MEN'S SOCCER
Midwestern State looks to remain unbeaten as it begins a three-game road trip at Fort Hays State. Kickoff at FHSU Soccer Stadium is slated for 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
The Mustangs improved to 3-0-1 with an impressive display in a 5-0 victory over MSU Denver at Stang Park on Sunday, when Midwestern State scored on its first three chances.
Mere Escobar has scored a goal in all four games for the Mustangs and is leading the conference with 11 points this season. Escobar had a goal and two assists in the win over the Roadrunners.
Escobar set up
Jecsi Orellana-Espinal with a corner kick in the fifth minute.
In the sixth minute, Escobar weaved his way through the Roadrunners defense and gave the Mustangs a 2-0 lead with a tremendous individual effort in the box.
Just over a minute later, Escobar and Max Gonzalez assisted on a
Jack Larkin goal as Midwestern State put the game out of reach.
Midwestern State has won its three previous meetings with Fort Hays State, including a 1-0 victory at Stang Park last season. The Mustangs are making their first trip to FHSU Soccer Stadium. MSU won the first encounter, 4-1, at Roger State's Soldier Field in 2017. The second matchup was at at the Oklahoma Baptist Soccer Complex in 2018, and the Mustangs prevailed, 2-1.
Fort Hays (1-3-0) defeated MSU Denver in its season opener, 3-1, but the Tigers have lost their last three matches, including a 3-1 setback to No. 10 Maryville at Scheels Soccer Complex in Overland Park, Kansas, last Thursday.
The Tigers are coming off a 2-1 loss to Rockhurst in Kansas City on Sunday.
Blake Arndt, a 6-4 senior forward from Wichita, Kansas, scored a goal in each of the first three games for Fort Hays, but he failed to score on a season-high three shots in 48 minutes of action against Rockhurst.
Alex Plimmer, a 5-10 senior midfielder from New Zealand, scored twice and had an assist in the 3-1 victory over MSU Denver. Plimmer added an assist in a 3-2 loss to UC Colorado Springs.
Goalkeeper Ben Dixon is 1-3-0 with a 2.25 goals against average and a .550 save percentage for the Tigers.
Midwestern State travels to Bethany, Oklahoma, on Saturday to face Southern Nazarene at Wanda Rhodes Soccer Complex. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Midwestern State leads the all-time series with the Storm, 22-4-0. The Mustangs have won the last six meetings and have outscored SNU in that span, 23-3.
Escobar had a goal and an assist for the Mustangs in a 3-0 victory over the Storm last season at Stang Park.
Adam Braman made four saves and posted his third consecutive clean sheet in his third career start for the Mustangs.
Braman enters the week with a 3-0-1 record and has made six saves over four games. The junior from Mercer Island, Washington, has a 0.51 goals against average and a .750 save percentage.
Wednesday, September 13
Time |
Match |
Digital Media |
5 pm |
Midwestern State at Fort Hays State |
Watch | Live Stats |
Saturday, September 16
Time |
Match |
Digital Media |
7 pm |
Midwestern State at Southern Nazarene |
Watch | Live Stats |
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WOMEN'S SOCCER
Midwestern State (1-1-2) returns home for the first time since its season opener to face Oklahoma Baptist on Wednesday night, and the Mustangs will honor their eight seniors prior to the match.
O'Vanna Mullings,
Marissa Resendez,
Janae Sanchez,
Emma Short,
Isobel Spray,
Maya Warrior,
Reece Wildt and
Keyara Zuniga Dalton are the seniors that will be recognized before the final non-conference home game.
Midwestern State is 1-1-1 over its last three matches, which were all away from Stang Park, and
Lexi Beck leads the Mustangs over four matches with two goals.
Midwestern State opened the season on Aug. 31 with a 0-0 draw against MSU Denver.
Beck scored in the 71st minute of a 1-1 draw at Central Oklahoma on Sept. 2 as Midwestern State opened the season unbeaten against two sturdy opponents.
The Mustangs traveled to Gunnison, Colorado, this past weekend and suffered a 3-0 loss to Fort Lewis before scoring two second-half goals in a 2-1 win over Western Colorado.
Lillia Besedin, assisted by
McKenna Jenkins, scored the equalizer in the 54th minute before Beck netted the game winner from the penalty spot in the 87th minute.
Isabella Cruz is second in the conference with 4.25 shots per game and has put six of her 17 shots on goal over four matches for the Mustangs.
Lexi Jackson has made seven saves in her first four matches and has a 1.25Â goals against average over 360:00 minutes for Midwestern State.
Oklahoma Baptist (1-3-0) ended a three-game slide on Saturday night with a 2-1 victory at Central Oklahoma as Alanna Bloomingdale scored twice for the Bison, including a goal in the fifth minute. Those were the first two goals of the season for OBU, which had been outscored in its first three matches, 11-0.
