No. 4 Central Missouri opens the NCAA Division II Central Regional against No. 5 UMary on Friday at noon in Topeka. The Jennies enter at 14-2-4, seeking their 16th straight tournament appearance and a first-round win after falling to Pittsburg State in the MIAA semifinals.

By the Numbers
  • Central Missouri: 14-2-4; UMary: 13-3-3.
  • The Jennies lead the all-time series 5-0-1 and are 13-5 in NCAA tournament first-round games.
  • UCM has allowed 7 goals in 20 matches; goalkeeper Kristen Wright has a 0.37 goals-against average and 10 shutouts.
  • Midfielder Coryn Jespersen has 13 assists, seventh-most in Division II.
Yes, But

Central Missouri has the stronger tournament history and leads the series, but its recent 2-0 semifinal loss to Pittsburg State saw the Jennies outshot 24-9. The matchup is also a close-seeded contest between teams with similar records.

What's Next

A win sends the Jennies to Sunday's second round, where they would face the winner of No. 1 Washburn vs. No. 8 SWOSU at 3 p.m. in Topeka.

Bottom Line

UCM’s defense and tournament experience give it a strong foundation, but converting chances will be crucial against UMary after a subdued offensive showing in the conference semifinal.