KICKOFF
Midwestern State battles Metro State (Colo.) in the opening round of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Friday afternoon at the Colorado Mines Soccer Stadium in Golden. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. (Central Time).
 

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Midwestern State vs. Metro State
Friday, Nov. 15 | 5 p.m. (Central Time)
CSM Soccer Stadium | Golden, Colo.
Records: Midwestern State (13-4-3); Metro State (12-4-3)
Live Video: CSMOrediggers.com  
Live Stats: CSMOrediggers.com  
 
SCOUTING THE ROADRUNNERS
Metro State (Colo.) rolled through its first 14 matches of the season unbeaten with a 12-0-2 mark but head into NCAA Division II postseason play with losses in four of their last five including a 1-0 loss to Fort Lewis (Colo.) in the RMAC semifinals last week. The traditionally strong Roadrunners are making their 10th postseason appearance making national title runs in 2004 and 2006 while advancing to the national semifinals on four occasions.  Junior forward Brandi Farley leads Metro State's three-headed attack with nine goals and three assist while junior forward Karisa Price adds eight tallies and two helpers. Junior forward Abby Rolph is one of the region's top creators with seven goals and nine assists. She has taken 84 of the Roadrunners' 100 corner kicks this season. Redshirt freshman Karisa Fernandez (7-4, 1.04 GAA, .771 save pct.) and freshman Nicole Jablonski (5-0-3, 0.65 GAA, .842 save pct.) split time in goal combining for eight clean sheets this fall. Metro State scores 2.16 goals per game and allows 0.89.
 
COMMON OPPONENTS
Metro State claimed a 2-0 win over West Texas A&M in its season opener and swept Colorado Mesa by scores of 2-1 (2OT) in Grand Junction and 5-1 in Denver but dropped two to Fort Lewis including a 2-1 loss in Durango and a 1-0 OT loss last week in Golden. Midwestern State defeated Colorado Mesa 1-0 in its season opener and fell to Fort Lewis 2-0 the same weekend in Grand Junction. The Mustangs claimed a pair of 1-0 wins over West Texas A&M in the regular season then battled the Lady Buffs to a 2-2 draw before claiming the LSC Postseason Tournament title 4-2 in PKs last weekend in San Angelo.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State and Metro State meet for the fifth time on the pitch Friday afternoon at CSM Soccer Stadium. The Roadrunners lead the overall series by a 3-1 margin. All four meetings have taken place in regular season play. Metro State claimed the first three meetings by scores of 5-4 in 1998 in Wichita Falls, 2-0 in 1999 in Denver and 2-1 in 2001 in Denver. MSU rallied to claim a 2-1 victory in the last meeting on Oct. 6, 2002 in Wichita Falls.
 
LAST TIME OUT VS. METRO STATE
Midwestern State's Sarah Harris and Chrissy Troia tallied goals and Elli O'Dwyer made 10 saves as the Lady Indians claimed a 2-1 win over Metro State on Oct. 6, 2002 at the MSU Soccer Field. It was just one of three losses for the Roadrunners that season as they would advance to the national semifinals for the first time in program history finishing the season at 13-3-3. Melissa Miller scored Metro's lone goal in the 74th minute to pull the Roadrunners within a goal.
 

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ABOUT THE SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONAL
The winner of the first-round matchup between Midwestern State and Metro State moves on to face host Colorado Mines Sunday at noon. Meanwhile the other half of the region features a first-round matchup between St. Edward's and Texas A&M-Commerce with the victor moving on to face host Fort Lewis (Colo.) Sunday in Durango. The highest remaining seed plays host to the regional final and national quarterfinal matches next weekend as the winners of the two West sub-regionals make the trip east.
 
MSU IN NCAA POSTSEASON PLAY
Midwestern State makes its third appearance in NCAA Division II postseason play Friday afternoon against Metro State. The Mustangs claimed an at-large bid in 2010 before falling 3-1 to Truman State (Mo.) in 2010 then earned automatic qualification in 2011 as the LSC champions then claimed a 1-0 win over St. Edward's before falling 2-1 in overtime to host Abilene Christian.
 
ABOUT THE MUSTANGS
Midwestern State rides a seven match unbeaten streak into NCAA Division II postseason play closing with five consecutive wins to close the regular season before battling to a pair of draws against Texas A&M-Commerce (0-0) and West Texas A&M (2-2) at the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament -- getting the best of PKs in both matches. The Mustangs are 12-2-3 since opening the campaign with two losses in their first three matches of the season. Sophomore Ashley Cottrell leads the Mustangs' attack with 10 goals while dishing out three assists. Junior midfielder Katy Catney, sophomore midfielder Morgan Hannon, sophomore forward Kensli Pounds and senior midfielder Tatyanny Griffiths have accounted for three tallies apiece. Senior Kallie Essary garnered LSC Goalkeeper of the Year honors after posting a school record nine shutouts with a 0.68 goals against average and a .854 save percentage. MSU scores 1.50 goals per game and allows 0.80.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Sophomore forward Ashley Cottrell finished off a pair of serves from senior midfielder Mickey Brown to answer two goals from West Texas A&M's Jessie Thomas as the teams fought to a 2-2 draw in the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament finals last weekend in San Angelo. Cottrell converted the first of four straight penalty kicks followed by sophomore Morgan Hannon, freshman Katie Huff and senior Tatyanny Griffiths to give the Mustangs the title and NCAA II automatic qualification 4-2 in PKs.
 
MUSTANGS PLACE FIVE ON ALL-LSC SQUAD
Midwestern State's Kallie Essary and Ashley Cottrell highlighted a group of five Mustangs to earn first-team All-Lone Star Conference laurels as announced on Friday. Essary garnered goalkeeper of the year while Cottrell was named the league top offensive performer for the 2013 season. Joining the duo on the first team were senior defender Anna Molen, junior midfielder Katy Catney and sophomore midfielder Morgan Hannon. Jeff Trimble was named co-coach of the year for the third time in his career also earning the honor in 1998 and 2010.
 
COTTRELL IS LSC POSTSEASON TOURNAMENT MVP
Midwestern State sophomore forward Ashley Cottrell garnered Lone Star Conference Postseason All-Tournament team after scoring two goals and converting a penalty kick in the title game to up her season team-leading total to 10 goals. She was just on the all-tournament team by senior midfielder Mickey Brown, senior goalkeeper Kallie Essary, senior defender Anna Molen and senior forward Emily Saville.
 
ESSARY MAKES HISTORY
Senior goalkeeper Kallie Essary notched her ninth shutout of the season by making three saves in a scoreless draw in last weekend's LSC semifinal match against Texas A&M-Commerce. The Carrollton native surpassed Elli O'Dwyer and former teammate Mallory Whitworth who posted eight clean sheets in 2004 and 2010, respectively. Essary can become just the fourth keeper in MSU program history to notch 10-or-more career shutouts with another blanking this weekend in Colorado. Essary's 0.69 goals against average would be the third best in school history.
 
MIDWESTERN IN NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS
Senior goalkeeper Kallie Essary ranks 29th in NCAA Division II in goals against average (0.681), 30th in save percentage (.854) and 81st in total saves (82.0). Sophomore forward Ashley Cottrell is 51st in total goals (10.0), 85th in goals per game (0.50) and 96th in total points (22.0).