After suffering its first MIAA loss, the Fort Hays State women's soccer team looks to bounce back with another weekend of MIAA play. The Tigers will hit the road for two matches in Missouri, first against Northwest Missouri State, then a tussle with No. 20 Missouri Western. Fort Hays State heads into the weekend with a 5-3-2 overall record and 2-1 MIAA mark at this point in the season.

Leading the way for the Tigers is senior Eden Stoddard who has secured seven goals on the season. Stoddard also adds three assists and 33 shots to her stat line ten matches in. Darby Hirsch has documented a team-high five assist to go along with one goal of her own. On net security for the Tigers has been Megan Kneefel for the past 1.5 matches, who has notched 10 saves during 373 minutes and owns a 1-2-1 record. Senior goalkeeper Kristen Thompson holds 26 saves this season with a 4-1-0 record. As a team, Fort Hays State has outshot its opponents 123-84, while netting 15 goals.

In the first match of the weekend, the Tigers will face off against a Northwest Missouri State team who is coming off a 1-0 loss to Missouri Southern. Overall, the Bearcats are 4-5 with a 1-2 MIAA record. Northwest Missouri State has outshot their opponents 154-139, but have been outscored 12-20. Individually, the Tigers have to contain Mollie Holtman who holds a team-high four goals in 15 shots on goal. Ashley Malloy serves as the anchor in net for the Bearcats as she has captured 35 saves with a 4-4 record. Last season, the Tigers walked away with the 2-1 win over Northwest Missouri State in Hays. That was the only contest between the two in 2016.

Sunday will serve as a tough match for Fort Hays State as they travel to No. 20 and 9-1 Missouri Western. The Griffons are riding a three-match winning streak with their latest coming from a 1-0 win over Southwest Baptist. Missouri Western has had the offensive edge over their counterparts as they have a 222-88 advantage in shots over their 10 matches. The Griffons have netted 35 goals, led by Cassidy Menke with a team and MIAA-high 10. Nine other Griffons have at least one goal to their name as well. Sarah Lyle has been the strong suit for Missouri Western in goal as she boasts a 9-1 record with 39 saves. In 2016, the Tigers earned the 3-0 MIAA regular season win, as well as a victory in the first round of the conference tournament after a win in PKs.

Friday's tilt against Northwest Missouri State has been moved up two hours to 1 p.m. in Maryville, Mo. due to forecasted weather, while the match against No. 24 Missouri Western is set for a noon start in St. Joseph, Mo., on Sunday (Oct. 8).