Complete Game Notes
Game #1: Missouri Southern (2-13-3 in 2025) at Lincoln (1-10-4 in 2025)
Date: Friday, Aug. 28, 2026
Time: 5:00 p.m. CDT
Site: Jefferson City, Mo.
Venue: Dwight T. Reed Stadium
Live Stats: https://lubluetigers.com/sidearmstats/wsoc
Live Video: https://www.glvcsn.com/lincolnbluetigers/
 
Game #2: Harris Stowe (2-1) at Lincoln
Date: Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026
Time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
Site: Jefferson City, Mo.
Venue: Dwight T. Reed Stadium
Live Stats: https://lubluetigers.com/sidearmstats/wsoc
Live Video: https://www.glvcsn.com/lincolnbluetigers/
 
THE KICKOFF:  The Lincoln women's soccer team kicks off its third season with a pair of home matches this week. On Friday (Aug. 28), the Blue Tigers host Missouri Southern at 5:00 p.m. CDT in the season opener for both teams. On Sunday (Aug. 30), it's a battle between HBCUs as Harris Stowe and Lincoln play at 12:00 p.m. CDT. Both matches will take place at Dwight T. Reed Stadium, but will be the only two contests LU plays there this season, as the remainder of the home matches are at Capital City High School. While Lincoln is beginning its season this weekend, Harris Stowe has already played three games and enters Sunday's match with a 2-1 record.
 
WARM UPS
- This is the third season for the Lincoln women's soccer program, which was started in 2024.
 
- On Friday, Lincoln and Missouri Southern will play one another for the first time ever.
 
- Friday's match also represents the first time that the Blue Tigers will play against a member of the MIAA, the league that Lincoln was a part of before moving to the GLVC in 2024-25.
 
- This is the first of two-consecutive matches for MSSU against GLVC opponents, as Missouri Southern travels on Sunday to play Missouri S&T.
 
- Harris Stowe opened its 2026 season on Aug. 20 with a 4-2 home win over Indiana-Kokomo. The Hornets later won on the road against William Woods, 2-1, and fell at Culver-Stockton, 4-0.
 
- Lincoln is 1-0-1 all-time against Harris Stowe, the only other HBCU in Missouri. LU beat the Hornets in 2024, 1-0, and tied HSSU in St. Louis in 2025, 1-1.
 
PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Back in the net in 2026 is Kanon Dehama, who helped LU open its very first season 4-0 two years ago, and, last season, made 13 saves in an injury-shortened campaign. Madison Wimberly had an assist and a goal in 2025 and Kayleb Garrett also scored a goal while Kennedy Coles provided an assist. Eight other Blue Tigers return for the 2026 season. That includes Adia Able, who started all 15 matches, and Leah Serritos, who started 14.
 
HEAD COACH LEAH STRINGER:  With a pair of wins in LU's first-ever matches, Leah Stringer is off to a strong start as the coach of the Blue Tigers. No stranger to NCAA Division II or the great state of Missouri, Stringer is in her third year coaching LU after spending the previous three seasons as an assistant at Missouri Western. She helped lead the Griffons to the No. 13 national ranking in 2021 and helped the team post a .708 win percentage that season.
 
SCOUTING THE LIONS:  Talia Sanders scored four goals and recorded a team-high three assists in 2025 and joins Presley Whitmire, who also had four goals, as the top returning offensive starters for Missouri Southern. Daniela Marquez is also back after scoring twice a year ago while Gracie Groothuis and Samantha Glossup additionally scored one goal apiece. Chloe Kondracki, who had two assists, rounds out the top offensive returners. Bella Smith started 17 matches in goal last season and made 105 saves while recording a shutout in three contests.
 
SCOUTING THE HORNETS:  Naomi Mangiapane is off to a hot start in 2026, as she already has two goals and an assist to lead Harris Stowe's offense. Four other Hornets have one goal on the season: Mikai Neal, Moenesa Mejias, Ophelia Coe and Keziah Oluoch. Clara Pelegrina, meanwhile, has HSSU's only other assist. Kheilani Alexander is the starting keeper and has made two saves. Genesis Rhodes has played in all three matches, with both players clocking 135:00 in the net.
 
SPLITTING TIME:  The Blue Tigers will split time at two venues in 2026. Both of Lincoln's non-conference matches will be played at Dwight T. Reed Stadium on LU's campus. The remaining seven GLVC matches will be played at Capital City High School. The LU women have only played at Capital City once before, in 2024, when the Blue Tigers hosted Drury.
 
HOME ADVANTAGE:  Lincoln's scheduled to play more home matches than away games in 2026, with each of the Blue Tigers' first two games being played in Jefferson City. After that, Lincoln will play four road matches compared to three home contests in September, but in October is home four times while on the road for three games.
 
PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  After just two matches in the history of the program, Lincoln goalkeeper Kanon Dehama was named as the first Defensive Player of the Week for the GLVC in 2024. Dehama helped LU shut out Minnesota-Crookston for a 1-0 victory in the first match in school history and made five saves in a complete-game shutout. She made 56 total saves this season and started a pair of matches last year before being sidelined with an injury.
 
CHANGING THE FORMAT:  Unlike the past two years, when GLVC soccer matches were regularly held on Fridays and Saturdays, this season the conference voted to give teams more time to rest between games. Beginning in 2026, GLVC games will be played on Wednesdays and Saturdays, though some matches will be moved to Sundays if the host campus has a home football game that weekend. The start times for Lincoln's twinbills remain the same as in the past; the Blue Tiger women take the field at 5:00 p.m. CT on week nights and at 12:00 p.m. CT for all Saturday and Sunday matches. The Lincoln men, meanwhile, will play a half hour after each women's match, usually at 7:30 p.m. CT on week nights and at 2:30 p.m. CT on the weekends.
 
PRESEASON POLL:  Lincoln received 35 points and was picked 14th in the GLVC Coaches Preseason Poll. UMSL received 10 first place votes and topped the poll with 189 points; Maryville and McKendree tied for second (170).
 
JOIN THE CLUB:  The Blue Tiger Athletics Club is a great way to engage with other LU fans while supporting all Lincoln student-athletes. Every dollar raised by the club goes towards scholarships, improving the facilities and purchasing equipment. To join the BTAC, or to learn more, please visit www.LUBlueTigers.com/BTAC.
 
WATCH LIVE:  Fans who are unable to attend a game in person will still be able to cheer on their Blue Tigers to victory via the GLVC Sports Network. All nine Lincoln home games will be broadcast live and can be watched at https://www.glvcsn.com/lincolnbluetigers/.
 
GEAR UP FOR THE GAME:  Lincoln fans can get everything they need for the game at www.BlueTigersStore.com, the official online store for LU athletics. Everything from jerseys to office supplies can be found on the site, with a portion of all online sales going to benefit Lincoln athletics.
 
NEXT UP:  The Blue Tigers open GLVC play on the road in Springfield, Ill. against Illinois-Springfield on Sept. 5 at 3:00 p.m. CDT.