Having secured a berth and a home game in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship with a 4-3 victory at Indiana State on Thursday (Oct. 30), the Drake women's soccer team will open tournament play hosting Loyola in the quarterfinal round on Sunday (Nov. 2). Game time at the Cownie Soccer Complex is set for 1:00 p.m.
DRAKE MVC CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
The Bulldogs will be playing in their 19th MVC Championship contest all-time, owning a 7-10-1 mark in the previous 18 games. Drake encounters Loyola in the quarterfinal round for the second year in a row. In 2013, the Bulldogs and Ramblers battled to a 1-1 tie before Drake advanced to the semifinals on penalty kicks, 4-2.
MVC CHAMPIONSHIP
The winner of Sunday's contest advances to the semifinal match on Friday (Nov. 7) in Normal, Ill., against second-seeded Evansville. Match time is slated for 3:36 p.m.
SCOUTING THE RAMBLERS
Loyola (5-12-1) enters tournament play on Sunday after snapping its six-game winless streak with a 1-0 triumph over Evansville on Thursday (Oct. 30). Senior Valerie Gonyo and freshman Avalon Senn-Raemont headline Loyola's offensive attack with a team-high four goals apiece, while junior Jessica Bean leads the team in shots (27). Senior goalkeeper Monica Gonyo has been active in net for the Ramblers collecting 77 saves en route to notching five shutouts and a 1.57 goals against average.
SERIES HISTORY
For the ninth overall time, Drake and Loyola face each other with the Bulldogs owning a 4-2-2 series lead. In the regular season meeting between the schools this season, Drake and the Ramblers battled to a 0-0 double-overtime tie on Oct. 8 in Chicago, Ill.
THE COACHES
Loyola: Barry Bimbi is in his fourth season leading the Ramblers, registering an 25-39-10 (.405) mark.
Drake: In her seventh season on the Drake sidelines as head coach is Lindsey Horner, who owns a 54-61-21 record (.474).
DRAKE HEAD COACH LINDSEY HORNER
Lindsey Horner is in her seventh season leading the Drake women's soccer program, owning a 54-61-21 record as head coach after serving five seasons (2003-08) as assistant coach for the Bulldogs.
Horner was named to her position on April 10, 2008, becoming only the second head coach for women's soccer, which began as a varsity sport in 2002.
Drake faced a challenging 2013 campaign in which 15 of the Bulldogs' 20 games were decided by a goal or less en route to posting a 3-12-5 ledger. Despite the record, Drake advanced to the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship for the first time since 2009 after besting Loyola on the road in the quarterfinal round via penalty kicks.
Three Bulldogs were recognized by the conference for their play on the field as Megan Fisher was honored as first-team All-MVC for the third consecutive year, while Rebecca Rodgers collected second-team All-MVC recognition. Rodgers and Sarah Grace Nicholson were tabbed to the All-Freshman team.
Off the field, Emma Winstead was named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete first team. Recognized for the 11th consecutive campaign by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) as a College Team Academic Award Winner, the Bulldogs were distinguished for maintaining a team grade point average of 3.42 for the 2012-13 academic year.
Drake was honored for the fifth straight year by the NSCAA with a Team Ethics Award. The Bulldogs were recipients of the Bronze award in 2013 after garnering bronze, silver, silver and bronze accolades following the 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 campaigns, respectively.
Horner, a native of West Des Moines, Iowa, was a four-year letterwinner at Kansas, being named the Jayhawks' most valuable offensive player as a senior in 2000. She was an all-academic Big 12 Conference selection in the spring of 2001 and graduated in 2002 with a bachelor of science degree from the school of education, majoring in exercise science with an emphasis in sports management. She earned a master's degree in adult learning and organizational performance with an emphasis in leadership at Drake.
Horner holds a Premier Coaching Diploma from the NSCAA and an 'A' license from USSF.
RODGERS' THREE GOALS PROPEL DRAKE TO 4-3 WIN AT INDIANA STATE
Sophomore Rebecca Rodgers (Peotone, Ill./Peotone) registered three goals, including the game-winning tally in the 89th minute (88:29) to lift Drake to a 4-3 victory past Indiana State on Thursday (Oct. 30) in Terre Haute, Ind.
