By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
For the first time in the 2026 season No. 25 Washburn University soccer will be looking to bounce back from a loss when the Ichabods begin a four-game homestand with Friday and Sunday MIAA games in Yager Stadium against Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri State.
No. 25-ranked Washburn soccer returns home this weekend to open a four-game MIAA homestand, [File photo/TSN]
Washburn will host Missouri Western on Friday at 6 p.m. and Northwest Missouri State on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Ichabods are 5-1-1 on the season after a 1-0 loss at No. 12 Pittsburg State on Sunday.
"I think we have a lot of room to grow as a team,'' said Washburn sophomore midfielder Jules Wardlaw. "We've kind of talked about areas of growth and places we could improve and we've already implemented that into practice this week.
"I think we know the standard and if we can section the parts we need to fix and get better, then we can grow as a team as a whole.''
Wardlaw, an Olathe West product, appeared in all 24 games as a freshman, totaling 845 minutes. She scored two goals in the 2025 season, including a game-winner against Northwest Missouri State.
Sophomore Leah Henke leads Washburn with five goals while freshman Avery McCorry has three goals and Bricelyn Betts and Mackinly Rohn two goals apiece.
The Griffons are 4-0-4 on the season after opening up MIAA play with a 1-1 tie at Central Oklahoma last Friday and a 1-0 win over Northeastern State on Sunday. MWSU tied Drury 1-1 in its final non-conference game on Wednesday.
The Bearcats are 0-6-1 so far in 2026 and lost to Northeastern State and Central Oklahoma by scores of 2-1 in the first weekend of MIAA play.
Washburn is 17-12-1 all-time vs. Missouri Western. The Ichabods last defeated the Griffons on Nov. 21, 2025, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, winning 2-0.
Washburn is 17-10-5 against Northwest Missouri State all-time. The Ichabods last defeated the Bearcats 2-0 on Oct. 31, 2025.
Washburn will conclude its homestand next weekend, facing Fort Hays State on Friday and Nebraska-Kearney on Sunday.
