KICKOFF
Midwestern State opens Lone Star Conference Tournament with a semifinal matchup with Texas A&M-Commerce Friday at the ASU Soccer Field. Kickoff is set for noon.
 
The winner moves on to face the victor of the other semifinal tilt between host Angelo State and West Texas A&M in the tournament final Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Midwestern State vs. Texas A&M-Commerce
Friday, Nov. 8 | Noon
ASU Soccer Field | San Angelo, Texas
Records: Midwestern State (13-4-1); Texas A&M-Commerce (11-5-1)
Live Video: FoxSportsSouthwest.com  
Live Stats: LoneStarConference.org 
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS
Texas A&M-Commerce has won six of its last eight matches heading into the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament. Freshman forward Savannah Henderson paces the A&M-C attack with seven goals and seven assists while sophomore forward Jade Bell is another dangerous weapon with five goals. Junior defender Callie Annett and redshirt-freshman defender Vicky Back add four goals each. Sophomore forward Jade Bell is the Lions' top creator with three goals and a team-high six assists. Freshman Callie Ballard serves as A&M-C's primary goalkeeper allowing 0.84 goals against average with a solid .838 save percentage. She posted seven shutouts this season. Texas A&M-Commerce scores 1.82 goals a game and allows 0.88.
 
ABOUT THE SERIES
Midwestern State and Texas A&M-Commerce tangle for the 30th time on the pitch Friday afternoon at the ASU Soccer Field. The Mustangs own a 17-9-3 edge in the series which dates back to MSU's inaugural match in 1995. The Lions, who snapped a seven-game losing streak to MSU with a 1-0 win on Oct. 20, own a 2-1 edge against the Mustangs on neutral surfaces.
 
THIS SEASON VS. TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE
Midwestern State and Texas A&M-Commerce split the season series with the visiting team claiming victories in each of the contests. MSU senior Tatyanny Griffiths tallied two goals -- the last on a penalty kick with one second left in the first overtime -- to lead the Mustangs to a 3-2 win over the then-25th ranked Lions on Oct. 6 in Commerce. Sophomore defender Alex Edwards tallied the equalizer with a goal off of a free kick in the 79th minute to send the game to overtime. Texas A&M-Commerce rallied with a 1-0 win with Callie Annett gaining credit for a goal in the 24th minute in driving rain storm on Oct. 18 in Wichita Falls.
 
MUSTANGS AGAINST THE LIONS IN LSC TOURNAMENT PLAY
Texas A&M-Commerce owns a 4-1 edge over the Mustangs in LSC Postseason Tournament play including wins in each of the last four postseason meetings. MSU claimed its lone win on the strength of two goals by Nicole Shook for a 2-0 win over the Lions in the 1998 semifinals. A&M-C earned a 2-1 win in the 1999 title game then claimed semifinal victories in 2003, 2004 and 2008. MSU hasn't scored a goal in the last 280 postseason minutes against the Lions.
 

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ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT
The top four teams qualified for the Lone Star Conference Tournament which is a straight four-team single elimination format with the winner earning automatic qualification into the NCAA Division II playoff field. Midwestern State and Angelo State tied for the LSC championship totaling 22 points with matching 7-2-1 marks in conference play, but the Rambelles earned hosting rights by taking the second tiebreaker -- goal differential during league play. ASU finished with a +7 just one better than MSU at +6. Texas A&M-Commerce claimed the No. 3 seed with 16 points at 5-4-1 while West Texas A&M took the No. 4 spot with 11 points at 3-5-2. Texas Woman's (2-7-1, 7 points) and Eastern New Mexico (1-5-4, 7 points) failed to make the tournament field.
 
MSU IN THE LSC TOURNAMENT
Midwestern State makes its 18th appearance in the Lone Star Conference Postseason Tournament. The Mustangs own a 16-14-1 (.532) overall record which includes marks of 6-1-1 in the quarterfinals, 7-9 in the semifinals and 3-4 in the finals. MSU rolled to championships in 1996, 1998 and 2011 while also advancing to the final round in 1997, 1999, 2005 and 2010.
 

