Lake City, Minn. – The Missouri Western men’s golf team is tied for sixth place after one round at the JR Watkins Invite in Lake City, Minnesota.

Kevin Kim, who is sitting tied for twelfth after shooting a 74, currently leads the Griffons. Jakob Rudosky is in nineteenth with a first round score of 75.

Jakob Majeske and Patrick McCarthy both shot a 77 on the opening day as Lucas Horseman finished with a 78 for MWSU.

The Griffons shot a team score of 303 for the first round and are just 12 strokes off the lead. Missouri Western will look to continue its strong play in the second and third rounds tomorrow morning and afternoon.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western football team broke its two-game losing streak Saturday as they defeated Northeastern State 45-14 at Spratt Stadium.

MWSU staked a 38-0 lead in the third quarter before Northeastern State got its first touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter on the Griffons’ second-string defense. The RiverHawks would add another fourth quarter score on a 51-yard fumble recovery against Missouri Western’s reserve offense.

The Griffons rushed for 281 yards and limited Northeastern State to 280 total yards on the day. Kendall Short had a career-high three rushing touchdowns and Josh Caldwell added another, giving the Griffons four rushing TDs. Skyler Windmiller connected with Jesse Dickens for a 53-yard TD strike a little more than four minutes into the game, Missouri Western’s only passing TD on the day. Ray Winters made it 14-0 in the first quarter with a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Missouri Western’s defense returned to early season form, forcing four Northeastern State turnovers, three interceptions and a fumble. Northeastern State passed for 215 yards in the game, but most of that coming late in the game.

Caldwell finished with 22 carries for 123 yards and the touchdown. Short rushed 10 times for 83 yards and three scores. Windmiller finished early in the second half, 9-15 for 199 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Dickens was one of a handful of Griffon receivers to pull in two catches. He led the team with 75 receiving yards and the TD.

The win lifted Missouri Western to 3-2 on the season and dropped Northeastern State to 1-4. The Griffons travel to Lindenwood next Saturday.

— MWSU Athletics —

Pittsburg, Kan. – Missouri Western Volleyball beat Pittsburg State 3-1 (25-22, 24-26, 25-20, 25-23) for their seventh win in eight games.

The Griffons overcame a slow start for the first set victory.  Trailing 21-20, MWSU got back-to-back kills from Rachel Friedrichs to take the lead as Kelsey Olion’s kill would be the set clincher.  Down 14-12 in the third set, Stephanie Doak would pound home a kill to spark a 9-2 run to propel Missouri Western to take a 2-1 match advantage.

After battling back from an early deficit, Rachel Friedrichs took over in the fourth set.  Friedrichs would get a kill to even the score at 23-23 and then aced the Gorillas with the next serve to force match point.  A block assist from Rachel Losch and Stephanie Doak would allow Missouri Western to secure the win.

The Griffons received a dominating performance from Friedrichs has she finished with 18 kills and four aces.  Stephanie Doak added 15 while Rachel Losch ended with 11 kills.  Doak and fellow freshman Tiana Butler ended with two aces apiece.  Kourtney Blaufuss dished out 49 assist, her second highest total in a four set match this season.

Missouri Western returns home after an eight road stretch as they host rival #22 Northwest Missouri on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. and #6 Central Missouri on Friday, Oct. 7 at 6 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

BOLIVAR, Mo. – Cassidy Menke’s fourth goal of the season gave the Missouri Western soccer team its seventh win of the season, a 1-0 victory at Southwest Baptist on Saturday afternoon.

Menke’s goal in the ninth minute of the game was all Missouri Western needed to move to 7-3 on the year. With eight games remaining in the regular season, the Griffons are three wins away from setting a new program record for most wins in a season.

Missouri Western out-shot SBU 17-8, 11-3 in the second half alone. The Griffons also had nine corner kicks to SBU’s one. Lexie Martin picked up the win in goal for Missouri Western with five saves. Martin is now 4-1 on the season with three shutouts.

The Griffons stay on the road next week with trips to Nebraska-Kearney and Fort Hays State. UNK was 3-5-1 and 0-2 in MIAA play entering Sunday. Fort Hays State was 6-2-1 and 2-0 in the MIAA entering its game on Sunday at Central Missouri.

— MWSU Athletics —

EDMOND, Okla. – Missouri Western Volleyball fell to 12th-ranked Central Oklahoma 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-19) to snap a six game winning streak.

The Griffons took an early 9-5 second set lead over UCO but could not maintain the momentum throughout the set.  The third set saw the Griffons and Bronchos go back and forth.  A Rachel Losch kill would tie the set at 10-10 and later an attack error would allow MWSU to tie it again 15-15.  However, Central Oklahoma would pull away to take the set and match.

