The Missouri Western women’s soccer team returned to Spratt Stadium on Sunday afternoon but failed to claim victory against Northeastern State as they lost 1-0.
The Griffons had multiple close opportunities in the first half. Early on Katie Kempf had a shot in the box but couldn’t capitalize with a save by the RiverHawks goalkeeper Jordan Woodruff. Also, Tara Russell had one bang off the post but couldn’t find the back of the net in the 17th minute. Missouri Western’s defense held strong by not allowing a shot on goal.
Northeastern scored the first and only goal of the game on a free kick by Chelsea Martin in the 74th minute. MWSU’s offense was held in check during the second half creating limited chances on goal.
Missouri Western will return to action this Thursday when they travel to Joplin to play Missouri Southern at 6:00 pm.
For the second time in a week, the Missouri Western volleyball team handed an MIAA opponent its first loss of the year. This time MWSU took down Central Oklahoma on Saturday night with a 3-1 win in Edmond, 23-25, 25-14, 27-25, 29-27.
Missouri Western clinched the victory with their backs to the wall in set four. The Griffons trailed 24-21 before pulling even with the Bronchos on three straight points that included two Jordan Chohon kills. MWSU was down to its last chance once again at 27-26, but rallied for the last three points of the set to take the match.
After dropping the first set by two points, The Griffons dominated the second set, 25-14. They then pulled off a 27-25 win in set three and won the fourth 29-27 to move to 11-3 overall and 5-1 in the MIAA. Missouri Western is now one of five teams atop the MIAA standings with their 5-1 conference record.
Jessie Thorup had 22 kills and hit .306 on 49 total attacks. Thorup also had six digs and four block assists. Erica Rottinghaus had 14 kills and Amanda Boender had 10. Jordan Chohon led the team once again with 50 assists. Sarah Faubel was one of four Griffons with double-digit digs. Faubel inched closer to that career record with 17 Saturday night. Kelsey Olion had 14 digs, Chohon added 11 and Rottinghaus chipped in with 11.
Missouri Western returns home next weekend to host Southwest Baptist on Friday night and Pitt State on Saturday afternoon.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Gary Pinkel was prepping a different sort of postgame talk midway through the fourth quarter.
The Missouri coach had watched his team struggle offensively and fall behind No. 13 South Carolina 20-7 with less than eight minutes left at sold-out Williams-Brice Stadium.
That’s when the Tigers turned things around for a stunning 21-20 victory and a strong start in defense of their Southeastern Conference Eastern Division crown.
A repeat seemed unlikely as the Gamecocks’ defense kept Missouri off kilter for most of the game. Instead, Russell Hansbrough scored two of his three touchdowns in the final seven minutes to complete the comeback.
“These are games,” Pinkel said, “that change a football team.”
They certainly can give a team a strong foothold in the East against the preseason favorite to supplant the Tigers. Missouri (4-1, 1-0) entered off an embarrassing home stumble to Indiana last week and looked lost most of the way against South Carolina (3-2, 2-2).
“When things got tough, we stayed positive. The defense kept us in it but we stayed totally positive with the offense the whole time,” Pinkel said. “I thought (it) was very crucial for us to have the mindset to get back.”
Quarterback Maty Mauk got things flowing Missouri’s way with a pair of big throws — 41 yards to Bud Sasser and 26 yards to Wesley Leftwich — to South Carolina’s 1. Hansbrough followed with a score just 36 seconds after South Carolina’s TD.
Mauk said that perked up Missouri and gave the Tigers confidence. Once the defense got the ball back from South Carolina, Mauk was pointed about completing the comeback.
“We sat down as a group and said we have to finish. That’s what we do around Missouri. Everybody bought in and brought everything they had for that drive,” he said. “The offensive line gave great protection, and when they needed to power through to get Russell in the end zone, they responded.”
When the Tigers reached South Carolina’s 2, Missouri was stopped short its first three tries getting in. Pinkel said the coaches decided to just run right at the Gamecocks, Hansbrough bursting through with 1:36 left.
Andrew Baggett kicked the extra point through as the Tigers went ahead. It was a year ago that Baggett’s kick clanged off the Missouri goalpost in the Gamecocks’ 27-24 double-overtime win.
“I wasn’t thinking anything. I just had to go in there and get it done,” he said.
Along with Hansbrough’s three TDs, Marcus Murphy ran for 98 yards. Mauk completed just 12 of 34 passes for 132 yards but made his biggest throws at the most crucial times.
