By MATT PIKE
The regular season is complete and the bracket for the MIAA Women's Soccer tournament is now set, with both Missouri Western State University and Northwest Missouri State set to hit the road in the opening round.
Entering the final match of the season, MoWest traveled to Northwest, with the Bearcats looking to hold their position, with Northwest sitting fifth in the conference, and the Griffons looking to gain ground, sitting at sixth. MoWest came out on top 3-0 in the regular season finale, with goals from Kendall Knisley, Kinsey Dufour, and Emily Sewell. The win for the Griffons secured them the sixth seed in the MIAA tournament, while the loss knocked Northwest down to the seventh seed.
Starting the tournament, both teams will hit the road with the top four seeds hosting quarterfinal matchups. MoWest will travel to face No. 3 seed Pittsburg State on Sunday in Pittsburg, Kansas. The Griffons enter the tournament with hopes of repeating as MIAA tournament champions after capturing their first postseason trophy in program history last season. MoWest enters the tournament with a record of 8-3-7 overall and 5-3-4 mark in MIAA play. The Gorillas on the other hand ended the regular season 13-0-5 overall with a 7-0-5 mark in MIAA play.
The Griffons and Gorillas met earlier this season on October 18th, with then No. 8 Pittsburg State earning a 1-0 on the road. The Gorillas scored the lone goal of the match in the 21st minute, but MoWest held them scoreless for the remainder of the contest. Goalkeeper Morgan Byrd finished with nine saves. With a victory over Pittsburg State on Sunday, MoWest would advance to the MIAA Tournament Semifinals on Friday, November 6th.
The Bearcats will face No. 2 seed Central Missouri also on Sunday in Warrensburg. The Jennies finished 13-1-4 overall on the season and 8-0-4 in MIAA play, finishing just behind the top seed and regular season champions, No. 1 Washburn. Northwest finished 5-9-3 overall with a 5-5-2 record in MIAA play. The Bearcats and Jennies played to a 1-1 draw when they met in Maryville on October 4th. It will mark the third time Northwest and UCM have matched up in the MIAA Tournament, which UCM won both those MIAA tournament matches.
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