with all four games marked as shutouts. With four matches remaining in the regular season, FHSU will look to solidify its spot in the MIAA Tournament as a Top 4 seed (earning a first-round game at home on Nov. 5).
The Tigers rank in the top five of several categories in the MIAA, including a third-place ranking in assists (21, 1.50 per game) and a fourth-place standing in points (65, 4.64 per game), goals (22, 1.57 per game) and goals allowed (nine, 0.61 per game). The team is tied for first with UCO in shutouts (nine), all which have come under the command of
Kristen Thompson at goalkeeper.
Thompson leads the league in individual shutouts this year, and sits fourth in the conference with a 0.61 goals against average. In 14 starts, Thompson has picked up 62 total saves on the year.
Hailey Davey leads the league with nine assists on the season and is just one short of tying the school's single-season assists record (10). Davey sits second on the team in overall points (13), adding two goals on the season.
Freshman
Kelsey Steffens, sixth in the conference in goals (five) and points (14), leads the team in both categories while adding four assists. Teammates
Cenayda Guzman and
Jordan Hester are tied for third on the team in points (eight) with four goals apiece.
Defensively, the Tigers boast one of the strongest back lines in the conference, allowing just nine goals on the season, helped in part by senior
Jamie Babyak (1,309 minutes) and junior
Mallory Diederich (1,330 minutes) who are two of five Tigers to start every game, and lead the team in minutes played.
Washburn (0-13-1, 0-9-1 MIAA) has scored just five goals this season, allowing 30 to opponents. Emily Stauffer leads the team with four points (two goals), while three Ichabod assists have come from Sara Specht. Tori Fuglister has started all 14 games in the net for WU, picking up 81 saves.
Emporia State (5-5-4, 2-4-4 MIAA) is led offensively by Grace Linton's five goals (10 points), while Jordan Foutch is second on the team with two gals and one assists (five points). The Hornets have scored 15 goals on the year, almost matching their opponents' 16 goals scored against. ESU has been in 10 matches decided by one goal or less this season, including a 0-0 tie with FHSU earlier this season in Hays, Kan. Goalkeeper Yadira Rivera has 81 saves with a 1.07 goals against average on the year.