Russell Hansbrough scored two of his three rushing touchdowns in the final seven minutes to help Mizzou rally from 13 points down.
South Carolina had one last chance. However, Dylan Thompson threw four incomplete passes and Missouri ran out the clock. The Tigers sprinted to their fans in the corner of an emptying Williams-Brice Stadium to celebrate their seventh straight road win — two shy of the school’s best mark.
It looked like the Gamecocks’ defense would win this one, holding Missouri to two first downs in the first 23 minutes of the second half and continually harassing Mauk into poor throws.
South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said he made a mistake not going for a two-point conversion on a score but did not consider it because of how well the Gamecocks’ defense had performed.
“Gosh, we were stopping them so well,” he said.
South Carolina would soon regret that as Mauk led the Tigers back.
Missouri wrenched early control of the division from South Carolina, which was the preseason pick to take the East and had taken down Georgia on this field two weeks earlier.
Missouri has stood strong in the SEC since entering before the 2012 season. The Tigers won the East Division a year ago and came into this one with a six-game winning streak on the road.
Defensive end Shane Ray, the SEC sacks leader coming in, got two more against Thompson as the Gamecocks could not move the ball. They trailed 7-3 until Mike Davis’ 17-yard TD run with 1:36 left in the half. That score was set up by Thompson’s simple screen to Davis, who took off for 24 yards the play earlier.
South Carolina’s defense, one of the best in the league the past three years while led by NFL No. 1 pick Jadeveon Clowney, came in next to last in the SEC with 36 points allowed per game this season.
But the Gamecocks’ pass defense — also next to last in the SEC — limited Mauk to 57 yards the first 30 minutes. Mauk, the SEC leader with 14 touchdown throws, ended the half 6-for-19 and missed on his last eight throws.
In fact, it was Spurrier’s insistence on getting his attack started that led to Missouri’s first TD. The Gamecocks went for a fourth-and-1 on their 42 their first series but came up short. Four plays later, Hansbrough ran for an 18-yard score.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Ameer Abdullah ran for 208 yards and three touchdowns, Imani Cross added a career-high 109 yards and a TD, and No. 21 Nebraska beat Illinois 45-14 on Saturday night.
The Cornhuskers (5-0, 1-0 Big Ten) are off to their best start since 2010 heading into next week’s game at No. 9 Michigan State.
Wearing all-red alternate uniforms on homecoming, the Huskers rushed for 458 of their 624 total yards.
Illinois (3-2, 0-1) started Reilly O’Toole at quarterback in place of Wes Lunt. O’Toole was 17 for 38 for 261 yards and two touchdowns and was intercepted three times, twice by Daniel Davie.
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State forced UTEP into three-and-outs on its first five possessions, leaving Wildcats coach Bill Snyder pleased when the Miners finally picked up a long-awaited first down.
“It gave me something to complain about at halftime,” Snyder said with a wry smile.
There wasn’t much else to complain about.
Charles Jones ran for three touchdowns, Tyler Lockett returned a punt for another score and Snyder’s 25th-ranked Wildcats romped to a 58-28 victory Saturday.
DeMarcus Robinson and Jake Waters also had touchdown runs, and Waters threw for 209 yards and another score as the Wildcats (3-1) finished non-conference play by taking out their frustrations from a close loss to fifth-ranked Auburn on the hapless Miners.
UTEP (2-2) managed one first down and 23 yards of offense in the first half, when Kansas State raced to a 31-0 lead. Running back Aaron Jones, the nation’s second-leading rusher, was held to 47 yards — all but nine of them after halftime.
“Kansas State’s run defense was one of the best defenses I’ve seen in a long time,” UTEP coach Sean Kugler said. “They were very effective at stopping the run.”
Jameil Showers threw four TD passes for the Miners, all with the game well out of reach.
Kansas State blew a chance to beat Auburn nine days ago in part by missing three field goals, but took control early Saturday mainly on the strength of its special teams.
The Wildcats blocked a punt on the game’s first series to set up a field goal, then had another block wiped out by a referee’s inadvertent whistle. Later in the half, Lockett returned a punt 58 yards for a score, and had a 51-yard return set up another TD just before halftime.
“I’m starting to get comfortable back there,” said Lockett, who has returned four kickoffs for touchdowns but hasn’t returned punts nearly as much.
Things were such a nightmare for the UTEP special teams that the only folks in the stadium having a rougher afternoon may have been referee Alan Eck’s officiating crew.
