By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University soccer team is very proud of its home record in the Davy Phillips era.
Washburn University soccer will be back at Yager Stadium Friday and Sunday to open MIAA play. [File photo/TSN]
And after dropping its first two matches at Yager Stadium to open the 2024 season, Phillips' Ichabods have extra motivation entering the start of MIAA play this weekend with home contests against Central Oklahoma and Newman.
"That's something we're usually really good at typically,'' Phillips said of WU's home mark. "Our home record is pretty favorable and our girls love playing at home, playing in front of the student body, the town, the alumni and I think we're eager to get back home.
"We were on the road eight out of 11 days and that's a long time, so we're anxious to play at home again.''
Washburn will be looking to defend its 2023 MIAA regular-season championship after finishing 9-1-1 in conference play last season.
The 3-2-1 Ichabods, who have posted three wins and a tie over their past four games, will host Central Oklahoma on Friday at 6 p.m. and Newman on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Washburn went 1-0-1 last week in two neutral contests in Kearney, Neb., defeating Black Hills State 6-0 and playing Western Colorado to an 0-0 draw.
And while Phillips is happy overall with the Ichabods' play so far, he also realizes that last season's national runnerup finish means that the bar is set extremely high this fall.
"There's a lot of good things happening but there's a sense of frustration that we're not hitting our standards and expectations still,'' Phillips said. "And that's in large part due to the fact that we are playing the way we want to play and we're making teams uncomfortable and we're dictating the game. Now it's just execution and a little bit of a mentality thing.
"We're doing a lot of good things but that last little bit may be the most important bit, and that's the mentality of being on a mission to go and get this job done versus going and playing really well.''
Five different Ichabods scored goals in the match against Black Hills State, with three players recording their first career goals.
Sophomore Presslee Amick found the back of the net twice in the win over Black Hills State for the first and second goals of her collegiate career. Amick currently leads Washburn with five points (two goals, one assist).
Junior defender Lakin Rold scored her first career goal to open the scoring against Black Hills State. Rold has started 50 games for the Ichabods in her career, tallying 3,746 minutes played.
Junior Hunter McWilliams, a Washburn Rural graduate, put the finishing touches on the win over the Yellow Jackets with her goal in the 88th minute. McWilliams was the third Ichabod to record their first career goal in the match.
Sophomore goalkeeper Hailey Beck, a Rural product, is tied for 13th nationally with three shutouts posted in goal.
Central Oklahoma is 3-3-0 this season after going 6-7-6 in 2023.
Graduate midfielder Rebekah George leads UCO with three goals scored. George has also recorded one assist.
Newman is 0-5-1 this season after going 2-15-1 in 2023.
Marta Aranda, Lexi Bauer and Katrina Kowitz have each scored one goal for the Jets this season.
Washburn will head to Kearney, Neb. for the second time this season on Friday, Oct. 4, this time for its first away conference match against Nebraska-Kearney.
