MVC WOMEN'S SOCCER WEEKLY NOTEBOOK - September 17, 2024

MVC Soccer Record Book
Women's Soccer Statistics
Women's Soccer Standings

Missouri Valley Conference women's soccer programs finished non-conference play and recorded a combined 6-6-4 (0.500) record last week, and the MVC finished 26-31-13 (0.464) through non-conference play.

At the end of non-conference play UNI had the best success in non-league play (5-2-1) with Indiana State (5-2-2) and Southern Illinois (4-2-2) following behind. Preseason favorite Missouri State ended 2-4-2 while Drake earned its first win heading into conference play and sits at 1-4-4 overall.

In NCAA statistics, Evansville's 7.67 saves against per match is 9th-most. Indiana State is tied for rank 19th for both goals-against average (0.444) and shutout percentage (0.667). Indiana State and UNI rank 27th for total goals scored (22). Indiana State's 0.923 save percentage is tied for 8th-best.

Individually, Wimberly Wright of Indiana State ranks 13th with five total assists. Evansville goalie Myia Danek ranks fifth in saves per game (8.00). Indiana State's goalie Maddie Alexander is tied for sixth in shutouts with five total shutouts.

The MVC starts its conference schedule this Thursday, Sept. 19. Murray State and Southern Illinois are the lone Valley teams playing only one match. Drake is the defending regular-season champ, while Valpo is the defending tournament champ.

Mary Hardy scored two goals in Sunday's road victory over Grambling State, pushing her to 17 career goals and four goals this season. The junior's four goals through eight matches exceeds her two goals through eight matches in 2023, while her freshman year she scored no goals until the ninth match. Hardy is one goal shy of tying her 2023 total and four goals from tying her personal single-season record that was set in 2022. The Ballwin, Missouri native now has two career multi-goal matches, both of which have occurred in the last three matches for the Racers.
Jones continues to impress in goal for the Bruins. The graduate goalkeeper made 12 saves in Belmont’s undefeated week; the most saves by any MVC goalkeeper last week. Jones set a new career high on Sept. 12 with eight saves against Tennessee Tech. Jones made four saves in the Bruins’ non-conference finale against Chattanooga on Sept. 15. Jones’ 37 saves and .755 save percentage rank fourth in the MVC.
The sophomore defender had herself a week helping the Bulldogs earn a 1-1 draw versus Green Bay last Thursday and played an important part in Drakes first win of the season over Western Illinois on Sunday. Against the Phoenix, Mahoney was credited with the assist on the Bulldogs lone goal of the match and protected the backline of the Bulldog defense holding Green Bay to just four shots on goal in the match. In her most recent contest against Western Illinois, she contributed on the offensive end again tallying an assist on the first goal of the game. Logging 59 minutes of action against the Leathernecks, Mahoney was part of a Bulldog defense that held WIU to just one shot in the contest as she cut off multiple passes and made numerous winning tackles to bolster the backline. On the season, the Waukee, Iowa native has started in eight of nine matches totaling 597 minutes, which ranks second on the team. Mahoney also ranks second on Drake in points this season with five (1 goal, 3 assists).
Labocki led the Bruins’ offense last week with three goals and six points, as Belmont went 1-0-1 in their final non-conference matches. The freshman midfielder found the back of the goal on all three of her shots against Tennessee Tech and Chattanooga. Labocki scored two goals in Belmont's 3-1 win over Tennessee Tech on Sept. 12. It was the first time a Bruin scored multiple goals in a match since Leah Firsdon scored two goals at Evansville on Oct. 16, 2022. With her goal on Sept. 15 against Chattanooga, Labocki became the first Bruin to score a goal in three consecutive matches since Julie Garst from Sept. 8-15, 2019. She leads Belmont in goals (4) and points (8), and is tied with Southern Illinois' Sophia Schlicklin for the most goals by a freshman in the MVC. Labocki is responsible for four of Belmont's last five goals.

The penalty goal was Addy Joiner’s team-high third goal this season and the 21st of her career, moving her into a tie with Emily King for fourth-most in Valparaiso program history.

Belmont freshman Ava Labocki scored two goals versus Tennessee Tech. Labocki is the first Bruin to score two goals in a match since Leah Firsdon at Evansville on Oct. 16, 2022.

With her two goals scored, Murray State's Mary Hardy recorded her second multi-goal match this season as well as the second of her collegiate career. Griselda Revolorio notched her second clean sheet of the season.

Drake Forward Eve Blakey scored in her third consecutive game for the Bulldogs.

Emma Famulak recorded her second goal of the 2024 season for the Sycamores.

Evansville freshman defender Emmy Brenner scored the first goal of her collegiate career.

Sophomore Reilly Heman scored her second goal of the season without any assistance for the Bears.

Forward Hannah Elkebir scored for the first time as a Saluki.

Freshman Haylee Braun made her collegiate debut on Sunday with her first career start for the Panthers.

Sophomore Ava Watson led Illinois State with a pair of shots versus Butler. Freshman Maggie Dowling accounted for the other shot on goal for the Redbirds.

UIC fifth-year goalkeeper Francesca Faraci started in goal and played most of the match, until Lauren Keiser stepped in for the final 15 minutes.

MVC Composite Schedule
The 2024 MVC Women’s Soccer Championship will be conducted at sites of the higher seeds, and eight of 11 teams will qualify for the field. The eight-team tournament will be held over two weekends. The 1 and 2 seeds will have byes in the first two rounds. The semifinals and finals (Nov. 7 and Nov. 10, respectively) will take place at the site of the No. 1 seed. The 2023 Regular-Season Champion was Drake, while the 2023 Tournament Champion was Valparaiso. The Beacons lost to Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament Opening Round.
Champ Central