ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western soccer defender Paige Phipps has been named CoSIDA Academic All-District.

The junior defender is a nursing student with a 3.86 cumulative GPA. Phipps has twice been named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll, and in 2014 was also a recipient of the MIAA Scholar-Athlete and MIAA Academic Excellence Awards. The Omaha native was also named honorable mention in 2014.

This season Phipps has helped lead the Griffons to the most wins in program history. She has been a part of the three greatest seasons in program history, each of the last three years. Phipps has played in 13 games this season with nine starts. She’s been credited with three shots and one assist on the season.

Phipps was one of four MIAA representatives on the District 7 team. She’s now eligible for CoSIDA Academic All-American status.

— MWSU Athletics —

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The Missouri Western volleyball team lost at Truman State 3-1 (25-19, 23-25, 25-16, 25-19) in their final non-conference match of the season Tuesday night.

After dropping the opening set, Missouri Western would take an early 7-4 advantage to combine with seven kills from Shellby Taylor to even the match at 1-1. However, the Griffons could not carry the momentum and fell in the next two sets.

Taylor would finish, with her season best, 14 kills. Kelsey Olion would add 11 kills as Rachel Friedrichs ended her night with 10 kills. Friedrichs also added two service aces for MWSU. Defensively, Kayla Ruff paced Missouri Western with 20 digs.

The Griffons return to conference play this weekend as they travel to #14 Washburn, Saturday for a 6 p.m. match then head to Emporia State for 2 p.m. Sunday match.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western soccer team followed a record breaking 10th win of the season on Friday with a disappointing 2-1 loss to Emporia State Sunday at Spratt Stadium.

The Griffons found themselves in a 2-0 hole in the 83rd minute when Cassidy Menke scored her seventh goal of the season to pull her team within one. The goal for Menke tied her for the most goals in a season ever by a Griffon. But it was too little too late as Missouri Western was not able to find the back of the net again, dropping to 10-6 overall and 5-4 in the MIAA. Emporia State improved to 5-4 in the league as well, 7-7-2 overall.

The loss left Missouri Western in a four-way tie for fifth place in the MIAA standings after wins by Washburn, Lindenwood and Emporia State on Sunday.

Statistically, the Griffons controlled the action, out-shooting the Hornets 15-5 overall and 9-3 on goal. The Griffons also earned eight corner kicks to one for Emporia State.

Missouri Western has two remaining regular season games beginning with the final home match of 2016, Friday Oct. 28 against Northwest Missouri State. It will be senior night at Spratt Stadium in addition to the inaugural Trick-or-Treat Movie Night at the stadium. Fans can bring a canned good to the game for entry to the movie shown after the game. Trick or treating and other games will be offered to youth during the soccer game.

— MWSU Athletics —

HAYS, Kan. – The Missouri Western football team lost its second straight game, 35-27, Saturday afternoon at Fort Hays State.

The loss snapped an 11-game winning streak over Fort Hays State for the Griffons and dropped Missouri Western to 4-4 on the season. The Griffons’ four losses have come by a total of 30 points.

Saturday’s game was Missouri Western’s second lowest scoring total of the season, getting a touchdown off an 8-yard pass from Skyler Windmiller to Patrick Bolton with 43 seconds remaining to avoid the season’s lowest scoring output. Bolton’s touchdown catch gave the Griffons a chance, but just like the prior week, an onside kick attempt was recovered by the opposition.

The Griffons had their chances, gaining 497 yards of offense on 92 plays in the game compared to 463 on 67 plays for Fort Hays State. The Tigers took a 21-19 lead to halftime after Missouri Western missed two point after attempts and a field goal in the first 30 minutes. The teams went scoreless in the third quarter, but five second half sacks by Fort Hays State and three second half turnovers by the Griffons hurt the comeback effort.

Windmiller went over 2,000 passing yards on the season with an 18-30 performance for 231 yards and three touchdowns. The junior threw two interceptions and was sacked five times. Josh Caldwell had his seventh 100-yard game of the season, rushing 26 times for 147 yards and a touchdown. Dijuan Ussery caught four passes for 106 yards and a touchdown, a 70-yarder that put Missouri Western up 12-0 in the first quarter. Brock Broughton and Bolton caught the other TD passes.

Missouri Western travels to Washburn (5-3) next Saturday for a 1 p.m. kickoff.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western Volleyball swept Southwest Baptist (25-16, 25-19, 25-19) Saturday inside the MWSU Fieldhouse.

The Griffons used an 8-0 run to cruise in the first set.  With a 16-14 advantage, Missouri Western went on a 7-0 run to take the second set.  MWSU would jump out to an early 4-0 lead and never looked back to win the set.

Rachel Friedrichs and Blair Russell finished with 11 kills each, with Friedrichs hitting .786 and Russell at .500.  Shellby Taylor also added 10 kills for the Griffons.  Lauren Murphy set up the MWSU attack with 34 assist and she also recorded three aces.

Missouri Western will hit the road next week as they head to Truman State in Kirksville, Missouri for a 7 p.m. non-conference match.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western soccer team has its best season in program history with three games remaining in the regular season after a 1-0 win over Washburn Friday night that gave the program its 10th win of the season, most in school history.

