Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska-Kearney women's soccer team finishes up the 2019 regular season this weekend with games at Fort Hays State and Emporia State.

UNK (2-7-7, 1-3-5; 8 points) is currently tied with NW Missouri State for 10th in the MIAA standings. The top eight teams, based on league points, advance to the MIAA Tournament next week. Right ahead of the Lopers and Bearcats are Rogers State and Washburn with 10 points apiece. Close behind Kearney and NW is Missouri Southern State with seven points. A win is good for three points and a tie one.

The tourney field and bracket will be released Sunday evening after the completion of all regular season games. Check the soccer schedule page for kickoff times and media links.

The Lopers fell to the rival FHSU Tigers (8-4-2, 4-2-2; 14 points) by a 2-0 count at the end of September. The game featured only seven combined shots with Hays scoring in the 19th and 33rd minutes to grab an insurmountable lead. UNK, 3-10-1 all-time vs. FHSU, is had a 2-1 corner advantage in the setback.

Kearney also fell to the Hornets (10-4-2, 5-2-2; 17 points) by a 2-0 score. E-State scored a goal in each half and had a 16 shot advantage in grabbing a 6-5-2 all-time series lead.  Emporia, coming off a loss to 3-2 OT loss to Central Missiouri, is ranked seventh in the all-important NCAA Central Region Rankings. UCM (1st), Northeastern State (5th), and Central Oklahoma (10th) are the other MIAA squads in the poll that determines the NCAA Tournament field.

UNK enters the final weekend of regular season play having allowed just 15 goals. That mark ranks fourth in the MIAA and 65th in NCAA Division II. The school record for fewest goals allowed came in 2016 (19). Dating back to the start of last season the Lopers have given up only 47 goals in 34 games (1.4 avg.).

Individually senior Molly Willis (Kearney) and junior Megan Cook (Bellevue West) are on pace to both break the record for minutes played in a season. Both haven't left the field this year, good for 1,580 minutes. Lauren Hoeft (1,709) and Sarah Talcott (1,708) are one and two in this category, both logging those minutes in 2013. Willis already owns the career record for minutes (now 6,577) with Cook up to 4,232 in her career.

Finally senior Megan Merkel (Millard West) has fired off eight shots in three different games this fall to tie the school record. With 12 more shots she'll become UNK's all-time leader for a season, surpassing the total of 59 lefty Raleigh Mercer achieved back in 2010.


UNK Top 10 – Season Individual
Shots
3. Megan Merkel, 50 (needs 10 for a new record)
Shots Per Game
2. Megan Merkel, 3.12 (record is 3.28)
Shots on Goal
T-7. Megan Merkel, 20 (needs 12 for a new record)
Saves
4. Allie Prososki, 74 (needs 18 to move into 2^nd place)
Saves Per Game
2. Emily Thuss, 6.83 (record is 8.78)
4. Allie Prososki, 5.69
Save Percentage
2. Allie Prososki, .914 (record is .923)
5. Emily Thuss, .837
Goals Against Average
2. Allie Prososki, 0.52 (record is 0.48)
Most Keeper Shutouts
4. Allie Prososki, 4.2 (record is 6.1)
Minutes Played
Megan Cook & Molly Willis; all 1,580 this year (record is 1,709; need 130 minutes to break)
 
UNK Top 10 – Team Shots
Shots
8. 168 (needs 32 to be the fourth team to reach 200)
Shots Per Game
5. 10.50
Shots on Goal
9. 84 (needs 16 to be the sixth team to reach 100)
Shots on Goal Per Game
7. 5.25
Saves
3. 123 (needs 10 to move into 2nd place
Saves Per Game
2. 7.69 (record is 9.20)
Save Percentage
1. 891 (.830 is 2nd)
Goals Against Average
1. 0.85 (1.00 is 2nd)
Shutouts
3. 7 (record is 8)