By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
No. 24-ranked Washburn University soccer concludes a four-game MIAA homestand against Fort Hays State on Friday at 6 p.m. and Nebraska-Kearney on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Yager Stadium.
Leah Henke, Washburn University
Washburn defeated Missouri Western 2-0 last Friday and Northwest Missouri State 2-0 on Sunday last weekend, improving to 7-1-1 overall and 3-1 in the MIAA.
Washburn coach Davy Phillips, who picked up his 100th Washburn win on Sunday, said the Ichabods' goal now is to continue to gain more and more consistency over the second half of the season.
"Consistency is still something we're striving to attain,'' Phillips said. "The girls are working really hard and they're paying a lot of attention to what that looks like, but it's just part of the process.
"The team loves navigating the season, the journey. They like these challenges and like coming together and figuring things out. They're doing a good job, but part of that process is consistency and how to attack every moment.''
Sophomore Bricelyn Betts, who scored in both WU wins last weekend, agreed with her coach.
"Every day is a day to get better and honestly every day's a great day, so it's about continuing to progress and building on those little shifts that we need to do,'' Betts said. "We just continue to tighten up those little pieces.''
Sophomore Leah Henke leads the Ichabods with six goals and has one assist while Betts has four goals and three assists on the season and freshman Avery McCorry has three goals and a pair of assists for Washburn.
Sophomore goalkeeper Lili Everley has posted a goals against average of 0.24 while recording 22 saves and posting five solo shutouts and a shared shutout.
Fort Hays State, 2-6-1 overall and 0-4 in the MIAA, lost a pair of games last weekend, losing to No. 19 Central Missouri 4-0 and Missouri Southern, 2-0.
Nebraska-Kearney, 2-5-3 overall and 0-3-1 in the MIAA, tied Missouri Southern 0-0 on Friday and lost to Central Missouri 4-0 on Sunday.
The Ichabods are back on the road next week, facing Rogers State on Friday, Oct. 9, at 7 p.m., before facing Emporia State on Sunday, Oct. 11, at 1 p.m.
