By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State Women’s Soccer will be the No. 4 seed in the 2022 MIAA Women’s Soccer Championship Tournament. The opening round of the tournament will be on Sunday, October 30, followed by the semifinals and finals on November 4 and 6 at the campus site of the highest seed remaining following the opening round.
Fort Hays State (10-1-7, 5-1-5 MIAA) tied Central Oklahoma (11-3-4, 6-3-2 MIAA) for fourth in the MIAA standings, both with 20 points (wins earn 3 points, ties earn 1). The teams played to a 1-1 tie in the regular season in Edmond, but the Tigers held the tiebreak for the higher seed by virtue of a better result against the conference’s top finisher Central Missouri. FHSU tied Central Missouri, while UCO lost to Central Missouri in the regular season.
Central Missouri was the regular season champion in the MIAA with 28 points, going 9-1-1 in conference play. Emporia State and Northwest Missouri State tied for second, both with 24 points. Emporia State will be the No. 2 seed due to its head-to-head win over Northwest Missouri State in the regular season. The three schools will serve as first-round hosts, along with Fort Hays State.
Below is the schedule for the 2022 MIAA Tournament.
Quarterfinal Matches – Sunday, Oct. 30 – Campus Sites
Game 1 | No. 1 Central Missouri vs. No. 8 Missouri Western | 1 PM | Warrensburg, Mo.
Game 2 | No. 3 Northwest Missouri vs. No. 6 Washburn | 1 PM | Maryville, Mo.
Game 3 | No. 2 Emporia State vs. No. 7 Northeastern State | 2 PM | Emporia, Kan.
Game 4 | No. 4 Fort Hays State vs. No. 5 Central Oklahoma | 6:30 PM | Hays, Kan.
Semifinal Matches – Friday, Nov. 4 – Campus Site
Game 5 | Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 4
Game 6 | Winner of Game 2 vs. Winner of Game 3
Championship Match – Sunday, Nov. 6 – Campus Site
Game 7 | Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6
Sunday
The 22nd-ranked Fort Hays State women’s soccer team defeated Nebraska-Kearney 1-0 on Sunday (Oct. 23). The 50 mph wind gusts made it difficult for both squads to move the ball efficiently, but the Tigers were able to find the net in the second half with the wind at their back. FHSU finishes the regular season 10-1-7 overall, 5-1-5 in the MIAA, while UNK finishes 0-15-3 overall and 0-9-2 in the MIAA.
The Lopers had the wind in the first half as they put up six shots and placed three on goal, all saved by Isabel Robben. In the second half the ball stayed predominantly on the Tigers’ attacking half as they took 12 shots and placed five on target. The lone Tiger goal came when Reilly Maddenintercepted a Loper pass around midfield and played the ball ahead to Hannah Mares who got past a defender at the right time and struck it past the keeper in the 72nd minute.
Friday
TOPEKA, Kan. – The 22nd-ranked Fort Hays State women’s soccer team suffered its first loss of the season by a score of 1-0 at Washburn on Friday (Oct. 21). The Ichabods took advantage of a fast break opportunity in the first half turning it into a score and the Tigers were unable to find the equalizer. FHSU moved to 9-1-7, 4-1-5 MIAA, while Washburn improved to 11-4-2, 6-3-1 MIAA.
Washburn netted its lone goal in the 21st minute when Viviana Soto-Herrera intercepted a Fort Hays State pass then found Khloe Schuckman on the run who put the ball past Isabel Robben in a one-on-one situation. Fort Hays State nearly picked up the equalizer late as Reagan Wells made a big save for Washburn in a one-on-one situation with just under five minutes to go. Then with a minute to go a great header strike by Reilly Madden off a corner kick unfortunately hit the crossbar on the goal.
Washburn outshot Fort Hays State 11-7 in the match. Robben grabbed five saves in goal for the Tigers, while Raegan Wells nabbed three for the Ichabods.
Fort Hays State enjoyed a 16-match unbeaten streak to open the season and was the last team remaining without a loss in the MIAA until Friday night.