September 7, 2010

Full Notes (PDF)

(KIRKSVILLE) – Truman women's soccer returns home this weekend for its first two home matches, marking the opening of the 2010 MIAA slate, as the Bulldogs host Northwest Missouri State on Thursday afternoon at 4 pm before welcoming long-time rival Nebraska-Omaha to Bulldog Pitch at 12 pm on Saturday.

The Bulldogs are 1-1 after splitting matches against Lone Star conference foes at the University of Central Oklahoma Invitational last weekend. Truman dropped a 3-2 decision to Midwestern (Texas) State to open the weekend but rebounded for a 2-1 win against the Bronchos on their home turf on Sunday afternoon.

Both of Truman's opponents enter this week looking for their first win, as Northwest Missouri went to double-overtime twice in the first week of action, garnering a draw and a loss, while Nebraska-Omaha went 0-2 at the UCO Invitational against the same two teams that Truman faced. UNO hosts Missouri Western on Thursday prior to playing Truman on Saturday.

Following the Team:

Live stats for the home matches this weekend will be available by visiting http://www.trumanbulldogs.com.

In addition, box scores and match recaps will be available immediately following each match on the website.

Bulldog Coaching Staff:

Mike Cannon is in his 18th season at Truman and is the most successful coach to lead the Bulldog program during its 26 years of existence.

With a career record of 232-81-30 (.720), Cannon is the winningest coach in Truman women's soccer history and is ranked eighth in victories among all-time Division II coaches entering the 2010 season. During his tenure as head coach, Cannon has had seven players named to the all-American squad by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and has landed 52 student-athletes on all-region teams with 21 first-team selections.

When it comes to MIAA play, the Bulldogs have been the most dominant team in the league's history, having won nearly 85% of their conference games by compiling a combined 107-16-13 record in 11 seasons. Four players have been named the MIAA's Most Valuable Player, while a league-high 107 players have been named all-conference, an average of nearly ten per season, since the league added women's soccer as a conference sport in 1999.

He has been named MIAA Coach of the Year eight times - most recently in 2009 - and was the Central Region Coach of the Year in 2001.

He is assisted this season by Katie Reuck, who shifts from the field to the sideline after scoring 20 goals in three seasons as part of the Bulldog attack. She was an all-American following the 2009 season.

Bystrom Gets Off to Fast Start:

Senior forward Beth Bystrom (Ames, Iowa; Ames HS, Missouri State) was Truman's nominee for MIAA offensive player of the week after scoring twice and adding an assist at the University of Central Oklahoma Invitational last Friday & Sunday.

Bystrom gave the Bulldogs a brief 2-1 lead in the opener against Midwestern (Texas) State with her goal in the 39^th minute after taking a feed from Kelsey Twellman, then scored the game-tying goal to get Truman on the board in the 67th minute against Central Oklahoma.

She then led Megan Buri with a pass in the 87^th minute, which Buri converted on the other end to give Truman a 2-1 win against the host Bronchos.

A Rivalry Renewed:

The Truman/Nebraska-Omaha rivalry goes back long before UNO joined the MIAA in 2007, as the squads have met 18 times, with five coming in the NCAA tournament.

UNO holds a 12-6 advantage in the all-time series, with each team holding firm at home each of the past two seasons since the Mavericks joined the MIAA prior to the 2008 season.

Last year, the Bulldogs took two of three, including a 1-0 victory in the opening round of the NCAA tournament at a neutral site (Canyon, Texas).

Scouting the Opposition:

Northwest Missouri State “Bearcats” (0-1-1, 0-0 MIAA)

- Top Offense: Hannah Silvey (1 goal, 5 shots); Andrea Freeman (1 assist, 5 shots)

- Top Goalkeeper: Lauren Fox (2 games played/started, 2.00 GAA, 17 saves, 81.0% sv pct)

- Head Coach: Tracy Hoza (8^th season at NWMSU, 48-13-14 record)

Nebraska-Omaha “Mavericks” (0-2, 0-0 MIAA)

- Top Offense: Hilary Horvatic (1 goal, 3 shots); Hayley Renshaw (1 goal, 2 shots)

- Top Goalkeeper: Lauren Fox (2 games played/started, 2.00 GAA, 17 saves, 81.0% sv pct)

- Head Coach: Don Klosterman (12^th season at UNO, 183-47-9 record)

Series Info:

Truman vs. Northwest Missouri (Truman leads all-time series, 21-0).

-2009: Truman won, 2-1, in Maryville, Mo., on Sept. 10; Truman won, 3-0, in Kirksville on Oct. 19

Truman vs. Nebraska-Omaha (Nebraska-Omaha leads all-time series, 12-6).

-2009: UNO won, 4-1, in Omaha on Sept. 12; Truman won, 1-0, in Kirksville on Sept. 26; Truman won, 1-0, in Canyon, Texas in NCAA first round on Nov. 13.

A Youth Revolution:

The 2010 Bulldogs have 26 players on the roster, and with only two seniors and four juniors, head coach Mike Cannon has one of his youngest rosters in recent history taking the field.

Because of last season's depth and experience at many of the major positions, Cannon was able to redshirt most of the 2009 freshman class, bringing back eight redshirt freshmen to go with the six true freshmen in 2010.

Women Top MIAA Coaches Poll:

After capturing its ninth MIAA title in 2009, the Truman women's soccer team was predicted to pick up title no. 10 in 2010 after garnering the top spot in the annual MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll.

The Bulldogs picked up six first-place votes (coaches could not vote for their own team) en route to 60 points, edging out Nebraska-Omaha and Central Missouri. UNO came in second with 56 points and one first-place vote, while Central Missouri picked up the remaining two first-place votes but landed one point back of UNO with 55.

Washburn (Kan.) (42 points) held a solid grip on fourth, with Missouri Western (31 points) winning a close race for fifth against northwest Missouri (29 points) and Southwest Baptist (Mo.) (28 points).

Missouri Southern (14 points) and Emporia (Kan.) State (9 points) rounded out the nine-team poll.

Fellow MIAA members Fort hays (Kan.) State, Lincoln (Mo.) and Pittsburg (Kan.) State do not compete in women's soccer.

The Bulldogs have won nine of the 11 MIAA championships awarded since the conference began sponsoring the sport in 1999 and have posted 16 consecutive winning seasons – the seventh longest stretch in NCAA Div. II history.

Up Next:

Truman will take to the road for the first time in MIAA play when the purple and white travel to Missouri Southern on Thursday (Sept. 16) night before wrapping up the trip at Southwest Baptist on Saturday (Sept. 18) afternoon.