Missouri Western was led by Rachel Losch and Stephanie Doak who each had seven kills.  Doak and Tiana Butler would each record an ace as Kayla Ruff would finish with 18 digs.

The Griffons close out their three week road trip tomorrow when they travel to Pittsburg State for a 4 p.m. match.

— MWSU Athletics —

JOPLIN, Mo. – The Missouri Western women’s soccer team beat Missouri Southern on Thursday 2-1 to snap a two-game losing skid.

After falling behind 1-0 early, the Griffons would find their offensive rhythm in the second half. Missouri Western got the equalizer in the 49th minute after Cassidy Menke found Sydney Cluck,knocking in her third goal of the season.

The Griffons would continue to pressure the Lion defense in the second half. At the 77 minute mark, Cassidy Menke would put MWSU on top for good scoring her third goal of the season. Missouri Western outshot Missouri Southern 17-7, as Paige Labadie finished with four saves for the Griffons.

Missouri Western travels to Southwest Baptist in Bolivar, Missouri on Saturday, Oct. 1 for a 12 p.m. start.

— MWSU Athletics —

WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Missouri Western sophomore Shi Qing Ong continues her unpreceded start to the season as she shot a program record 69 in the second round of the MIAA Women’s Golf Fall Preview at Mules National Golf Club.

Ong would shot a 144 to finish second overall, falling in a one hole playoff. Missouri Western finished runner-up in the sixteen team tournament with a 617.

Jenna Kosmatka finished in tenth place for the Griffons after shooting a season best 153; it was also her first top ten finish as a Griffon. Madison Romjue, after dropping four strokes from day one, finished tied for fourteenth with a score of 156. Tiffanie Yabut saw her score drop as well, finishing tied for thirty second with a 164. Brittany Kennedy also improved her score from day one, finishing with a 227.

Lindenwood won the team title with a 609, as Olivia Sobaski won individual honors. The Griffons will travel to Edmond, Oklahoma on Oct. 3 and 4 for the RCB/Central Oklahoma Classic.

— MWSU Athletics —

WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The Missouri Western Women’s Golf team sits in fifth place after the first day in the MIAA Fall Preview at Mules National Golf Club. MWSU is just seven strokes off of the team lead after Monday’s competition.

The Griffons are currently led by Shi Qing Ong and Jenna Kosmatka, who both finished tied for fourth with a 75. Madison Romjue sits tied for twenty seventh after shooting an 80 for the round. Tiffanie Yabut shot an 85 and Brittany Kennedy scored a 114 for Missouri Western on the opening day.

Lindenwood leads the team standings with a 308, while Olivia Sobaski of Central Missouri is the clubhouse leader with a 72. Second round of play will start Tuesday at 8:30 a.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western Soccer team fell 3-2 on Sunday to Lindenwood. The Griffons fell behind early as Lindenwood sank in goals at the 15th and 19th minutes.  After halftime adjustments, the Griffons would become the aggressors in the second half.

Bailey Dervin got the Griffons on the board as she directed in a deflected corner kick from Maddie Cowell. In the 75th minute, Layne Shepherd knocked in a free kick from Cowell as the Griffons would get the equalizer for the time being.  Lindenwood would score on a penalty kick just minutes later to secure the win.  Missouri Western was credited with five shots on goal, all coming in the second half.

The Griffons will look to regroup as they travel to Missouri Southern on Thursday, Sept. 29 and Southwest Baptist on Saturday, Oct. 1.

— MWSU Athletics —

JOPLIN, Mo. – Missouri Western Volleyball picked up its fifth consecutive win on Saturday as they beat Missouri Southern 25-23, 25-11, 25-14 in its MIAA opener.

Missouri Southern broke open a 11-7 first set lead before the Griffons rallied off five straight points to take a 12-11 lead.  The Lions, would again take a lead but a late rally sparked by an Amanda Dalbey kill would push Missouri Western to a 25-23 first set victory.

After a close first set, MWSU would put away Missouri Southern easily in the next two sets.  The Griffons jumped out to a 5-0 lead and never looked back in the second set.  Missouri Western hammered 15 kills as a team with a .500 hitting percentage in the set as well.

Missouri Southern would hang in through the middle of the third set.  The Griffons led 13-11 midway through the set before ending the game on a 12-3 run.  MWSU would again hit over .400 in the set as it finished at .435 and 14 kills.

Missouri Western benefitted from a balanced attack at the net as they received 11 kills from Rachel Fredrichs, 10 from Kelsey Olion and seven apiece from Rachel Losch and Stephanie Doak.  Reigning MIAA Player of the Week, Kortney Blaufuss finished with 30 assist.  The Griffons also continued their strong serving as they totaled eight aces.

Missouri Western travels to Bolivar, Missouri Saturday at 3 p.m. to play Southwest Baptist.

— MWSU Athletics —