Senior Tammie Eiberger led a group of seven Northwest Missouri State soccer players earning all-MIAA accolades as voted on by league coaches and announced by the league office Wednesday.

Eiberger was the only Bearcat to earn first team honors as she is second statistically in the MIAA for points (30) and goals (11) only behind Central Missouri’s Alyssa Rhodes who was named Player of the Year.

The Bearcats had two second team selections, with forward Victoria Von Mende and midfielder Fiona Moloney. Von Mende is third in goals (10) and fourth in points (22) in the MIAA while Moloney has added a pair of goals and four points as well.

Northwest also had four players named to the honorable mention squad: Kelsey Adams, Jordan Albright, Jacque Dedovesh and Emilee Davison. Dedovesh is the lone senior of the group as the other three players are all sophomores.

Northwest kicks off the 2011 MIAA Soccer Tournament on Thursday facing Emporia State at the Stanley H. Durwood Soccer Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Game time is set for 6 p.m. as the winner faces league champion Central Missouri on Friday.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

For the third consecutive week No. 3 Northwest Missouri State was honored as Jordan Simmons was named MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week announced by the league office Monday.

Simmons returned his second kickoff for a touchdown this season going 98-yards against Missouri Southern Saturday, shifting the momentum to the Bearcat sideline in Northwest’s 52-21 win. The junior from Kansas City, Mo., finished with 206 yards of all-purpose yardage and was the leading rusher with 92 yards and two TDs on the ground. The two ground scores move him to eighth all-time in Bearcat history.

Northwest hosts Missouri Western who took home Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors with running back Michael Hill and defensive end David Bass respectively.

The Bearcats also moved up one spot to No. 3 in the latest AFCA Top 25 released on Monday as the Griffons returned at No. 25 making this weekend matchup a Top 25 contest in St. Joseph. Kickoff from Spratt Stadium is scheduled for 2 p.m.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

It took the fourth-ranked Northwest Missouri State Bearcats almost three quarters to get rolling, but jumped on Missouri Southern to take a 52-21 MIAA win at Fred G. Hughes Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Northwest improved to 8-1 overall and 6-1 in league action in a game that was much tougher than the final score reflected on the scoreboard. The Lions fell to 3-5 overall and 2-5 in the MIAA as the Bearcats reached the 50-point plateau for the seventh time this season.

The Bearcats took a touchdown lead into the half as they were held out of the end zone when Blake Christopher threw only his second interception of the year. Maurlon Bembry picked off the pass attempt to Jake Soy in the corner of the end zone for the Lions second take-away of the half.

MSSU pulled within 14-7 before the pick when Demon Haire recovered a Bearcat fumble in the end zone with just over two minutes left in the half.

Both teams struggled through sloppy play in the third quarter before the Bearcats stole the momentum when Bryce Enyard picked off a Lions pass and returned it 49 yards to the MSSU 18-yard line setting up a Todd Adolf field goal. It was Enyard’s fourth pick of the year after he had intercepted Collin Howard’s pass on the previous play, but a roughing the passer penalty gave the Lions a first down and a second opportunity.

A 40-yard field goal from Adolf and a two-yard MSSU touchdown plunge pulled the Lions back within three, but that would be all the Lions could muster as the Bearcats took the game over. Jordan Simmons returned the ensuing kickoff 98-yards shifting the tide back to the Northwest sideline closing out the third quarter.

Simmons would score one final time for this third touchdown of the game as he raced 34 yards down the sideline sealing a Bearcat victory. His two second half touchdowns would be sandwiched by a 4 yard touchdown pass to Kyle Kilgore from Trevor Adams and a blocked punt recovered by David Mosley in the end zone.

Simmons finished with a game high 92 yards on 11 carries and three scores.

Blake Christopher finished 12 of 23 for 105 yards passing and added another 33 yards on the ground before being forced out of the game with a leg injury. Christopher rushed for two first half touchdowns as well.

Adams completed all three pass attempts for 26 yards and one touchdown.

The Bearcats used a balanced attack with 298 yards of total offense while the Lions finished with 302 yards. However the Bearcats, who are in the top 10 in the nation in turnover margin, used three take a ways and four sacks to slow the MSSU offense.

Northwest returns to action next weekend for their final regular season road matchup against rival Missouri Western. The two longtime rivals enter the game both ranked in the regional rankings with the Griffons at 7-2. Kickoff from Spratt Stadium in St. Joseph is slated for 2 p.m.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

The Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats were defeated by the Emporia State University Hornets (17-8, 9-3 MIAA) 3-1 Saturday afternoon at Bearcat Arena.

