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UMKC Heads West on Pivotal Road Swing
10/23/2014 5:43:00 PM | Women's Soccer
UMKC 'ROOS (10-3-2, 6-0-0) at SEATTLE REDHAWKS (10-4-1, 6-1-0)
Date: Oct. 24, 2014
Site: Seattle, Wash. / Championship Field
Live Stats: GoSeattleU.com
Live Video: WAC Digital Network
Twitter: @UMKCwSoccer
Series: Seattle leads 3-0
Last Meeting: Seattle knocked off UMKC in the WAC Championship last November.
Cissell vs. Opponent: 0-3
UMKC 'ROOS (10-3-2, 6-0-0) at UTAH VALLEY WOLVERINES (10-5-2, 5-2-0)
Date: Oct. 26, 2014
Site: Kansas City, Mo. / Durwood Stadium
Live Stats: WolverineGreen.com
Live Video: WolverineGreen.com
Twitter: @UMKCwSoccer
Series: UMKC leads 2-1.
Last Meeting: Taylor Bare scored a pair of goals to push UMKC past Utah Valley and into the WAC Championship match.
Cissell vs. Opponent: 2-1
The Games
The 'Roos hit the road for a pivotal series of matches at Seattle and Utah Valley. UMKC met both the Wolverines and the Redhawks in the WAC Tournament in Las Cruces, N.M. last fall, and with two-games separating the first-place 'Roos from UVU, the regular season crown and tournament seeding may well be decided this weekend.
The Coaches
Entering his fourth year at the helm, UMKC head coach Chris Cissell continues to build on what was the most successful season in program history in 2013. Under Cissell's leadership, the 'Roos set program marks for virtually every win-related category, including overall wins (12) and conference victories (eight), en route to the team's first appearance in the conference title game.
Cissell has compiled a record of 36-29-11– marked success for a program that won just two games in two seasons prior to his arrival.
Julie Woodward enters her 18th season at the helm of the Redhawk women's soccer program in 2014. She is the winningest coach in SU women's soccer history with a 232-91-30 overall record. To begin 2014, Woodward was tabbed as the College Sports Madness Preseason WAC Coach of the Year.
Brent Anderson, the longest tenured head coach in program history, begins his ninth season at the helm of Utah Valley women's soccer. As the Great West Conference's most decorated coach over the league's four years, he is leading his squad into its second WAC season.
Anderson is the one-and-only recipient of the GWC Coach of the Year award, garnering the honor in each of the four years the GWC was in operation.
The Series
The 'Roos took the season series with Utah Valley in the teams' first season in the WAC, knocking off the Wolverines in the league semifinals after splitting a pair during the regular season. Seattle has never lost to UMKC in three meetings.
Scouting the Competition
Seattle was picked to win the WAC during the preseason and the Redhawks have been nothing short of dominant at times this season. Two of their four losses have come at the hands of power conference schools in Kentucky and Washington. None of the four blemishes on SU's record have been by more than a single goal.
Senior forward Stephanie Verdoia joined UMKC's Kaely Tott as the WAC Women's Soccer Players of the Week for Oct. 13-19. She leads the league in every offensive category, including goals, assists, and game-winning goals.
After a rough patch out of the gates, Utah Valley bounced back in a big way, picking up non-conference victories over Baylor and UNLV among others during a seven-match unbeaten streak. The Wolverines were upset by Grand Canyon on Oct. 12 with the team's only other conference loss coming at the hands of Seattle.
Goalkeeper Jessica Duffin has been a bright spot for UVU, ranking second only to the 'Roos' Nina Tzianos in most WAC goalkeeping categories. Duffin has saved 81 percent opposing shots on goal and leads the conference in shutouts with seven.
Road to the Championship
If the season ended today, UMKC would be the top overall seed in the 2014 WAC Women's Soccer Tournament.
The tournament will expand from four teams to six this season, with the top two seeds earning a Thursday bye. Those teams will open play against the first round winners on Friday, Nov. 7, at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
