Women's Soccer 10/27/2022 8:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

UCO Begins Postseason Sunday

Central Oklahoma Visits Fort Hays State for MIAA Championship Quarterfinals

HAYS, Kan. – The 2022 MIAA Women's Soccer Championship begins Sunday with Central Oklahoma visiting Fort Hays State for a first-round quarterfinals matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Central Oklahoma finished the 2022 regular season with an 11-3-4 overall record and a 6-3-2 mark in league play. Fort Hays State went 10-1-7 this season with a 5-1-5 record in the MIAA. The two schools tied for fourth place in the final standings with 20 points, and the MIAA needed a third criteria for the tiebreaker that gave Hays the No. 4 position and Central the No. 5 spot.

In Edmond earlier this month, the squads met at Tom Thompson Field and ended in a 1-1 tie.

"Hays is a good team and we're going to have to play our best to find a way to win," UCO head women's soccer coach Mike Cook said. "Playing there makes it more challenging, but the team is up for the challenge. We always have a goal to compete for the conference championship and that starts on Sunday."

Central Oklahoma heads to the postseason averaging 1.83 goals per game. The Bronchos scored 33 goals in 18 games this season. UCO's defense, with six shutouts on the year, enters the weekend allowing 0.89 goals per game. The Bronchos conceded 16 goals in 18 games.

Amaya Grace leads the offense. The junior forward, who was named All-MIAA on Wednesday, scored a team-high eight goals this season to go with four assists. Madison Linavong, also an All-MIAA recipient, scored five goals to go with a team-high nine assists.

The Bronchos also got a lot of offensive help from Lauren Piper, a true freshman, who scored four goals and had one assist. Monika McGee, a junior midfielder who earned All-MIAA accolades this week, also had four goals and one assist.

Caroline Faulkner spent the most time in goal for the Bronchos this Fall. Named All-MIAA this week, the sophomore played 12 games and allowed only 10 goals. She made 58 saves and is just outside the Top 10 for saves in a single season at UCO.

Fort Hays State welcomes UCO to the postseason averaging 1.28 goals per game this season and its defense allows just 0.44 per game, which is the best mark in the MIAA.

Hays is led by Isabel Robben, who played all 18 games in goal this season. She allowed eight goals, a 0.45 average, and made 57 saves. Robben is credited with 10 shutouts this season.

Offensively, Fort Hays State scored 23 goals in 18 games this season, led by seven from Hannah Mares. Montserrat Diaz scored four goals this season and Sullivan Kelly has three goals and a team-high three assists.

Central Oklahoma has a 9-4-2 record against Fort Hays State since the teams first met in 2012. Of the 15 meetings, there have been five matches played in the postseason. UCO lost to Hays in the MIAA Championship semifinals in 2012 but beat the Tigers in the semifinals in both 2016 and 2018. Central also eliminated Hays in the quarterfinals in 2019. The teams met once in the NCAA national tournament and Central won that contest, 2-0.

The winner of Sunday night's match moves on to the MIAA Championship semifinals. The highest remaining seed in the tournament following Sunday night will host the semis and the championship match next weekend.

Here's a complete schedule of the 2022 MIAA Women's Soccer Championship:

Quarterfinals
Sunday, Oct. 30
At Campus Sites
Higher Seed Hosts
1. Central Missouri vs. 8. Northeastern State, 1 p.m.
2. Emporia State vs. 7. Missouri Western, 1 p.m.
3. Northwest Missouri vs. 6. Washburn, 1 p.m.
4. Fort Hays State vs. 5. Central Oklahoma, 6:30 p.m.
Semifinals
Friday, Nov. 4
At Highest Remaining Seed
UCM/NSU vs. FHSU/UCO
ESU/MWSU vs. NWMSU/WU
Championship
Sunday, Nov. 6
Semifinal winners

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Players Mentioned

#1 Caroline Faulkner: GK; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#11 Madison Linavong: MF; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#6 Monika McGee: MF; 5' 4"; Junior

#3 Amaya Grace: F; 5' 2"; Junior

#17 Lauren Piper: MF; 5' 5"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#1 Caroline Faulkner
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: GK

#11 Madison Linavong
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: MF

#6 Monika McGee
: 5' 4"; Junior
: MF

#3 Amaya Grace
: 5' 2"; Junior
: F

#17 Lauren Piper
: 5' 5"; Freshman
: MF