Northwest (10-15, 4-8 MIAA) would take the first set but the Hornets would prove to be too much and would win in straight sets 23-25, 25-16, 25-23, and 25-22 for the 3-1 win.

With the first set tied at 12-12, the Bearcats would capitalize on a Hornet attacking error and take the set 23-25.

The Hornets came back and cruised through the second set 25-16 but the Bearcats would bounce back and battle through the third and fourth sets before falling 25-23 and 25-22.

Amy Majors led the attack for Northwest recording a team high 11 kills in the match along with one solo block and six block assists.  Alex Hanna and Brooke Bartosh chipped in ten kills each respectively.

Laira Akin recorded her 42 assists in the match while adding seven digs as well.

Tori Beckman led the defense recording 25 digs in the loss, while Abby Graves added 12 digs.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

The Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats (9-6-2, 5-3 MIAA) lost to the Southwest Baptist Bearcats (4-11-2, 2-5-1 MIAA) 1-0 Saturday afternoon in a game that does not affect Northwest’s MIAA record.

The first half was a defensive battle between both teams.  Southwest Baptist would strike in the 34th minute when Kelly Isaac hammered the ball past Northwest goalkeeper Kelsey Adams on a free kick.  That would be the only goal of the first half as the Southwest Baptist Bearcats went into halftime up 1-0.

Northwest goalkeeper Kelsey Adams recorded two saves in the half.

The second half started out very similar to the first, a defensive battle; however, neither team was able to find the back of the net in the second half.

For the match, the Northwest outshot Southwest Baptist 21-11.  Northwest held a 4-1 corner kick advantage for the game and a combined 23 fouls were called.

Bearcats’ goal Kelsey Adams collected five saves in the loss upping her season total to 107.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

The Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats were defeated by the Fort Hays State Tigers (14-12, 3-9 MIAA) 3-2 Friday night at Bearcat Arena.

Northwest (10-14, 4-7 MIAA) battled all night and momentum continued to shift to both sides before the Tigers pulled out the five set victory.

The Bearcats were in control of the first set but the Tigers rallied back from being down 15-9 to take the set 25-21.

Northwest would roll through the second and third sets taking each set 25-21; however, Fort Hays State would hang tough and force a fifth set after taking the fourth set 25-21.

Fort Hays State would jump out to an early lead in the fifth set but the Bearcats would rally and even the score at 8-8 before an attacking error would shift the momentum back in favor of the Tigers.  The Tigers would take the fifth set 15-11 to get the 3-2 victory.

Senior Alex Hanna led the attack for Northwest recording 16 kills in the match, tying her season high.  Freshman Abby Graves chipped in 14 kills respectively.

Laira Akin recorded her 13th double-double of the season recording 51 assists and 13 digs.

Tori Beckman led the defense recording 28 digs in the loss, while Graves added 12 digs to record her 6th double-double of the season.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

The Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats (9-5-2, 5-3 MIAA) lost in double overtime to the Missouri Southern Lions (6-9-1, 6-2 MIAA) 2-1 Thursday night at Hal Bodon Field.

With the loss, the Bearcats claim the fourth seed in the MIAA tournament next week while the Lions secured the third seed with the win.

The first half was a defensive showdown with neither team able to get the ball in the net.  The Bearcats went into halftime with an 8-5 advantage in shots and 4-3 advantage in corner kicks over the Lions.

Northwest goalkeeper Kelsey Adams recorded two saves in the half.

The second half started out very similar to the first, a defensive battle.  Northwest was held without a shot for the first fifteen minutes of the second half.

Missouri Southern struck first in the 69th minute when Corinne Tebbs found Lindi Spilchen who slipped the ball past Northwest goalkeeper Kelsey Adams to put the Lions up 1-0.  It was Spilchen’s second goal of the season.

Northwest would strike in the 87th minute when Fiona Maloney found Tammie Eiberger evening the score at 1-1.

The Lions secured the victory in the 101st minute when Samantha Zoltanski found the net to give Missouri Southern the 2-1 victory.  It was the second loss in overtime for the Bearcats this season.

For the match, the Bearcats outshot the Lions 21-11.  Each team had six corner kicks in the match while a combined 16 fouls were called.

Tammie Eiberger’s goal in the 87th minute was her team-leading eleventh goal of the season.

Bearcats’ goal Kelsey Adams collected three saves in the loss upping her season total to 102.

— NWMSU Sports Information —