BY FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State landed six players on the All-MIAA Women’s Soccer Team, released on Thursday (Nov. 7). Second-team selections went to Taryn Schnell, Darby Hirsch, and Cailey Perkins, while honorable mention picks went to Megan Kneefel, Paige Utterback, and Maja Persa.
Schnell is now a three-time All-MIAA selection and earns second-team honors for the second time in her career. She also has an honorable mention selection to her credit. Primarily a defender for the Tigers, she has been utilized as an attacker at times this season producing two goals. An anchor for the Tiger defense, Schnell has helped FHSU produce nine shutouts this season, which covers 53 percent of the team’s contests this year. A senior from Littleton, Colorado, she ranks third on the team in minutes played with 1,342 this season and has played over 6,000 minutes throughout her career at FHSU.
Hirsch is now a two-time All-MIAA selection. After getting an honorable mention nod last year, the Topeka, Kansas senior grabs second-team honors this year. Hirsch is the team leader in points entering the MIAA Tournament with 15, producing six goals and three assists. She is tied for the team lead in goals with Perkins, and tied for the lead in assists with Chloe Montano. Hirsch has 48 points throughout her career at FHSU with 15 goals and 18 assists, including eight game-winning goals, while logging over 4,000 minutes on the pitch.
Perkins is now 2-for-2 receiving all-conference honors in her career at FHSU. The Manhattan, Kansas sophomore repeats as a second-team selection after receiving the same honor in her freshman season. Perkins is tied with Hirsch for the team lead in goals with six, while adding one assist for a total of 13 points entering the MIAA Tournament. Perkins already has 36 points (14 goals, 8 assists) over her two seasons on the pitch with five game-winning goals.
Kneefel is now a two-time All-MIAA selection at goalkeeper after a second-team selection last year. The Aurora, Colorado senior has been a solid in goal for the Tigers, producing a record of 9-4-2 through the regular season. She has eight shutouts in goal this year individually out of the nine produced overall by the team this year. Her .880 save percentage currently ranks 17th in the nation and her eight shutouts ranks 19th. She has not allowed more than two goals in a match this year and has held opponents to one or less in 12 of her 15 appearances in goal.
Utterback picks up her first all-conference nod as a Tiger. The New London, Missouri senior has also been a tremendous anchor for the Tiger defense this year. She leads the team in minutes played with 1,410. Nine times this season she went the distance in matches, playing all minutes possible. Utterback has helped FHSU produce nine shutouts this season going into the MIAA Tournament.
Persa also picks up her first all-conference honor. She has logged 1,252 minutes on the pitch this season and has been a big contributor on the defensive back line for the Tigers. The Palos Hills, Illinois sophomore has played full matches five times this season, while helping the team to the nine shutouts going into the MIAA Tournament.
Below is the 2019 All-MIAA Women’s Soccer Team.
Offensive Player of the Year – Mackenzie Dimarco – Emporia State, Fr.
Defensive Player of the Year – Allysa Gann – Central Missouri, Sr.
Goalkeeper of the Year – Lindsey Johnson – Central Missouri, Jr.
Freshman of the Year – Mackenzie Dimarco – Emporia State, Fr.
Coach
of the Year – Chase
Wooten – Northeastern StateAll-MIAA First-Team
Goalkeeper – Lindsey Johnson – Central Missouri, Jr.
Defender – Allysa Gann – Central Missouri, Sr.
Defender – Skylar Drum – Central Missouri, Jr.
Defender – Kelsey Gordon – Central Oklahoma, Sr.
Defender – Emily Seiler – Northeastern State, Sr.
Midfielder – Haley Freeman – Central Missouri, Jr.
Midfielder – Kelsie Eason – Central Oklahoma, Jr.
Midfielder – Tanna Benefiel – Emporia State, Sr.
Forward – Makayla Toth – Central Missouri, Jr.
Forward – Asha Haile – Central Oklahoma, Sr.
Forward – Mackenzie Dimarco – Emporia State, Fr.
Forward – Mariah Nicolet – Northeastern State, Sr.
All-MIAA Second-Team
Goalkeeper – Allie Prososki – Nebraska Kearney, Sr.
Goalkeeper – RaVella Fisher – Rogers State, Jr.
Defender – Taryn
Schnell
– Fort Hays State, Sr.
Defender – Molly Willis – Nebraska Kearney, Sr.
Defender – Alex Wynn – Rogers State, Jr.
Midfielder – Nayeli Gallo – Central Missouri, Fr.
Midfielder – Haley Post – Central Oklahoma, Sr.
Midfielder – Darby
Hirsch
– Fort Hays State, Sr.
Midfielder – Sarah Rector – Northeastern State, Sr.
Forward – Kassie Newsom – Central Missouri, So.
Forward – Paulina Chavez – Northeastern State, Jr.
Forward – Cailey
Perkins
– Fort Hays State, So.
All-MIAA Third-Team
Goalkeeper – Jackie Lari – Newman, So.
Defender – Taryn Kedzior – Central Oklahoma, So.
Defender – Sydney Martens – Emporia State, So.
Defender – Jordan Ashworth – Newman, So.
Defender – Maria Stephens – Newman, Fr.
Midfielder – Kelsey Mueller – Central Missouri, Sr.
Midfielder – Izzy Romano – Northwest Missouri, Sr.
Midfielder – Tera Lynch – Washburn, Jr.
Forward – Macy Ruffalo – Central Missouri, Fr.
Forward – Kennedy Weaver – Newman, Sr.
Forward – Laurelle Theodore – Rogers State, So.
Forward – Josie Rimmer – Washburn, So.
All-MIAA Honorable
Mention
Central Missouri: Cassie Forcellini – Midfielder,
Central Oklahoma: Kaitlyn Asher – Goalkeeper, Meredith Wilson – Defender,
Monika McGee – Midfielder
Emporia State: Kailey Corr – Defender, Aislinn Hughes – Midfielder, Hannah
Woolery – Midfielder
Fort Hays State: Megan
Kneefel
– Goalkeeper, Maja
Persa
– Defender, Paige
Utterback
– Defender
Missouri Southern: Ashton Manwill – Defender, Brianna Smith – Defender, Bailey
Belcher – Forward, Jessica Edwards – Forward
Missouri Western: Anna Mayer – Goalkeeper, Mackenzie O’Neill – Midfielder,
Taylor Schwartzkopf – Forward
Nebraska Kearney: Megan Cook – Defender
Newman: Kyra Butler – Defender, Sarra Gutknecht – Defender, Katie Hartman –
Midfielder, Vanessa Ortiz – Midfielder,
Northeastern State: Leslie Munoz – Defender
Northwest Missouri: Emily Madden – Defender, Manuela Gonzalez – Midfielder,
Kaylie Rock – Midfielder
Rogers State: Janell Hernandez – Defender, Anita Gaspar – Midfielder, Bria
Salazar – Midfielder,, Kori Watters – Forward
Washburn: Raegan Wells – Goalkeeper, Emily Michaelis – Defender, Olivia Grasso
– Midfielder