OMAHA, Neb. – After postponing the match vs. Denver earlier this month, the Mavericks will head to Kansas City for the season opener. Omaha and UMKC will meet on Monday, Feb. 22 for a 1 p.m. kickoff. Game two of the series is postponed to later in the season. Date and time is still being determined.
Follow the Match
The links for live stats and stream are available on OMavs.com.
Quick Kicks
- Omaha was tabbed third in the 2020-21 Summit League Preseason Poll with two first place votes and 17 points.
- Stevie Siy and Nil Ayats were selected to the 2021-20 Summit League Preseason Players to Watch list. As a core member of UNO's defense, Siy has helped the Mavericks post 13 shutouts over his first three seasons. Ayats has made 12 starts and appeared in 16 matches. Ayats missed most of the 2019 season after suffering an injury. He has 18 career shots and taken five total shots on goal for the Mavericks.
- Siy, Ayats, and Ed Gordon were also named team captains earlier this week. Gordon has appeared in 50 matches and made 27 starts for Omaha. Gordon has tallied two assists over his career, including one last season in UNO's win over Purdue Fort Wayne
- The Mavericks finished last season 4-9-4 overall with a 2-2-1 record in conference action.
- Omaha downed Western Illinois in the first round of the conference championships, but fell to Denver in the championship, 1-0.
- The Mavericks return 15 players, which includes four returning starters. They added 13 new faces in the offseason.
- The Summit League Tournament will not take place this year on the men's side. The regular season champion will be the NCAA Tournament selection.
Scouting the Kansas City Roos
Kansas City rejoins the Summit League this season after playing in the WAC since 2013. The Roos were a previous member of the league from 2007-12. UMKC kicked off the season in early February with a pair of non-conference matches. The Roos were shutout at Saint Louis, 3-0, to start the year. Then on Feb. 7 Kansas City fell 2-1 at Central Arkansas. They enter conference play this weekend sitting at 0-2-0.
Roos to Watch
- Ryan Khedoo was named a Summit League Preseason Player to Watch. Khedoo was the team's leading scorer last season with four goals for the Roos. He was an Academic All-WAC selection. He tied for 16th in goals and 23rd in points in the WAC. He scored the golden goal in overtime vs. Incarnate Word earning him the WAC Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 14 last season.
- Cooper Clark was also named a Summit League Preseason Player to Watch. Cooper is a junior transfer out of Tulsa. He totaled 48 saves in 15 games, including three shutouts. One of his three shutouts came against No. 4 Michigan State in his sophomore season.
- Clark started in goal at Saint Louis and at Central Arkansas. He tallied five saves over the two game stretch, but also gave up five goals.
- Dennis Mensah scored UMKC's only goal in the action. He netted one vs. Central Arkansas in the 68th minute to avoid a second shutout. Seth Kacich tallied the assist.
Series History
Omaha leads the all-time series 3-1-1 over Kansas City. The teams met in the 2015 season. The Mavericks took a 2-1 win over the Roos on Aug. 28.
