OKLAHOMA CITY – The Mid-America Christian women's soccer team will officially kick off the 2022 season at home as the Evangels host a prime time matchup against NCAA Division I Tulsa pm on Thursday. The match is slated for a 7 p.m. kickoff at the Dill Soccer Field.
 
MACU SEASON REPORT

• 2021 Record: 11-9 (6-3 SAC)
• Last Match: Lost vs. Trinity Christian (Ill.) – 5-1 – NCCAA National Championships – Dec. 1, 2021
• Stat Leaders:
  • Kelsey Henry – SR – 8 Goals, 4 Assists, 20 Points, 36 Shots, 20 SOG, 2 GW
  • Kyleigh Rushing – SR – 5 Goals, 3 Assists, 13 Points, 44 Shots, 22 SOG, 1 GW
  • Johanna Behrens – SR – 3 Goals, 5 Assists, 11 Points, 44 Shots, 22 SOG
  • Jennifer Starwalt – SR – 11-9 W-L, 1.89 GAA, 93 Saves, .721 SV%, 4 SHO

TOP RETURNERS

• Kanasa Spybuck – SR – D
  • 18 GP, 11 GS, 2 Shots, 1 SOG, 1129 Minutes
• Jasmine Morales – SO – F
  • 20 GP, 10 GS, 3 Goals, 1 Assist, 7 Points, 17 Shots, 9 SOG, 2 GWG
• Daniela Paez – SR – M
  • 20 GP, 19 GS, 1 Goal, 4 Assists, 6 Points, 18 Shots, 7 SOG, 1 GW
• Kadin Stinson – SR – F
  • 20 GP, 17 GS, 2 Goals, 2 Assists, 6 Points, 36 Shots, 18 SOG

TOP NEWCOMERS

• Makayla Farquharson – JR – GK – Cowley (Kan.)
  • 15-1-2 W-L, 0.74 GAA, 39 Saves, .780 SV%, 6 SHO
• Annika Gerdau – SO – F – Barton (Kan.)
  • 18 GP, 17 GS, 12 Goals, 5 Assists, 29 Points, 57 Shots, 34 SOG, 2 GWG
• Michaela Seahorn – JR – D – Cowley (Kan.)
  • 18 GP, 18 GS, 12 Shots, 5 SOG, All-KJCAA West Second Team

TEAM NOTES

• The Evangels are coming off winning their fifth NCCAA Central Region Championship in the last eight seasons after defeating Central Christian 2-1 in McPherson, Kan. on Nov. 19, 2021. After Mia Willyerd's 16^th-minute goal sent the Evangels into the halftime break with a 1-0 lead, Paola Camacho punched in the game-winner within the first two minutes of the second half to expand the MACU advantage to 2-nil.
• Mid-America Christian brings in a revamped lineup for the 2022 campaign as the 27-player roster features 17 incoming players, including 12 collegiate transfers and five high school standouts.
• Of the incoming players, Annika Gerdau is expecting to make a huge impact on the offensive end after leading Barton Community College with 12 goals on 57 shot attempts, guiding the powerhouse squad to a 13-4-1 record during the 2021 season.
• Hailing from another stellar JUCO program in Cowley, both junior goalkeeper Makayla Farquharson and junior defender Michaela Seahorn will be looking to shore up the Evangels defense. The two stars helped lead the Tigers to an KJCAA West Division title after finishing the year with a 15-1-1 record, going 8-0-1 in league play.
• While MACU returns just 10 players from the 2021 squad, the Evangels bring back some valuable experience in senior forward Kadin Stinson, senior midfielder Daniela Paez, a pair of sophomore forwards in Jasmine Morales and Willyerd as well as redshirt senior forward Joan Nakirya, who was one of MACU's top goal scorers during the 2020 season, but missed the 2021 campaign due to injury.
• MACU was picked to finish third in the Sooner Athletic Conference preseason poll, receiving 61 points to finish 11 points ahead of Oklahoma City in fourth and 12 ahead of fifth-place Wayland Baptist.
• During the 2021 campaign, the Evangels finished with six or more conference wins for the fifth time in program history and the third straight year after going 6-3 against SAC foes.

SCOUTING REPORT
Tulsa (Okla.)

• 2021 Record: 6-9-2
• Last Match: Lost vs. Houston – 2-0 – Oct. 28, 2021
• Series History: N/A
• Last Match vs MACU: N/A
• Top Returning Players:
  • Isold Runarsdottir – SR – M
    • 15 GP, 6 Goals, 1 Assist, 13 Points, 19 Shots, 10 SOG, 1 GWG
  • Megan Nielsen – SR – F
    • 17 GP, 4 Goals, 8 Points, 14 Shots, 6 SOG, 2 GWG
  • Raegan Beeding – JR – GK
    • 8 GP, 3-4-0 W-L, 1.21 GAA, 36 Saves, .800 SV%
• Team Notes:
  • The NCAA Division I program is coming off a 6-9-2 overall record and posted a 1-6-1 mark in American Athletic Conference play during the 2021 campaign.
  • The Golden Hurricanes return their top two goal scorers from a year ago in senior midfielder Isold Runarsdottir and senior forward Megan Nielsen, who combined to net 10 of the team's 22 goals.
  • MACU and Tulsa will be facing each other for the first time in the two programs' respective histories.