Not only did they blow an erroneous whistle on the blocked punt, they also couldn’t seem to figure out whether to award UTEP a do-over on it. Eck spent more than 10 minutes on the radio with the replay officials trying to get everything sorted out, and then was booed by the 16th straight sellout at Bill Snyder Family Stadium when he allowed UTEP to punt again.
“Apparently there’s a rule that I’m totally unaware of, and trust me, that’s the first thing I’m going to do when I walk out of here, I’m going to find that rule,” Snyder said. “They did the best they could, it just took them an hour-and-a-half to do it.”
It didn’t matter a whole lot in the end.
Lockett torched the Miners for 84 yards receiving, moving past his uncle Aaron Lockett and former Wildcats star Michael Smith for third on the school’s career list. Lockett has 2,469 yards, trailing only Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson and his father, Kevin Lockett.
His ability to stretch the defense loosened things up for the Kansas State rushing attack, which was bottled up by Auburn. Charles Jones had 76 yards before leaving with what appeared to be a minor injury in the third quarter, and Kansas State piled up 188 yards on the ground.
“Great game plan,” Jones said with a smile.
Given how quickly the Wildcats’ offense scored, their defense could barely catch its breath.
That made its performance all the more impressive: UTEP didn’t pick up a first down until there was about 5 minutes left before halftime.
“It’s the best defense I’ve faced since I’ve been in college,” said Aaron Jones, a sophomore.
By the time the third quarter ended and Kansas State led 52-7, Snyder had his starters on the bench, resting up for a return to Big 12 play.
The Wildcats already beat Iowa State on the road earlier in the season. They welcome Texas Tech next week before a potentially pivotal showdown at No. 4 Oklahoma on Oct. 18.
“We did some wonderful things and then we fell apart (when) we had twos go on the field that weren’t ready to play, and consequently some bad things happened,” Snyder said. “I thought we played well when we had to play well in the ballgame.”
LAWRENCE, Kansas (AP) — Tyrone Swoopes passed for one touchdown and ran for another and Texas picked off four Kansas passes, leading the Longhorns to a 23-0 victory Saturday in the Big 12 opener.
Swoopes, in his first start in a conference game, was 19 for 34 for 218 yards and two TDs as Texas (2-2, 1-0) beat Kansas for the 12th straight time. A stifling Texas defense limited Kansas sophomore Montell Cozart to 12 for 31 for 140 yards and the four picks. Cornerback Duke Thomas had two of the interceptions and also broke up a short pass in the end zone on fourth down. Texas also sacked Cozart four times while holding the Jayhawks to 313 total yards.
All week long, Kansas (2-2, 0-1) kept the Texas fight song blaring across the practice field and filled the locker room with reminders that the Jayhawks had not beaten Texas in 76 years.
But Texas, despite crippling injuries and nine player dismissals, never trailed the team that has now lost 30 of its last 31 Big 12 games.
Thomas’ first interception and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty set up the touchdown that gave Texas a 13-0 halftime lead. Thomas intercepted Cozart’s pass and raced 24 yards to the 26, then the half-the-distance penalty gave the Longhorns a first down on the 13. Two plays later from the 7, Swoopes went around left end and squeezed into the corner of the end zone for the TD.
Kansas, failing to get a first down when linebacker Ben Heeney recovered a Texas fumble at the Kansas 2, punted to Jaxon Shipley, who sped 41 yards with the return and set up the Longhorns on the 18. On third-and-3, Swoopes hit Malcolm Brown for 10 yards to the 1. Next play, Swoopes spotted M.J. McFarland wide open in the back of the end zone. The extra-point attempt failed.
After taking over on downs late in the fourth quarter, the Longhorns made it 23-0 when Swoopes connected with John Harris on a 16-yard scoring pass. In the third quarter, Nick Rose, who missed the extra point after Texas’ first touchdown, kicked a 42-yard field goal.
Kansas, following a 35-yard pass play from Cozart to Jimmay Mundine, had a second-and-8 from the 18. But Cozart’s pass was tipped high into the air at the line and floated into the arms of Texas defender Quandre Diggs in the end zone. The Longhorns then marched all the way to the 5, aided by Armanti Foreman’s 30-yard gain on a reverse. But Heeney fell on what was described as a team fumble and turned the ball back to the Jayhawks on their own 2.
With their second possession of the second half, the Jayhawks marched all the way from their own 16 to the Texas 5. On fourth down, Cozart lofted a fade pass to Nigel King. But with Thomas defending, the ball fell incomplete.
