By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University women's soccer hits the road for the first time this season while finishing up its non-conference schedule this weekend against Ouachita Baptist at 3 p.m. on Friday and Harding at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Washburn sophomore forward Leah Henke is the reigning MIAA Offensive Player of the Week after scoring two goals in last Wednesday's 3-0 win over Drury. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn has been off for more than a week since defeating Drury 3-0 last Wednesday to remain undefeated at 2-0-1.
The Ichabods graduated several key players off last year's NCAA Final Four team, including All-American Belle Kennedy, and played the Drury game without injured sophomore starter Kate Hinck, but have shown their depth in the early going.
"I feel like we do a good job of teaching and learning the style of play in preseason, so we develop a lot of depth and I feel like anybody can go in at any time and know what to do,'' said senior defender Rilyn Snyder, a second-team All-MIAA pick last season.
Sophomore standout Leah Henke, who was named the MIAA Offensive Player of the Week, scored a pair of goals against Drury for the Ichabods, who also benefitted from an own goal.
Henke is tied for the MIAA lead with four goals this season and is also first in shots averaging 4.67 per game.
Now the key for the Ichabods to translate their success at home into success on the road.
"It's different because you don't have your fans and your field that you play on every day, your family coming for a lot of people, so I think the mindset that we have is just to go into it and not be victims in this situation at all and go out and attack it still,'' Snyder said.
Washburn is 2-0-0 all-time facing Ouachita Baptist. The Ichabods last defeated OBU on Sept. 21, 2025, winning 1-0.
Washburn is 1-0-0 against Harding all-time, defeating the Bisons in the lone match against each other, winning 2-0 on Sept. 19, 2025. Current Ichabods Hinck and Sam Searcey scored goals in the win.
Ouachita Baptist tied two MIAA foes last weekend, tying Missouri Southern 0-0 on Friday and Rogers State 2-2 on Sunday.
Harding also played Rogers State to a 0-0 draw in their match on Friday.
Ouachita Baptist is 0-2-2 to begin the 2026 season while Harding is 1-1-1.
The Ichabods are set to open up MIAA play on Sep. 18 on the road at Missouri Southern and at Pittsburg State on Sept. 20.
