Setting the Scene
- SWOSU Soccer, the 2017 Great American Conference Tournament Champions, makes its second ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament
- After wins over Harding (3-0) and Oklahoma Baptist (3-2) in the conference tournament, the Dawgs acquired the GAC's automatic bid to the regional tournament by winning their third tournament since 2011
- The Bulldogs are set to take on Missouri Western on Friday (Nov. 10) in Mankato, Minnesota in the opening round of the Central Region Tournament, a matchup of the No. 6 seeded Bulldogs and No. 3 seeded Griffons
- The winner of Friday's contest will take on No. 2 seed and host team, Minnesota State, on Sunday in the second round
The Coaches
SWOSU: Mark Persson (92-62-19; 9th season)
- Since taking over the program in 2009, Persson has amassed a 92-62-19 record, becoming the all-time winningest coach in program history
- Persson has now led the Bulldogs to three regular season Great American Conference crowns and three GAC Tournament championships in the last six years, including the latest 2017 tournament crown
- A two time All-Conference Coach of the Year, Persson holds a 53-28-11 record in GAC play
- He has coached three All-Americans, 16 All-Region players, and numerous All-Conference players during his time in Weatherford
Missouri Western: Chad Edwards (58-60-7; 7th season
)
- Coach Edwards is enjoying his best season ever in 2017 in seven seasons at the helm of the Griffons
- He has now led the Griffons to four consecutive MIAA Tournaments after finishing a program best second in the MIAA with a 9-2 league slate this past season
- His first win ever at Missouri Western came against SWOSU back in 2011
- Edwards came to Missouri Western after three seasons as the assistant men's and women's soccer coach at Avila University in Kansas City, Mo., and is now the third head coach in the program's history
The Opponent
(3) Missouri Western (17-4, 9-2 MIAA)
- With conference losses to the number one team in the nation, Central Missouri, and in double overtime to Fort Hays State, Missouri Western finished tied for second in the MIAA in 2017 with nine victories and only two defeats
- The Griffons advanced all the way to the MIAA Championship match in the postseason tournament, before falling to UCM for the third time this year
- They have scored 51 goals on the season (second best in the MIAA) while the defense has conceded just 15 goals in 21 games (also second best in MIAA)
- The offensive attack is led by Cassidy Menke who has netted 15 goals on the season while assisting on three other scores
- Sarah Lyle has spent the majority of the season guarding the Griffon's goal, collecting four solo shutouts while splitting time in seven other clean sheets with 74 saves in 19 games
The Series
- Missouri Western leads the all-time series over the Bulldogs 2-1 dating back to 2009, but SWOSU was victorious in the last meeting between the two in 2012
- The Griffons won the series' first two contests, beating the Dawgs 2-0 in 2009 and again in 2011
- Since 2015, SWOSU is 4-2-1 against MIAA foes
NCAA Central Region Tournament
Friday, November 10:
(6) SWOSU vs (3) Missouri Western; 1 pm, Mankato, Minn.
(5) Bemidji State vs (4) Augustana; 1 pm, Warrensburg, Mo.
Sunday, November 12:
(2) Minnesota State vs winner SWOSU/MWSU; 1 pm, Mankato, Minn.
(1) Central Missouri vs winner BSU/Augie; 1 pm, Warrensburg, Mo.
SWOSU Notes
- The Bulldogs are making their second NCAA Tournament appearance and the first since 2012 when they finished 19-0-1 in the regular season and claimed both the GAC regular season and tournament championship
- SWOSU as a four seed, defeated Minot State in the first round of the regional tournament before falling to host Central Missouri to end their season 20-1-1
- Now in 2017, the Dawgs make their NCAA Tournament return as a six seed and are riding an 11 game unbeaten streak that dates back to September 28th
- SWOSU in 2017, sports the eighth best offensive attack in the nation, averaging 2.95 goals per game
- The offense is led by
Alimata Rabo – the nation's top division II scorer with 27 scores on the season
- Rabo also ranks fifth in division II with 12 assists
-
Sandra Nabweteme is SWOSU's second leading scorer, finishing tied for third in the GAC with 13 goals while also ending fifth in assists with four
- Rabo (3), Nabweteme (2), and
Lauren Williams (1) have been SWOSU's postseason goal scorers
- Goalie
Lexie Bates picked up her fifth solo shutout of the season against Harding in the semifinals, and followed her performance up with a season high 11 saves in the championship match against Oklahoma Baptist
Looking Ahead
- The winner of Friday's matchup will take on site host and No. 2 seed Minnesota State on Sunday (Nov. 12)