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ABOUT THE MUSTANGS
Midwestern State rolls into the postseason riding a five-game winning streak and is 12-2-1 over its last 15 since opening the season with losses in two of the first three. Sophomore forward Ashley Cottrell leads the MSU attack with eight goals, but 11 different players have scored goals. Junior midfielder Katy Catney, sophomore midfielder Morgan Hannon, sophomore forward Kensli Pounds and senior midfielder Tatyanny Griffiths have each scored three goals. Senior forward Emily Saville leads the squad with four assists while netting a pair of goals of her own. Senior goalkeeper Kallie Essary turned in one of the best seasons in school history boasting a 0.66 goals against average with a .857 save percentage. A solid defensive unit which includes senior Anna Molen, junior Carina Dunnahoo, sophomores Alex Edwards and Kayla Cheesman, and freshmen Haley Britton and Katie Huff have played a key role in helping Essary match a school single season record with eight shutouts.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Sophomore midfielder Morgan Hannon scored a goal and assists on another to lead Midwestern State to a 2-0 win over Southwestern Oklahoma State in the season finale Sunday at the MSU Soccer Field. Hannon bombed in a shot from 30 yards out in the 10th minute then played in a nice through ball to the speedy Kensli Pounds, who beat the SWOSU keeper to the ball to strike for her third goal of the season in the 69th minute. Senior goalkeeper Kallie Essary made five stops to complete her eighth shutout of the campaign.
 
MUSTANGS IN SOUTH CENTRAL REGION RANKINGS
Midwestern State leaped ahead four spots to No. 3 in the latest South Central Region Rankings released Wednesday by the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Committee. The Mustangs trail Colorado Mines and Fort Lewis (Colo.) at the top two positions while No. 4 St. Edward's (Texas), No. 5 Angelo State (Texas), No. 6 Metro State (Colo.), No. 7 New Mexico Highlands, No. 8 Texas A&M-Commerce, No. 9 Dallas Baptist (Texas) and No. 10 Regis (Colo.) fill out the rankings. The top six teams advance to the postseason play beginning the weekend of Nov. 15-17 on campus sites. The playoff field will be announced via live Web stream on NCAA.com Monday night at 6 p.m.
 
MIDWESTERN IN NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS
Senior goalkeeper Kallie Essary ranks 33rd in NCAA Division II in save percentage (.857), 34th in goals against average (0.662) and 97th in total saves (72.0). Sophomore forward Ashley Cottrell ranks 97th in total goals (8.0).
 
THREE...DOT...THOUGHTS...
Midwestern State claimed a pair of crucial wins over Angelo State and Southwestern Oklahoma State last week to close the season on a five-match winning streak... The Mustangs claimed a share of the fourth LSC title by defeating Angelo State 3-2 Friday afternoon in San Angelo... MSU also claimed league titles in 1996, 1998 and 2011 by virtue of winning the LSC Championship Tournament... It was also MSU's fourth regular season title also winning the league in 1997, 1998 and 2010... Co-champion Angelo State hosts the LSC Postseason Tournament by virtue of a +6 goal differential in league play to MSU's +5... MSU is 12-2-1 over its last 15 matches after dropping two of their first three matches at the beginning of the season... The Mustangs completed the regular season with a perfect road mark at 7-0 for the first time in school history... MSU got to Angelo State goalkeeper Danielle Edwards for a season-high three goals including tallies from Katy Catney, Ashley Cottrell and Mickey Brown... Midwestern is 8-0 when it scores more than one goal this season... The Mustangs scored multiple-goals in each of their last three matches to achieve the feat for the second time this season... Senior goalkeeper Kallie Essary ranks 33rd in NCAA Division II with a .857 save percentage and is 34th in goals against average at 0.662... Essary notched a program single-season best tying eighth clean sheet of the season Sunday against Southwestern Oklahoma State. The total leads the LSC and matches the efforts of Elli O'Dwyer and Mallory Whitworth who achieved the feat in 2004 and 2010, respectively... Sophomore midfielder Morgan Hannon notched a goal and an assist in MSU's 2-0 win over Great American Conference champ Southwestern Oklahoma State on Sunday... Midwestern State will make its 18th consecutive appearance in the LSC Postseason Tournament posting a 16-14-1 (.532) overall mark... The Mustangs meet Texas A&M-Commerce for the sixth time in LSC Tournament and are 1-4 over the three previous matchups. MSU claimed the first win in 1998 and have lost the last four (1999, 2003, 2004 and 2008)... Midwestern is 2-0-1 against top-seed Angelo State and 5-5 against West Texas A&M...