SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Louisiana Tech (3-11-1, 2-3-0 CUSA) is geared up and prepared for the second contest of their three-match road span, facing the Missouri State Bears (5-6-3, 2-1-2 CUSA) on Thursday, October 16 at Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium in Springfield.
Game Information
Date: Thursday, Oct. 16
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Where: Springfield, Mo.
Opponent: Missouri State Bears
Venue: Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium
Watch: ESPN+
Stats: LATechSports.com/stats
Series Info
Record: Missouri State leads 2-1-0
Last time: Sept. 5, 2021 – L, 0-1 – Springfield
This is just the fourth time ever the two sides will take the pitch together and the first time since 2021. The Bears lead the Bulldogs with a 2-1 record.
Thursday's match is also the third consecutive time the Bulldogs face Missouri State in Springfield after their inaugural match in Fayetteville in 2006. All three matches have been decided by a 1-0 score, with the Bears taking the first clash in Fayetteville in 2006 and the previous match on their home turf in 2021 during their time as Missouri Valley Conference members.
The Bulldogs' lone win against the Bears was back in 2018.
LA Tech is coming off a crucial 2-1 road victory over New Mexico State to propel them into the top eight of the current CUSA standings with high hopes of qualifying for the conference tournament.
Avery Jacobs scored her first career goal on an assist from
Ashley Leonhart in the 71st minute before dishing her first career assist to
Shani Sirota four minutes later for the game winner.
It was the Bulldogs' first comeback victory of the season and their first time winning after conceding the first goal since the adjusted 2020 season played in the spring of 2021, when they defeated McMurray, 3-1, on March 1, 2021.
Previewing the Bears
Missouri State has been able to hold their own in their first season as CUSA members, opening conference play unbeaten in their first four matches before falling to Western Kentucky in a 4-3 thriller at home on October 12.
The Bears are led by head coach Kirk Nelson, who is in his fourth year at the helm of Missouri State's women's soccer program. Nelson saw three-straight 12-win seasons to begin his career in Springfield including a pair of MVC Tournament titles.
To close out their tenure in the MVC in 2024, the Bears finished 13-5-3 with a pair of postseason shutouts to win the tournament championship before falling to Iowa in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 2-1.
The Bears have five players with at least three goals thus far, led by Julia Kristensen with five. The redshirt senior also leads the team with 13 total points, 34 shots taken with 17 attempts on target. She is also tied for the second-most assists with three alongside teammate Reilly Heman with Abby Hansen leading the Bears with four.
Ella Becker has started all 14 matches in goal for Missouri State with a 1.62 GAA and a save percentage of .708 with 51 saves and four clean sheets this year.
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