OMAHA, Neb. – Creighton hit five 3-pointers to start the third quarter to break open a relatively close game and beat Fort Hays State 90-56 in an exhibition game Thursday at D.J. Sokol Arena. The Bluejays, who played in the WNIT last season and are picked to win the BIG EAST, hit 11 of their 13 shots in the third quarter including seven of eight from 3-point range.

Tony Hobson Postgame Interview

Game Highlights

The Tigers rallied from an early 13-point deficit to pull within six. They trailed by as many as 16 in the second quarter but a 7-0 run capped by a Taylor Rolfs 3-pointer closed the gap to nine.

Creighton hit their first nine shots to open the third quarter, going on a 20-4 run to push their lead to 30.

Jill Faxon led the Tigers with 10 points, all in the first half. Nikki Kacperska added nine and Emma Stroyan and Taylor Rolfs both chipped in with eight.

The Tigers shot 31-percent from the floor including 5-of-18 from beyond the arc and were 9-of-14 from the free throw line.

The Bluejays finished at 57-percent from the floor and knocked down 11 of 27 from beyond the arc.

HAYS, Kan. – The 21st-ranked Fort Hays State women’s soccer team advanced to the semifinal round of the MIAA Tournament after a nail-biting shootout victory over Missouri Western on Wednesday. The game officially goes down as a 0-0 draw, but the shootout determined the advancing team. That being the case, Fort Hays State is now 14-3-2 overall, while MWSU moved to 11-7-1 overall.

It was a defensive battle all night for both teams. In regulation, both teams managed to get off nine shots but neither could produce a goal. Both goalkeepers were outstanding as FHSU’s Abbie Flax was able to stop five shots and MWSU’s Lexie Martin stopped four.

The match-saving play for the Tigers came late in the second half when a Griffon forward took a one touch and sent it to the bottom right corner of the Tiger goal from about ten yards out. Flax reacted quickly diving to her left to barely get her fingertips on the ball and push it to the outside the post.

After a scoreless 90 minutes the Tiger faithful at FHSU Soccer Stadium were treated to free soccer. In the first overtime period, the Tigers managed to outshoot the Griffons 3-0. Neither team could get anything going after 110 minutes and the shootout ensued.

The Tigers took the first kick of the night and Silvana Romero set the tone. She rifled a shot in the upper part of the goal the Griffon keeper had no chance on. After the equalizer from the Griffons, Dani Harris took to the line for the Tigers and she delivered going to the left side just inside the post past the diving keeper. Once again Missouri Western kept the pressure on and knotted the count at 2-2. Hannah Smith stepped to the line and fooled the keeper, who dove the opposite direction, sending her try inside the right post. With the Tigers leading 3-2 Abbie Flax stepped up and made a save to give the Tigers an edge. The Missouri Western shooter Ahslyn Powers sent a ball to Flax’s right side and did not get enough angle on it as Flax caught and controlled it. With the one-point lead, freshman Darby Hirsch showed maturity sending a shot inside the right post extending the FHSU lead to 4-2. After the Griffons pulled within one, Thayla Dwyer stepped to the line. Dwyer showed no signs of nerves and buried the fifth attempt to advance the Tigers by the score of 5-3 in the shootout.

Next up for the Tigers is No. 3 seed Central Oklahoma as they handled Emporia State earlier in the day by the score of 2-0. The final two rounds of the tournament will be held at top-seeded Central Missouri  on Friday. The Jennies blanked Washburn 4-0.

FHSU Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – MIAA regular season co-champions Central Missouri and Fort Hays State combined to place nine players on the first team with UCM placing a league high six on the first team.

The five Jennies are led by MIAA Offensive Player of the year Jada Scott who leads the league with 33 points and also has a league best 14 goals. Co-Defenders of the Year also come from the co-champs as Fort Hays State midfielder Hannah Smith joins UCM defender Emily Eldridge.

The MIAA Goalkeeper of the year comes from UCM as well as Ana Dilkes sports a league best 0.12 goals against average giving up just two tallies on the season. The MIAA Freshman of the Year is from Northwest Missouri as midfielder Izzy Romano earns the honor as she is tied for the team league with six assists.

The MIAA Coach of the Year is Craig Shaw of Fort Hays State who led his team to the regular season co-championship after being picked fourth in the MIAA preseason poll.

Also earning first team honors on the back line were Fort Hays State defender Bailey Schmitz and UCM’s Kayla Hamner. In the midfield UCM’s Taylor Thompson and Megan Woolley joins FHSU’s Smith and Lindenwood’s Kat Roe.

