UNK Athletics
Kearney, Neb. – Junior Aidyn Woodall scored her team-leading fifth goal of the year and 21st-ranked Missouri Western State recorded its 12th shut out to get past Nebraska Kearney, 1-0, in an MIAA Tournament game Sunday afternoon in St. Joseph.
The second-seed Griffons (15-1-3) advanced to next weekend's semifinals while the Lopers end a historic season at 8-6-5. This was their third-ever post-season appearance and first since 2015.Earlier this year at Cope Stadium the two teams were even until Mo West struck in the 81st minute to win 1-0. Seven of their wins have now come by that score.
Today it didn't take the Griffs nearly as long to go ahead as Woodall found the back of the net at 5:58.
Mo West kept the ball in UNK territory for most of the first half and at the six-minute mark sent a ball towards the Loper goal with some traffic in front. Keeper Susie Bovaird (Lincoln NE) tried to corral the ball, but it deflected to a wide-open Woodall, a 2024 third-team All-MIAA selection.
The Griffs also have the Keeper of the Year (Keeley Kroonenberg) and Defender of the Year (Lauren Nyland). They didn't allow UNK a shot or corner over the first 45 with the offense providing five shots and two corners. UNK altered its lineup to start the second half and had the Griffs on their heels but couldn't get a ball past Kroonenberg who now has 0.42 goals against average for the season.
Senior Katie Pagel (Aurora, Colo.) had a shot go wide of the goal early in the half with UNK's best offensive chance occurring with just four minutes left. First-team pick Hanna Schimmer (Council Bluffs, Ia.) got loose at midfield and sent a perfect cross to Pagel who was streaking down the right side of the field. Unfortunately, Kroonenberg was there to make a diving save. On the other side of the field, Bovaird had several big saves, six in all, to give UNK a chance to tie things up.
Senior defender Dolcie Hanlon (Grand Junction, Colo.) went all 90 thus playing all 1,710 minutes, this fall. She finishes her career with the third most minutes (6,391) in school history while tying the mark for games played (73/Marika Van Brocklin; 2014-17) and games started (72/Sarah Talcott; 2010-13 & Molly Willis; 2016-19).
Team wise, UNK set new records for shots (251), shots per game (13.2), shots on goal (127), and shots on goal per game (6.7) while ranking second in points (68), points per game (3.6), goals (26), goals per game (1.4) and wins. The 2013 squad went 8-8-3 with the 2012 Lopers 9-7-2. Finally, Schimmer set new Loper standards for goals (10), PK's (three), shots (66), and shots on goal (36) with Bovaird logging a goalie-best 1,668 season minutes.