The Missouri Western Volleyball team made quick work of Missouri Southern Friday night as they swept the Lions in Joplin, 25-19, 25-20 and 25-17. It’s the fourth consecutive win for the Griffons as they improve to 10-3 overall and 4-1 in MIAA play.
Erica Rottinghaus led the charge with 14 kills. Amanda Boender turned in her second impressive performance of the week, hitting .750 with 12 kills and no attack errors in 16 total attacks. Boender added two solo blocks. Kelsey Olion led the team with seven digs. Holly Pollock addded six digs. Jordan Chohon had 38 of the team’s 44 total assists.
The Griffons road swing continues Saturday at undefeated Central Oklahoma. The Bronchos are 15-0 after sweeping Northwest Missouri State Friday night.
The Missouri Western women’s soccer team dropped its first home game of the season to Central Oklahoma Friday, 1-0. The goal was allowed in the 89th minute to propel the Bronchos past the Griffons.
The first half was a defensive struggle with both teams creating limited opportunities. The Bronchos had six shots on goal with the Griffons providing four chances themselves. Sarah Lyle recorded four saves in the half as well.
MWSU in the second half created two corner kicks early but couldn’t capitalize on the chance to put one in the net. The attack for both teams eventually picked up to create some shots on goal. In the 89th minute, the Bronchos scored off a corner kick that was sent in by Emily Precure and deflected to the back of the net by Reagan Ballard.
Missouri Western will be back in action on Sunday against Northeastern State University. The game is set to start at noon.
For the second straight week and third time this season, the Griffon defense dominated the night on the way to a Missouri Western win. Thursday night, the MWSU D accounted for 14 points and allowed just 31 second-half yards as Missouri Western defeated the Lions, 26-9, in the first ever meeting between the two.
Kirk Resseguie got the scoring going for the defense in the second quarter when he recovered a Lindenwood fumble in the end zone to put the Griffons up 14-0. Resseguie did it again in the fourth quarter when he sacked Graham Lindman for a safety. Sam Brown added the defense’s final points later in the fourth with a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Missouri Western held the Lions to just 23 yards rushing and racked up 223 of their own on 53 carries. The Griffon defense force four turnovers for the second week in a row and held the Lions to 271 total yards.
Resseguie finished with seven total tackles, two of them for loss. Stephen Juergens added another interception and five total tackles to go along with an assisted sack. Mackenzie Wischmann had two sacks. Arbanas Elliot added one and a half sacks. Joey Capul chipped in another sack. Offensively, Raphael Spencer picked up 117 yards for his third 100-yard performance of the season. The Griffons are now 3-0 this season when Spencer eclipses the century mark.
The Griffons are now 3-1 on the year and return to Spratt Stadium next week to take on No. 8 Pittsburg State in the MWSU Hall of Fame game on Oct. 4 at 6 p.m.
Photo by Jeff and Laura Jacobson / Kansas Athletics
Kansas senior Jimmay Mundine was named the John Mackey Tight End of the Week Wednesday morning, it was announced by The John Mackey Award.
A senior from Denison, Texas, Mundine recorded six receptions for 67 yards (both career-highs), leading the Jayhawks in receptions in their 24-10 win over Central Michigan. Mundine was one of 40 tight ends named to the 2014 Mackey Preseason Watch List in July.
Honorable mentions for this week’s John Mackey Tight End of the Week include Nick O’Leary of Florida State and Clive Walford of Miami.
The 2014 John Mackey recipient will be announced on December 10, 2014 and presented live on December 11, 2014 at The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show on ESPNU. Other key dates include the announcement of the Midseason Watch List on October 13, 2014, the Mackey Semi-finalists on November 17, 2014 and the Mackey Finalists on November 24, 2014.
The John Mackey Tight End of the Week is an honor distinct and different from the annual John Mackey Award. This weekly honor was started in 2004 to draw attention to individual play by Tight Ends during the active season. The Tight End of the Week acknowledgment does not have a direct bearing on the final John Mackey Award selection process.
The John Mackey Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 21 awards boast 678 years of tradition-selection excellence.
Mundine and his Kansas teammates host Texas in the annual Homecoming game, which doubles as their first Big 12 contest of the 2014 season, Saturday, Sept. 27. Game time is slated for 3 p.m.
The Missouri Western women’s soccer team returned to Spratt Stadium on Sunday afternoon but failed to claim victory against Northeastern State as they lost 1-0.
