Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The 9th-ranked Central Missouri women's soccer team got a key goal from freshman Nicki Wisnasky and held off Nebraska-Kearney in the second half to pick up a 3-1 win Thursday night at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field.

This was the season-opener for both teams.

The third-year Lopers got a taste of what lies ahead as the Jennies won the 2010 MIAA (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) title. They finished 19-1 and shut out eight straight opponents along the way.

Tonight, UCM scored at the 19 minute mark when senior Alyssa Rhodes headed in a corner kick from sophomore Carly Stanley. Rhodes had the Jennies first two shots as well, a header that sailed just over the Loper goal and another header that found a UNK defender in the box.

Kearney made its only shot of the first half count as, at the 22:38 mark, junior defender Merydeth Cummings (Papillion) managed to find a loose ball off a corner kick and bang it home to tie things up.

Sophomore Raliegh Mercer (Centennial, Colo.) received the assist as her corner went into the middle of the field and, after the ball touched several players on both teams, ended up near Cummings.
A transfer from NW Missouri State, this marks Cummings' first collegiate goal.

About five minutes later, UCM junior Kayla Shain was nearing midfield when she sent a long centering pass toward the UNK goal. Wisnasky was guarded closely by a defender but managed to corral the ball and poke it past junior keeper Marissa Niday (Fremont), who was running towards the play.

In the second half, UNK had two great chances to tie the game.

With around 13 minutes left, Mercer took a shot from 20 yards out that forced Central Missouri keeper Brooke Cooley to jump high for the save. At the 86th minute mark, Mercer took UNK's seventh and final corner of the game. Her kick brought Cooley out of the goal and sophomore Becka Talcott (Denver, Colo.) took a shot that went just wide of the net.

Finally, UCM junior defender Jenna Stones tallied an unlikely goal at 88:29 when, from about 60 yards out, she sent the ball towards the Loper goal. It bounced high and Niday couldn't corral it before it rolled in for the Jennies third goal of the night.

UNK hosts Fort Hays State, a first-year program, Monday night.