The three-goal explosion for Rodgers was the first hat trick for a Bulldog since Andrea Schmitz netted three goals in a 5-1 triumph over Western Kentucky on Sept. 14, 2002. It also marked the initial one in Rodgers' career and only the second hat trick in program history.
The effort also resulted in the fifth multi-goal game of the season for Rodgers and enabled her to set a single-season school record for points (31).
Drake cracked the scoring column first in the affair when Rodgers connected on her team-leading 10th goal of the year at the 8:40 mark. Junior Rhian Pritchard (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley North) garnered her fourth assist of the season on the goal.
The Sycamores evened the contest at one in the 29th minute (28:20) on a goal by Sydney Lovelace.
Just over four minutes later at the 32:36 mark, sophomore Kayla Armstrong (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier) gave the advantage back to the Bulldogs with her third goal of the season. Rodgers registered her team-leading seventh assist of the year on the tally.
The lead was short-lived as Indiana State netted the equalizer 72 seconds later (33:48) on a score by Maddie Orf.
The Sycamores outshot the Bulldogs in the initial stanza, 9-7.
Drake took a 3-2 lead in the 57th minute (56:21) on Rodgers' second goal of the evening off an assist from junior Alex Freeman (Duluth, Minn./Duluth East).
The Bulldogs maintained the advantage until Orf netted her second tally of the game at the 70:20 mark to square the contest at three.
Rodgers' heroics in the 89th minute (88:29) allowed Drake to earned its fifth one-goal victory of the season.
Rodgers' three-goal effort moved her into a tie with Sarah Foote (2006) for the most goals (12) in a season in program history.
The Sycamores bettered the Bulldogs in shots, 17-13, while shots on goal were even at 10 apiece.
A game-high six-shot performance from Rodgers led all players, while Armstrong and senior Ashlie Stokes (Sioux City, Iowa/Sioux City North) recorded three and two shots, respectively, for Drake.
Sophomore goalkeeper Kylynn Moyer (Omaha, Neb./Millard North) pulled in a game-high seven saves for Drake.
DRAKE TIDBITS
• The three-goal explosion for Rebecca Rodgers at Indiana State was the first hat trick for a Bulldog since Andrea Schmitz netted three goals in a 5-1 triumph over Western Kentucky on Sept. 14, 2002.
• Rebecca Rodgers' effort also resulted in her fifth multi-goal game of the season and enabled her to set a single-season school record for points (31).
• Rebecca Rodgers' 31 points (12 goals and seven assists) this season represents the best single-season scoring output in program history, while her three-goal effort allowed her to tie Sarah Foote (2006) for the most goals (12) in a season in program history.
• Senior Ashlie Stokes is three shots away from moving past Elizabeth Woerle into third place on the all-time Drake record book for shots as she will enter the Bulldogs' game versus Loyola with 165 for her career.
• Rebecca Rodgers recorded her fourth multi-goal game of the season with a pair of tallies in a 3-0 win over Missouri State.
• Rebecca Rodgers became the first Drake player in program history to record multiple goals in back-to-back-to-back contests with her efforts versus Creighton, SIU Edwardsville and Western Illinois. Her offensive explosion moved her behind only Andrea Schmitz (2002-05) on the Bulldogs' all-time list for multiple-goal games. Schmitz registered six multi-goal performances during her career at Drake, while Rodgers owns five, all this season.
• Sophomore Kylynn Moyer's 14 saves versus Missouri State equaled a school record set exactly 12 years earlier against the Bears, on Oct. 18, 2002.
• Rodgers is sixth all-time at Drake in career goals (17), while senior Ashlie Stokes is ranked seventh (14).
• On the season, Drake has appeared in four overtime contests and sports a 2-0-2 mark.
• With her three goals versus Indiana State, Rebecca Rodgers maintained moved in seventh place on the career scoring list at Drake with 41 points, four behind Crystal Townley (45).
• Rhian Pritchard's goal at the 63:41 mark against Northern Iowa snapped a nearly 260-minute stretch (259:39) between goals for the Bulldogs dating back to Alex Freeman's 75th-minute (74:02) goal versus North Dakota State (Sept. 21).
• The Bulldogs' 1-1 double-overtime draw at Northern Iowa snapped a run of seven consecutive regular season league games that resulted in a shutout for either Drake or its opponent.
