SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Drury women's soccer returns to the field Sunday evening against in-state foe Central Missouri at Lake Country in search of their first win of the 2026 season.
The Panthers are coming off a Thursday night draw against Emporia State, in which freshman
Melissa Higgins capitalized on a turnover in the 83
rd minute to knot the game at one. Central Missouri scored early in their opening day match against Missouri S&T to take a 1-0 win to open the season.
The match can be streamed behind a paywall on GLVCSN with Matthew Frizzell on the call. Single-game purchases are available for $15, monthly passes for $32, and a full-year pass for $145. Drury students can use their university email to receive 10 percent off any pass using code GLVC@EDU27.
SERIES HISTORY VS. CENTRAL MISSOURI
- Drury leads the all-time series against Central Missouri, 3-1-0.
- The series dates back to 1995, when the Panthers won the first meeting, 3-0.
- Drury won each of the first three meetings before Central Missouri earned its first win in the series in 2000.
- The Panthers and Jennies have not met in a regular-season contest since Aug. 27, 2000, when Central Missouri won 2-1 in Springfield.
- Drury and Central Missouri have regularly met in exhibition play in recent years but have not played a regular-season match in 26 years.
LAST TIME OUT
- Melissa Higgins scored the equalizer in the 83rd minute as Drury opened the 2026 season with a 1-1 draw against Emporia State at Lake Country Soccer Complex.
- Emporia State took the lead in the 18th minute on a goal from Megan Kephart, assisted by Avery Zimmerman.
- Drury generated three shots late in the first half, including a 34th-minute attempt from Caroline Dinnon that hit the right post.
- Leah McDonald forced a turnover in the attacking third, setting up Higgins for her first career goal in the 83rd minute.
- Emporia State finished with a 9-7 advantage in shots and a 4-2 edge in shots on goal.
- Katy Fitzler recorded three saves, while Higgins led Drury with two shots.
- Higgins and Rebeka Gaal made their first career starts, while Gaal, Higgins, Sam McClain and Carly Swan made their first appearances for Drury.
ABOUT CENTRAL MISSOURI
- Central Missouri opened the season 1-0-0 with a 1-0 victory over Missouri S&T on Aug. 27 in Rolla.
- Ryann Clark scored the match's lone goal in the 15th minute.
- Veteran goalkeeper Kristen Wright made one save to secure her 43rd career win for Central Missouri.
- The Jennies were picked to finish third in the MIAA behind Washburn and Pittsburg State.
- Central Missouri returns 10 of 11 starters from last season's team that finished 11-6-4 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
- The Jennies' returning lineup is headlined by All-American Mikayla Ernst, All-Region honoree Makenzie Smith and midfielder Aspen Patterson.
- All-conference selections Kate Ricker, Hazel Douglas-Trotman and Wright also return, while Central Missouri added midfielder Kylie Richardson through the transfer portal from Emporia State.
- Ernst led the MIAA with 30 points last season, recording 12 goals and six assists.
- Wright led the MIAA with a 0.64 goals-against average and ranked second with an .862 save percentage last season.
STORYLINES
- Drury's season opener against Emporia State marked the start of the program's 36th season and seventh under head coach Justin Olson.
- This season marks the Panthers' first full-time season at Lake Country Soccer Complex, where they began their tenure with a 0-0-1 record.
UP NEXT
Drury has its first road test of the year on Wednesday when they travel to Topeka to take on No. 4 Washburn.
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