Joining Scott on the forward line are Central Oklahoma’s Katie Killion, Fort Hays State’s Kelsey Steffens, Missouri Western’s Cassidy Menke and Northeastern State’s Julia Mathis.

The tournament will get started tonight as the top seed Central will play host to Washburn who earned the eighth seed at 7 p.m. in Warrensburg. Second seeded Fort Hays State will play host to seventh seeded Missouri Western at 6 p.m. from Hays, Kan. Central Oklahoma has earned the third seed and will play host to sixth seeded Emporia State at 4 p.m. from Edmond. Northeastern State will be the fourth seed in the tournament and will open against fifth seeded Lindenwood with a 7 p.m. kickoff from Tahlequah.

2016 ALL-MIAA SOCCER TEAM
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jada Scott, F, Central Missouri

CO-DEFENDERS OF THE YEAR
Emily Eldridge, D, Central Missouri
Hannah Smith, MF, Fort Hays State

GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
Ana Dilkes, GK, Central Missouri

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Izzy Romano, MF, Northwest Missouri

COACH OF THE YEAR
Craig Shaw, Fort Hays State

FIRST TEAM
GK: Ana Dilkes, Jr., Central Missouri^
D: Emily Eldridge, Jr., Central Missouri**^
D: Bailey Schmitz, Jr., Fort Hays State
D: Kayla Hamner, Sr., Central Missouri
MF: Taylor Thompson, Jr., Central Missouri**@
MF: Hannah Smith, Sr., Fort Hays State
MF: Kat Roe, Jr., Lindenwood

MF: Megan Woolley, Jr., Central Missouri
F: Jada Scott, So., Central Missouri**%
F: Katie Killion, So., Central Oklahoma%
F: Julia Mathis, Jr., Northeastern State
F: Kelsey Steffens, Jr., Fort Hays State
F: Cassidy Menke, So. Missouri Western

^=2014 & 2015 First Team Selection
@=2014 First Team Selection
%=2015 First Team Selection

Results reflect tie in the voting
**Unanimous Selection

SECOND TEAM
GK: Abbie Flax, So., Fort Hays State
GK: Jordan Woodruff, Sr., Northeastern State
D: Rebecca Gleason, Jr., Northeastern State
D: Kelsey Gordon, Fr., Central Oklahoma
D: Taryn Schnell, So., Fort Hays State
MF: Eden Stoddard, Jr., Fort Hays State
MF: Izzy Romano, Fr., Northwest Missouri
MF: Caitlin Moore, So., Central Oklahoma
F: Hannah Pyle, Sr., Central Missouri
F: Anastasia Robinson, Sr., Northeastern State
F: Thayla Dwyer, Jr., Fort Hays State
F: Becky Roberts, Jr., Lindenwood

THIRD TEAM
GK: Yadira Rivera, Sr., Emporia State
D: CheyAnn Queener, Sr., Fort Hays State
D: Jaide Allenbrand, Sr., Emporia State
D: Kenzie Sublett, Sr., Central Oklahoma
D: Miranda Huebner, Sr., Lindenwood
MF: Baylie Edwards, Jr., Central Missouri
MF: Bailey Dervin, Sr., Missouri Western
MF: Elin Hammar, Sr., Southwest Baptist
MF: Kelsey McIntyre, Sr., Northeastern State
F: Asha Haile, Fr., Central Oklahoma
F: Mikayla Lowery, Jr., Central Oklahoma
F: Emily Stauffer, Jr., Washburn
HONORABLE MENTION
Central Missouri: Allysa Gann, D.
Central Oklahoma: Courtney Essary, MF.
Emporia State: Maria Walden, MF; Tanna Benefiel, MF.
Fort Hays State: Hannah Jurgens, MF; Dani Harris, MF; Jasmine Beaulieu, MF.
Lindenwood: Jackie Lindner, MF.
Missouri Southern:.Ronise Miller, D; Carly Cecil, D; Bailey North, MF; Taylor Beck, F.
Missouri Western: Ashlyn Powers, D; Paige Phipps, D; Taylor Gant, D.
Nebraska-Kearney: Allie Prososki, GK; Marika Van Brocklin, D; Kelsie Ienn, D; Tori Weber, MF; Carly Brown, MF.
Northeastern State: Rachel Gleason, NSU.
Northwest Missouri: Hannah Goetz, D.
Washburn: Kaitlin Minnich, GK; Cadence Bourne, D; Morgan El-Attrache, MF.

MIAA Release