• Goalkeeper Kylynn Moyer has turned in five or more saves in 12 of the 16 games she has appeared in this season, including eight of the Bulldogs' last 10 contests. Her seven saves at Indiana State allowed her to surpass Jenny Schroeder (95) for the fifth-best single-season mark in program history.
• Three different Bulldogs scored either their first collegiate goal or first tally with Drake in a 3-0 win over North Dakota State. Alex Freeman and Rachel Wanninger (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) collected their first collegiate goals versus the Bison, while junior transfer Maddie Nelson (Woodbury, Minn./Woodbury) added her first goal in a Drake uniform.
• Thirteen different Bulldogs have made scoring contributions to Drake this season, including a trio of freshmen.
• Drake's victory past Western Illinois (Sept. 14) marked the 50th career coaching win for Bulldogs' head coach Lindsey Horner.
• Rebecca Rodgers now owns the best single-season goal output in program history (12). She also moved into the top 10 at No. 6 in career goals (17) at Drake. She also entered the top 10 in single-season assists (7) with a two-assist effort at Northern Iowa.
• Drake's victory at Western Illinois enabled the Bulldogs to surpass their win total for the entire 2013 campaign.
• Rebecca Rodgers recorded the first multi-goal game of her career at Creighton (Sept. 7). It also marked the first multi-goal performance by a Bulldog since Paige Dusek netted two goals versus UC Davis on Sept. 1, 2013.
• Kylynn Moyer was selected as the Missouri Valley Conference Women's Soccer Goalkeeper of the Week on Oct. 21 after equaling a school record pulling in 14 saves en route to posting her fifth shutout of the season in the Bulldogs' 3-0 victory past Missouri State (Oct. 18).
• Kylynn Moyer was selected as the Missouri Valley Conference Women's Soccer Goalkeeper of the Week on Sept. 16 after registering 10 saves, while owning a 0.47 goals against average en route to notching a pair of road victories at SIU Edwardsville and Western Illinois.
• Rebecca Rodgers was named the MVC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 9 after turning in a strong week for Drake leading the Bulldogs in goals (2), assists (2), points (6), shots (7) and shots on goal (4) in two games.
• Eight newcomers have seen action for Drake this season, including freshmen Kasey Hurt (Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny), Ali Smith (Lexana, Kan./Shawnee Mission West), Brooke Salisbury (Kearney, Mo/Kearney), Rachel Wanninger, Addie Jenkins (Kansas City, Mo./Platte County), junior Maddie Nelson and freshmen Haley Morris (Clive, Iowa/Valley) and Hannah Wilder (Wheatfield, Ind./Kankakee Valley), who have garnered 12, 11, seven, seven, four, three, three, two and one starts, respectively.
• Senior Ashlie Stokes is ranked fourth, eighth and eighth, respectively, in the Drake career record book in shots (165), goals (14) and points (36). Senior Generve Charles (Wausau, Wis./Wausau East) is rated ninth in career goals (12).
• Twelve of Drake's 18 games this season have been decided by a goal or less, with the Bulldogs owning five wins in those 12 contests.
• Rebecca Rodgers is Drake's active career leader in goals (17), points (41), while Ashlie Stokes paces the team in shots (165), assists (8) and game-winning goals (7), Generve Charles ranks second in shots (96) and third in goals (12), points (27).
• Ashlie Stokes, Generve Charles, Rebecca Rodgers and Rhian Pritchard have registered 165, 96, 95 and 69 career shots, respectively.
• Tori Flynn (O'Fallon, Mo./St. Joseph Academy) leads active Bulldogs in games played (70) and in contests started (68).
• Kylynn Moyer was the first Drake goalkeeper to record a shutout in her collegiate debut since Kalena Litch did so in a 0-0 double-overtime tie versus Iowa State in 2010.
• Kylie DeHaven and Rebecca Rodgers have started every game they have appeared in while donning a Drake uniform during their respective careers. The duo has started 58 and 35 contests, respectively.
• The Bulldogs have continued their solid play at home under seventh-year head coach Lindsey Horner, having gone 34-24-6 in her seven seasons.
• Drake has continued its trend under Horner of playing close games as the Bulldogs have had 95 games in her seven seasons as head coach decided by one goal or less, including 12 of 18 this season.
BULLDOGS HONOR FOUR SENIORS
Drake seniors Generve Charles, Tori Flynn, Ashlie Stokes and Spencer Vasey (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) were recognized in special pre-game ceremonies prior to the Bulldogs' game versus Illinois State (Oct. 25).
