Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney women's soccer team closes out the 2016 regular season with four straight home games, beginning this weekend with Central Oklahoma and Northeastern State.

The game Friday vs. UCO has been moved up to a 2:00 p.m. kick; on some original schedules, the game was set to begin at 7:00 p.m. On Sunday, the NSU RiverHawks stop by at 1:00 p.m.

Go to the Loper schedule page for live stat and video streaming links. UNK scarves are also available this weekend for a special price of $20; contact head coach John Maessner (308.870.0592) to purchase.

UCO (10-3-1, 6-1) is currently tied with No. 4 Central Missouri and No. 23 Fort Hays State for first place in the MIAA standings. They are the only team to score on, and beat, UCM this season.

The Bronchos have won four in a row and have outscored the competition by a 30-14 margin. They are led by a pair of six goal scorers in redshirt freshman Asha Haile and sophomore Katie Killion with sophomore Caitlin Moore having a team-high six assists and two goals.

Killion (45) and sophomore Morgan Cherry (40) are the shot leaders; as a team, UCO has out shot its opponents by a 251-145 margin. Sophomore Ally Sallas is the main keeper as she has a 1.01 GAA, 45 saves and an 8-3-1 record.

Last year in the Edmond, UNK beat the 'Chos, 1-0. UCO got its revenge in the MIAA Tournament, posting a 3-1 win as Killion scored in the 18th and 54th minutes. That contest was also in Oklahoma. 

NSU (12-2, 5-2) is at Hays (10-3-1, 6-1) Friday night in a pivotal MIAA game. The 'Hawks are coming off a 1-0 upset loss at Missouri Western State, a game that dropped them from the national rankings.

Having outscored its opponents by a wide 32-8 margin, Northeastern is led by junior midfielder Julia Mathis. She leads the MIAA in shots (57), points (24) and goals (11).

Next, senior Anastasia Robinson has 10 points (six assists) with freshman Shelby Brewster recording four goals on eight shots. Finally, veteran keeper Jordan Woodruff has a tiny 0.50 GAA, 59 saves and a 12-2-0 record.

In 2015, Robinson recorded a hat trick in a 7-1 win over the Lopers.

UNK (5-7-2, 2-4-1) has gone 2-0-1 over its last three games to vault into sole possession of ninth place in the league standings. The top eight teams make the postseason tourney, which begins on Tuesday, November 1st at campus sites.

Having a 3-4-0 home mark that includes a loss at Kearney High, the Lopers have recorded three straight shut outs. That is the first such scoreless stretch since the end of 2013 when Kearney blanked Mo West, Lindenwood and Hays in order to make the MIAA tourney.

With one more solo shut out, redshirt freshman Allie Prososki (Kearney Catholic H.S.) will break Katelin Mielke's school record of 5.2 shut outs in a single season by one keeper. Prososki has 5.0 to date; the Loper team total is 6.0, two off the school mark (2013).

Offensively, UNK is averaging 9.1 shots per game, 4.8 of those being on goal. Four Lopers have a double digit shot total, led by Norfolk freshman Maddie Love (15) and Lincoln sophomore Tori Weber (14).

Love had one of UNK's three goals in a 3-0 victory this past Sunday at Southwest Baptist. That is the most goals scored by the Lopers in an MIAA game since a 3-1 win at Washburn in October 2013.

Omaha sophomore Kelsie Ienn continues to lead Kearney in goals (two) with 10 others having one apiece. Finally, Norfolk senior Evie Sintek has a team-best two assists.

Hays and Emporia State come to Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field next week.