The Bison suffered a season-opening 7-0 loss at Minnesota State and lost at Cedarville, 1-0, before hosting Texas Woman's on Sept. 7. The Pioneers scored twice in the first five minutes en route to a 3-0 victory.
Midwestern State leads the all-time series with OBU, 3-1-1. The Mustangs are 2-0-1 when hosting the Bison after the schools played to a 1-1 draw four years ago at Stang Park in their last meeting. OBU defeated the Mustangs, 2-0, in Shawnee, Oklahoma, when the two sides clashed in 2018.
The Mustangs travel to Weatherford, Oklahoma, on Sunday for a 2 p.m. match against Southwestern Oklahoma State.
Midwestern State is 8-1-0 when visiting the Bulldogs and leads the all-time series, 16-2-0, including a 4-0 victory at Stang Park last season.
Cruz broke a scoreless tie with a goal in the 42nd minute, and Jackson made four saves to post her third of five shutouts last season.
SWOSU is 0-1-1 at home this season. The Bulldogs played No. 16 Emporia State to a 1-1 draw in the season opener and fell to No. 7-ranked Dallas Baptist, 4-1, on Sept 2.
Both schools will be playing their final non-conference matches of the season.
Wednesday, September 13
Time |
Match |
Digital Media |
6 pm |
Midwestern State vs. Oklahoma Baptist |
Watch | Live Stats |
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VOLLEYBALL
Midwestern State (2-6) travels to Portales, New Mexico, to participate in one of four Lone Star Conference Crossover events. The Mustangs are playing four opponents from the LSC, but the results will not count in the conference standings.
The Mustangs are coming off a 0-4 weekend at the Washburn Invitational. No. 17-ranked Washburn swept MSU in the first match at Lee Arena in Topeka, Kansas. Midwestern State subsequently lost in straight sets to No. 15 Northwest Missouri State, Missouri Western and William Jewell.
Junior outside hitter
Riley Rabedeaux is leading the Mustangs with 3.15 kills per set and is hitting .213 through 26 sets played this season. Rabedeaux is responsible for 87.5 points and is 13th in the LSC with 3.37 points per set.
Middle hitter
Jaiden Wright, one the outstanding freshmen on the roster, is second on the team with 2.20 points per set and leads the team with 17 blocks over 25 sets.
Freshman
Isabella Dickens is hitting a team-leading .327 with 43 kills on 104 swings and is eighth in the conference in hitting percentage.
Freshman
Alayna Guerrero leads the team and is fourth in the conference with 216 assists.
Sophomore
Taygon Jones is seventh in the conference and leads the Mustangs with 4.65 digs per set, and she also leads the team with five aces this season.
Midwestern State plays its first LSC Crossover match at Greyhound Arena against Cameron on Thursday at 5 p.m. The Mustangs have won their last five meetings with the Aggies, including a 3-2 triumph in the Crossover at Denton, Texas, last year. The Mustangs have won seven of the last eight encounters, but Cameron leads the all-time series, 37-30.
Western New Mexico upended Midwestern State in Denton last year, but the Mustangs won the conference match at D.L. Ligon Coliseum, 3-0. MSU will seeks its fifth victory in seven meetings when the schools battle on Friday at 5 p.m.
MSU is scheduled to play twice on Saturday. The Mustangs face St. Edward's at noon — less than a week before the two schools meet in the conference opener at Recreation & Convocation Center in Austin, Texas. Midwestern State has won three of the last four encounters with the Hilltoppers, including a thrilling five-set victory at D.L. Ligon Coliseum last season. The Mustangs won the fifth set, 16-14, in their 2022 home opener.
Midwestern State will see Eastern New Mexico on the opposite side of the net as it closes out the LSC Crossover event at 4 p.m. on Saturday. The Mustangs are 9-10 all-time against ENMU in Portales and are 2-2 in their last four visits. Midwestern State is 4-4 in its last eight clashes with the Greyhounds, who defeated MSU last season at Greyhound Arena, 3-0.
Thursday, September 14
Time |
Match |
Digital Media |
5 pm |
Midwestern State vs. Cameron |
Watch | Live Stats |
Friday, September 15
Time |
Match |
Digital Media |
5 pm |
Midwestern State vs. Western New Mexico |
Watch | Live Stats |
Saturday, September 16
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FOOTBALL
After splitting a pair of non-conference games, Midwestern State kicks off the LSC campaign on Saturday with a trip to Canyon, Texas, for its annual battle with West Texas A&M. The game at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
The Mustangs relied on their defense and their ground game to defeat Mississippi College in the home opener at Memorial Stadium on Saturday night.