Charles has appeared in 64 games, including 48 starts and owns 12 goals and three assists on 96 career shots. Drake's active leader in games played is Flynn with 70. She holds an assist on two shots in her career. The Bulldogs' active leader in assists (8) and shots (165), Stokes, has started 52 of the 66 games she has played in as a Bulldog. Vasey has persevered through injuries to appear in 36 games as a Bulldog.
DRAKE GETS DEFENSIVE
Drake's starting defensive backline of senior Tori Flynn, junior Kylie DeHaven (Olathe, Kan./Olathe East) and freshmen Ali Smith and Kasey Hurt have been a key component in the Bulldogs' defensive efforts this season which have resulted in five shutouts and 12 one-goal games for Drake. The Bulldogs have cut their opponents shooting percentages this fall through the identical total of contests a year ago, from .102 to .090.
IN OUR LAST MEETING
Drake 0, Loyola 0 (2OT) (Oct. 8, 2014)
CHICAGO, Ill. - Drake notched a key road point in the Missouri Valley Conference standings after earning a 0-0 double-overtime tie at Loyola.
The two sides battled through a scoreless first half, one in which the Bulldogs were outshot, 5-4.
Rebecca Rodgers accounted for all three of Drake's shots on goal in the initial stanza, with attempts at the 23:46, 27:09 and 33:16 marks, respectively. Rodgers' shot in the 28th minute (27:09) may have been the Bulldogs' best scoring opportunity as she struck the ball from five yards out only to be stopped by a strong save from Loyola goalkeeper Monica Gonyo.
Goalkeeper Kylynn Moyer registered a save on Loyola's lone shot on goal in the first half, while Gonyo made three saves for the Ramblers.
Loyola recorded the first three shots of the second half before Ashlie Stokes connected on the Bulldogs' lone shot of the final stanza in the 80th minute (79:48).
The Ramblers finished the period owning a 5-1 margin in shots.
Drake was unable to record a shot in either overtime session, while Loyola garnered three shots, none of which went on goal.
Directing the Bulldogs with a team-high three shots was Rodgers, while Stoke added two shots.
Moyer finished the contest with one save en route to collecting her fourth shutout of the season.
CHARLES PARTICIPATES IN WORLD CUP QUALIFYING WITH HAITI
Drake senior Generve Charles was a member of the Haitian National Soccer Team that competed at the inaugural Caribbean Women's Cup in Trinidad and Tobago (Aug. 19-26).
By virtue of its third-place finish, Haiti qualified for this month's World Cup qualifying in the United States to determine the Confederation's World Cup representatives for next year's Women's World Cup in Canada.
Haiti came up short in its bid to win a spot in the knock-out stage after posting a 1-2 mark group play battling Guatemala (W, 1-0 on Oct. 15), Trinidad and Tobago (L, 0-1 on Oct. 17) and the United States (L, 0-6 on Oct. 20). The contests were held at Sporting Park (Kansas City, Mo.), Toyota Park (Chicago, Ill.) and RFK Stadium (Washington, D.C.), respectively.
Haiti opened the eight-team tournament for the region's championship that also doubled as a qualifying competition for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup with a victory against Bermuda (Aug. 19).
The team followed up with a win over Puerto Rico (Aug. 21) before falling to Jamaica in the finale of group play on Aug. 23, respectively. The Haitians won the third-place match defeating Martinque on Aug. 26.
Trinidad and Tobago were joined by the five first-round group winners; Antigua & Barbuda, Bermuda, Jamaica, Haiti and Martinique, plus the top two first-round runners-up; Puerto Rico and St. Kitts & Nevis.
The winner and runner-up from both Group A and Group B earned places at the 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship, which will determine the Confederation's World Cup representatives.
ON THIS DATE IN BULLDOG HISTORY
Drake is playing in its first-ever contest on Nov. 2.
WINS VERSUS LOSSES
In their eight victories this season, the Bulldogs are recording 14.6 shots, 2.6 corner kicks and 6.4 saves per game, while their opponents are averaging 15.4 shots, 4.4 corner kicks and 5.6 saves. In its eight losses, Drake is registering 9.8 shots, 2.1 corner kicks and 6.3 saves, while surrendering 17.2 shots, 6.1 corner kicks and 3.4 saves to its opponents.
