WKU battles Missouri to scoreless tie
Published 11:37 pm Thursday, August 13, 2026
Western Kentucky senior midfielder Georgia Liapis controls the ball against Missouri during Thursday’s 0-0 tie at the WKU Soccer Complex.
(WKU ATHLETICS)
Western Kentucky’s women’s soccer team (0-0-1) opened the 2026 season with a 0-0 draw against Southeastern Conference foe Missouri (0-0-1) on Thursday evening at the WKU Soccer Complex.
The match was a defensive battle, with each team spending over 60% of their possession time in the midfield. The Tigers put six shots on goal, but WKU goalkeeper Mia Riddick was there to make every save. The Hilltoppers were able to put three shots on frame, but the Missouri keeper also shut out the WKU offense. Both teams also had numerous threatening drives that died before a shot was attempted.
“I was really pleased with the way we battled tonight,” WKU coach Jason Neidell said in a news release. “I think we faced a team that was a little more athletic than us, but I thought we were focused. There were a lot of 50/50 challenges and it was a really physical, kind of ugly soccer game. I thought we were up for the challenge.
“I wish we could have been cleaner in moments in our build and in the final third of the field. I thought there were some opportunities we left on the shelf because we weren’t dealing with their pressure as well as we could have.”
Riddick played all 90 minutes in goal for the Hilltoppers, making six saves on the night to earn the clean sheet. It was her first career shutout.
WKU’s Abby Wiedermann also played all 90 minutes, anchoring the backline that helped clinch the shutout.
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April McDonald and Maggie Bellair each got off two shots for the Hilltoppers, leading the team.
Seven Hilltoppers made their official debut with WKU (Mya Jackson, April McDonald, Raegan Thompson, Cena Carlson, Sophia Lezizidis, Rose Finnegan and Tyler Roth).
WKU moves to 4-19-5 against SEC teams all-time.
The Hilltoppers will hit the road for the first time in 2026, heading to Indiana State on Sunday. First kick is set for noon (CT).
