2008 Woodie Awards
Jennies prepared for top MIAA foes
Team finishes 1-1 in Oklahoma
Brad Seiner
Issue date: 10/6/05 Section: Sports
Jennies soccer will be back in action this week against two of the top teams in the MIAA. It will host the Emporia State University Hornets Friday at 7 p.m. at the South Recreation Complex. Then the Jennies will travel to Kirksville, Mo., Sunday for a match up against the Truman State Bulldogs at 3 p.m.
Both games are important for the Jennies (6-5-0, 3-2-0 MIAA) who are in fourth place in the conference. The Hornets (5-4-2, 3-2-1 MIAA) are third and the Bulldogs (5-4-2, 3-0-2) are second. If the Jennies come out victorious in both games, they could move up in the standings.
Jennies' head coach Geoff VanDeusen said with the non-conference season finished, the team is ready to complete the conference season.
"We feel that we're one of the best teams in our conference," VanDeusen said. "I think that they're ready to get back to work. We'll be ready to go."
He knows the importance of the games and how a good weekend could get the Jennies back in the race for a championship. But when facing teams like Emporia and Truman, the road is going to be tough.
"Emporia is a very tough opponent," VanDeusen said. "They're kind of in the same boat as we are. If we pull off a victory over Emporia that gives us great momentum going into Truman."
The Jennies will need as much momentum as they can get to get a road win against Truman.
"They're solid," VanDeusen said. "They really don't have any weaknesses. We're going to have to play well to beat them."
Last weekend, the Jennies faced two tough non-conference teams to ready themselves for the tough games ahead. The Jennies finished the weekend 1-1 in the Central Oklahoma Classic.
They lost Friday to the host school, Central Oklahoma, 5-0. But going into the game, VanDeusen said the Jennies would have to play a great game to beat them and it just didn't happen.
"Central Oklahoma is a very good team and we didn't play the way we needed to, to match their intensity," VanDeusen said.
But the Jennies bounced back Sunday with a shutout of their own. They downed Southwest Oklahoma State 2-0.
Hazel Cox and Randi Fernsler scored for the Jennies, and helped the team rebound after a tough loss. Cox now leads the Jennies with seven goals on the season. VanDeusen was pleased to see the team come back and pick up a win after not playing well against Central Oklahoma.
"We bounced back very well," VanDeusen said. "We got back to doing some of the little thing we were doing earlier in the season. It gives us good momentum going into Friday (against Emporia)."
The Jennies set up the trip to Oklahoma in order to play close to the hometown of senior Alicia Givens. But they also used the trip to play some quality competition to get ready for the rest of MIAA play.
"We wanted to play some good teams," VanDeusen said. "We're back on track; we're focused again and we feel that the conference is up for grabs."
Both games are important for the Jennies (6-5-0, 3-2-0 MIAA) who are in fourth place in the conference. The Hornets (5-4-2, 3-2-1 MIAA) are third and the Bulldogs (5-4-2, 3-0-2) are second. If the Jennies come out victorious in both games, they could move up in the standings.
Jennies' head coach Geoff VanDeusen said with the non-conference season finished, the team is ready to complete the conference season.
"We feel that we're one of the best teams in our conference," VanDeusen said. "I think that they're ready to get back to work. We'll be ready to go."
He knows the importance of the games and how a good weekend could get the Jennies back in the race for a championship. But when facing teams like Emporia and Truman, the road is going to be tough.
"Emporia is a very tough opponent," VanDeusen said. "They're kind of in the same boat as we are. If we pull off a victory over Emporia that gives us great momentum going into Truman."
The Jennies will need as much momentum as they can get to get a road win against Truman.
"They're solid," VanDeusen said. "They really don't have any weaknesses. We're going to have to play well to beat them."
Last weekend, the Jennies faced two tough non-conference teams to ready themselves for the tough games ahead. The Jennies finished the weekend 1-1 in the Central Oklahoma Classic.
They lost Friday to the host school, Central Oklahoma, 5-0. But going into the game, VanDeusen said the Jennies would have to play a great game to beat them and it just didn't happen.
"Central Oklahoma is a very good team and we didn't play the way we needed to, to match their intensity," VanDeusen said.
But the Jennies bounced back Sunday with a shutout of their own. They downed Southwest Oklahoma State 2-0.
Hazel Cox and Randi Fernsler scored for the Jennies, and helped the team rebound after a tough loss. Cox now leads the Jennies with seven goals on the season. VanDeusen was pleased to see the team come back and pick up a win after not playing well against Central Oklahoma.
"We bounced back very well," VanDeusen said. "We got back to doing some of the little thing we were doing earlier in the season. It gives us good momentum going into Friday (against Emporia)."
The Jennies set up the trip to Oklahoma in order to play close to the hometown of senior Alicia Givens. But they also used the trip to play some quality competition to get ready for the rest of MIAA play.
"We wanted to play some good teams," VanDeusen said. "We're back on track; we're focused again and we feel that the conference is up for grabs."