IN OUR LAST FIVE GAMES
The Bulldogs own a 3-1-1 mark over their last five contests, with three of the five occurring at home. Rebecca Rodgers leads Drake with five goals. Rodgers, Kayla Armstrong and Rhian Pritchard direct the team in scoring in that span with 12, 5 and three points, respectively. Rodgers, Ashlie Stokes, Alex Freeman and Armstrong, and pace the Bulldogs with 22, 17,seven and seven shots, respectively. Kylynn Moyer has been peppered by 92 shots in that span in goal and has recorded 36 saves.
NATIONALLY SPEAKING
Drake is among the NCAA statistical leaders in several categories this season. The Bulldogs enter their contest with Loyola ranked 53rd in saves per game (5.94), 85th in save percentage (.805), 92nd in assists per game (1.61) and 98th in total assists (29). Individually, Rebecca Rodgers is rated 44th, 64th, 68th, 78th, 80th, 85th and 97th, respectively, in points per game (1.72), goals per game (0.75), total points (31), assists per contest (0.44), total goals (12), game-winning goals (4) and total assists (7), while Kylynn Moyer is ranked 45th in total saves (96) and 72nd in save percentage (0.814).
YOUTHFUL SQUAD RETURNS FOR DRAKE
The Bulldogs return a youthful squad this season as six starters and 13 letterwinners are back for a Drake team that finished the 2013 campaign with a 3-12-5 ledger. Sophomore Rebecca Rodgers paced the Bulldogs with a team-high five goals last season, while senior Ashlie Stokes added four goals. Junior Kylie DeHaven and Stokes each collected a team-best two assists in 2013.
A 25-member Drake roster is highlighted by the addition of a high-profile group of 10 newcomers that are set to garner their first action on the pitch this fall.
Included among the returnees are Drake's six starters from the close of the 2013 campaign, led by the Bulldogs' second-leading point producers last season in Rodgers and Stokes. Complimenting that duo are sophomore Kayla Armstrong, junior Kylie DeHaven, junior Rhian Pritchard and senior Tori Flynn. Drake also will welcomed the return of fifth-year senior Generve Charles, who missed the entire 2013 campaign due to injury.
Drake is also expecting strong contributions from the remaining core of its returnees in senior Spencer Vasey, who missed the 2013 campaign due to injury, along with juniors Mariah Boncek (Fishers, Ind./Fishers), Alex Freeman, Alex Hanna (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) and Emma Winstead (Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa City West) and sophomores Kylynn Moyer, Sarah Grace Nicholson (Overland Park, Kan./Olathe East) and Tricia White (Overland Park, Kan./Notre Dame de Sion).
RODGERS EARNS PRESEASON ALL-MVC ACCOLADES
Drake sophomore Rebecca Rodgers was among 11 players tabbed by a vote of the seven Missouri Valley Conference head women's soccer coaches as All-MVC Preseason first-team selections, the league announced on Aug. 15.
Rodgers, who started all 19 games she appeared in for Drake as a freshman, led the Bulldogs in goals (5), while ranking second and third, respectively, in points (10), shots on goal (21) and shots (48) en route to earning second-team All-MVC and All-Freshman team accolades. Her 48 shots matched Sarah Foote for the third-highest total by a Drake freshman in program history. She also ranked eighth, eighth, eighth, 10th, respectively, in the MVC in shots (48), goals (5), goals per game (0.26) and points (10).
PRESEASON MVC POLL TABS DRAKE SIXTH
Drake was picked to finish sixth in the MVC Coaches Preseason poll with 14 points. Pegged ahead of the Bulldogs were league favorite Illinois State (48 points), followed Indiana State (37 points), Loyola (32 points), Evansville (26 points), Missouri State (26 points). Northern Iowa (13 points) rounded out the poll.
BULLDOGS HONORED
A pair of Bulldogs were honored when College Sport Madness released its women's soccer Missouri Valley Conference preseason team. Senior Ashlie Stokes and sophomore Rebecca Rodgers were tabbed as preseason first-team selections.
UP NEXT
A win by Drake and it advances for the second year in a row to the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship to battle Evansville next Friday (Nov. 7) at 3:36 p.m. in Normal, Ill. A loss and the 2014 campaign for the Bulldogs will be complete.
