Springfield Standard

Missouri State University’s women’s soccer team is set to host the No. 11 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes on Sunday, September 7 at Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium in Springfield, Missouri. This will be the first home match against a Big Ten opponent since 2005 and marks the highest-ranked team to play at Allison South Stadium since it opened in 2014.

The Bears currently hold a record of 2-4-1 for the season, with both victories secured on the road against SIUE and SEMO. The all-time series between Missouri State and Iowa stands at 1-0-1 in favor of Iowa. The last meeting resulted in a draw at home for Missouri State on September 16, 2005, while Iowa won their most recent encounter during the NCAA Tournament’s first round.

Leading Missouri State offensively is Abby Hansen, who has accumulated nine points through three goals and three assists, including a successful penalty kick. Reilly Heman follows with six points from two goals and two assists on a team-high 17 shots. Brooke Cattoor has contributed two goals this season and converted her only penalty attempt.

Goalkeeper Ella Becker has started all seven matches for Missouri State, recording 32 saves with a .727 save percentage and one shutout so far this season. Julia Kristensen adds one goal and one assist; she also holds the program’s single-season assist record (13 in 2024) and ranks third all-time with 18 career assists.

Missouri State averages 1.57 goals per game while limiting opponents to a .135 shot percentage. The team has outscored its opponents by a margin of five to four in first halves.

This season marks Missouri State’s debut in Conference USA after spending nearly three decades as part of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). During their MVC tenure, the Bears compiled a record of 93-68-31 (.646), captured four tournament titles (2000, 2017, 2022, and 2024), and won their first regular-season championship in 2024.

The coaching staff was recognized as MVC Coaching Staff of the Year following an unbeaten streak over two seasons in conference play (20 matches), finishing as the No. 1 seed for the first time ever.

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