After allowing the Choctaws to take a 17-13 lead with a 95-yard run on a dive play, the Mustang defense took over the game. Mississippi College only managed to gain 5 yards in their next three drives combined.
Midwestern State dominated the fourth quarter, outscoring the Choctaws, 17-0, and celebrated a 30-17 victory.
Devin Cross rushed for a career-high 151 yards on 24 carries, and
Jalen March gained 115 yards on 19 carries. Zach Keen threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to
Tiquan Gilmore. Keen and starting quarterback James Cooper combined to go 5 for 11 for 68 yards.
After turning the ball over six times in a 37-8 loss at Colorado State-Pueblo, Midwestern State had three turnovers on Saturday night. However, the Mustangs recovered two fumbles, and Mississippi College was 0 for 2 on fourth-down conversions.
Cross and March have been a dynamic duo in the backfield. The two have combined for 415 of the Mustangs' 465 yards rushing this season. Cross has 209 yards on 35 carries (6.0 ypc), and March has 206 yards on 45 carries (4.6 ypc). They are the top two rushers in the Lone Star Conference through the first two weeks of the season. Cross is 13th in the nation and March is 17th.
Cross, a sophomore from Pflugerville, Texas, earned LSC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performance on Saturday, when he broke for 20-or-more yards on three carries, including a 30-yard gain on his first play from scrimmage. Cross rushed for more than 100 yards for the fifth time in his career and now has 1,044 yards as a Mustang. He is the 21st player to rush for more than 1,000 yards in his career at Midwestern State.
Quinterrius Hargrave leads the Midwestern State defense with 12 tackles, including five solo stops.
Javian Gipson-Holmes has made eight solo tackles and has 11 overall along with
Brett Hartgrove and
Peyton Shaw.
Kaleb Manning has 10 tackles for the Mustangs this season.
Ritse Vaes split the uprights with his first field goal attempt of the season, hitting a 35-yarder against Mississippi College on Saturday.
Diego Gonzalez is averaging 40.3 yards on 10 punts and has two punts of more than 50 yards. Gonzalez has hemmed the opponent inside the 20-yard line three times.
West Texas A&M (1-1) has won the last three meetings with Midwestern State, including two victories in Canyon, Texas, and a 38-26 triumph at Memorial Stadium last season.
The Buffaloes opened the season with a 28-6 loss at Western Colorado but defeated Adam State at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium last week, 28-7.
The Buffaloes have scored the fewest points in the LSC, but are only allowing 17.5 points per game, which is second-best in the conference.
Redshirt freshman running back Tray'vian McCoy-Gay is the fourth-leading rusher in the LSC with 176 yards on 44 carries (4.4 ypc).
Freshman quarterback Kanon Gibson has completed 27 of 40 passes for 182 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Buffaloes.
Midwestern State is 8-10 all-time in Canyon and will be seeking its first win in five visits.
The Mustangs last win at West Texas A&M was a 52-48 victory in 2012, when Midwestern State scored two touchdowns in the final two minutes. Marqui Christian returned a fumble 18 yards for a touchdown to secure the win, and MSU clinched a share of its fourth LSC title and its third in four seasons.
Saturday, September 16
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MEN'S TENNIS
Midwestern State competes in the Hardin-Simmons Hiddlen Dual Saturday in Abilene.
The Mustangs went a combined 6-10 in singles and 3-5 in doubles' play last week at the Cameron Invitational.
Saturday, September 16
Time |
Match |
Digital Media |
All Day |
Midwestern State at Hardin-Simmons Hidden Dual |
None |
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WOMEN'S GOLF
Midwestern State opens the season with the 54-hole DBU Classic Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday at Wildhorse Golf Club at Robson Ranch.
Sophomore Tristan Gabbard is MSU's top returner, posting a 76.07 stroke average last season with a team-high five par-or-better rounds.
The Fulshear, Texas, native leads a group of seven returners for the Mustangs incluidng junior Makenna Henry (77.40), sophomore Kodi Nolen (77.54), sophomore Alli Reily (77.68), senior Madison Brown (77.75), junior Hollie James (78.30), and junior Brecklyn Flanagan (78.82).
Madison Wert, who helped Argyle High to back-to-back state team titles, is the team's lone newcomer.
Sunday, September 16 - Tuesday, September 18
Time |
Match |
Digital Media |
All Day |
Midwestern State at DBU Classic |
Live Scoring (TBA) |
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Following the Mustangs
LSC Digital Network
All games for the sports of football, soccer, basketball, volleyball, and softball are available on the Lone Star Conference Digital Network. Single-event passes run $15, while monthly subscription for all games on the LSC Digital Network run $30. An annual pass for the LSC Digital Network costs $140. Live stats are provided free-of-charge on MSUMustangs.com.
Tickets
All tickets for home events must be purchased online at TICKET LINK.
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