It was as dominant as a 1-0 victory can be as Missouri Western outshot the Ichabods 15-2, 11-0 in the first half. Missouri Western had four corner kicks to Washburn’s two and controlled possession the entire first half with only a few Washburn scoring opportunities in the second half. The win also gave head coach Chad Edwards his 40th career win at Missouri Western. The win also seperated the Griffons from Washburn. The two teams entered in a tie for fifth place in the MIAA standings.

Cassidy Menke moved one goal closer to tying the program record for goals in a season when she scored her sixth of 2016 in the 25th minute. The sophomore kicked a laser into the top right of the goal past Washburn goal keeper Kaitlin Minnich.

The Griffon backline did its job, but it was the offense that limited Washburn opportunities by pushing the action down low. Cassidy Chappell led Missouri Western with four shots, two on goal.

Menke had two shots, both on goal. Maddy Cowell and Bridget Blessie each had three shots with Sarah Blakley and Layne Shepherd each adding a shot. Lexie Martin moved to 6-1 on the season and added her fourth shutout of the season.

The Griffons have three games remaining in the regular season, two at home. Missouri Western hosts Emporia State(6-7-2, 4-4 MIAA) who won, 1-0 at Northwest Missouri State on Friday, this coming Sunday at noon.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western volleyball team swept Missouri Southern (25-18, 25-11, 25-11) Friday night inside the MWSU Fieldhouse to snap a three game losing skid.

Missouri Western wasted little time settling into the match, opening a 6-1 first set lead.  Missouri Southern would make it interest midway through the set, cutting the margin to one at 17-16.  MWSU would counter and end the set with four straight points.  The Griffons used a 17-1 start to cruise in the second set.  Third set would be a similar story as Western jumped out to a 7-1 lead en route to winning the match.

MWSU had one of their best offensive nights of the season finishing with 42 kills, 14 blocks and eight aces while hitting .453 for the match.  Ashley Mainord led the Missouri Western attack with 11 kills as Shellby Taylor added nine.  Lauren Murphy aced the Lions five times, which ties her for third in program history for aces in a three set match.  Mainord and Kelsey Olion teamed to combine for 11 blocks.

The Griffons host their final home match of a four match stand Saturday at 3 p.m. against Southwest Baptist.

— MWSU Athletics —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Western women’s basketball team is picked fifth in the 2016-17 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.

The Griffons are defending MIAA Regular Season Champions, setting an MIAA record with 20 conference wins one season ago. This year’s team will feature four new starters, but returns eight Griffons from last year’s team which advanced to the NCAA Central Regional.

2016 MIAA Tournament Champion Emporia State was picked first with 2016 Central Regional Champion Pittsburg State second and receiving two first place votes. Washburn and Fort Hays State rounded out the top-four, respectively.

2016-17 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Emporia State (12) – 168
2. Pittsburg State (2) – 156
3. Washburn – 132
4. Fort Hays State – 127
5. Missouri Western – 124
6. Central Oklahoma – 96
7. Nebraska-Kearney – 95
8. Central Missouri – 89
9. Missouri Southern – 83
10. Southwest Baptist – 75
11. Northeastern State – 43
12. Lindenwood – 40
13. Northwest Missouri – 31
14. Lincoln – 15

Rob Edmisson enters his fifth year as head coach of the Griffons. He led the team to the postseason in three of his first four years, including last year’s NCAA regional berth, a first for the program since 2004. It was also the program’s first MIAA Championship since 2002 and the most wins in program history (27-4).

The Griffons open the regular season Nov. 11 when they host the Drury Inn Tip-Off Tournament. Missouri Western will play host to Southwest Minnesota State in the opener.

— MWSU Athletics —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Western men’s basketball team is selected 12th in the 2016-17 MIAA Preseason Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll which was released Wednesday morning.

Western is coming off a 12-18 overall record last season, including a 9-13 mark in MIAA play. The Griffons finished 11th in the standings last season, upsetting Washburn in the opening round of the MIAA Tournament before being eliminated by Missouri Southern.

Fifth-year head coach Brett Weiberg returns five lettermen from the 2015-16 team.

Defending champion Northwest Missouri State was picked first in the poll. Washburn, Fort Hays State, Lincoln and Missouri Southern rounded out the top-five.

The Griffons open the season Nov. 4 with an exhibition game at Texas Tech. The first home game is Nov. 11 during the Hillyard Tip-Off Classic. Missouri Western will play Wayne State (Neb.) and Upper Iowa in the event.

2016-17 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Northwest Missouri (13)     169
2. Washburn (1)                     147
3. Fort Hays State                  129
4. Lincoln                                123
5. Missouri Southern               111
6. Nebraska-Kearney              104
7. Central Oklahoma                 94
8. Pittsburg State                      93
9. Central Missouri                    92
10. Lindenwood                         72
11. Emporia State                      55
12. Missouri Western                 45
13. Northeastern State              22
14. Southwest Baptist                18

— MWSU Athletics —