The Week Ahead: October 9-15

It's homecoming week at Lawrence and it will be a big day as several events are planned around Saturday's football game against Beloit. The No. 71 of Joe Patterson will be retired in a pregame ceremony, and Lawrence's 2023 Hall of Fame class will be introduced at halftime.


VOLLEYBALL (4-14)
Lawrence at Hamline
When and Where: Friday, Oct. 13, 5 p.m., Hutton Arena, St. Paul, Minn.  
Webcast: https://miacsportsnetwork.com/hamline/
Live Stats: https://hamlineathletics.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary
Series Record: Lawrence and Hamline are tied 6-6 in a series that started in 1995.

Lawrence vs. Central (North Central Triangular)
When and Where: Saturday, Oct. 14, 1 p.m., Clark-Danielson Gymnasium, Minneapolis, Minn.
Webcast: https://ncurams.com/watch/?Archive=460&type=Live
Live Stats: https://ncurams.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary
Series Record: Lawrence trails Central 3-0 in a series that started in 2009.

Lawrence vs. North Central (North Central Triangular)
When and Where: Saturday, Oct. 14, 3 p.m., Clark-Danielson Gymnasium, Minneapolis, Minn.  
Webcast: https://ncurams.com/watch/?Archive=460&type=Live
Live Stats: https://ncurams.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary
Series Record: Lawrence leads North Central 2-1 in a series that started in 2009.

Coach: Meg Grose (Peru State 2018) is in her first season at Lawrence.

Fast Facts: Lawrence takes a break from Midwest Conference play with a trio of matches in Minnesota. ... The Vikings were missing a pair of regulars due to injury and are looking to be closer to full strength this weekend. 


WOMEN'S TENNIS
Midwest Conference Championships
When and Where: Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 14-15, Nielsen Tennis Stadium, Madison, Wis.  

Coach: Eric Schacht (Lawrence 1990) is in his first season with the Vikings.

Fast Facts: Lawrence heads to the Midwest Conference Championships this weekend with six singles title and three doubles titles on the line. Lawrence is looking for its first titles since 2011 when Beth Larson won at No. 1 singles and Christina Schaupp won at No. 4. The team of Beth Larson and Jenni Roesch also took the title at No. 1 doubles that season. ... Sophomore Anna Vanden Acker enters the championships with the top record on the squad. She is 5-4 at No. 2 singles and has teamed with Logan Kane for a 3-5 mark at No. 1 doubles.


CROSS COUNTRY
Jim Drews Invitational
When and Where: Saturday, Oct. 14, 11 a.m., Maple Grove Venues, West Salem, Wis.  
Live Scoring: https://live.pttiming.com/xc-ptt.html?mid=5846

Coach: Jason Fast (UW-Oshkosh 2004), a three-time Midwest Conference Coach of the Year, is in his 15th season at Lawrence.

Fast Facts: Lawrence came within inches of taking the title at its own Gene Davis Invitational this past Saturday. A Ripon runner edged another competitor at the line, and that gave Ripon a one-point edge in the team standings for the title. ... Lawrence's Cristyn Oliver completed her first race of the season and finished second in 22:46. Oliver has been working her way back to form and will attempt to defend her Midwest Conference title in two weeks. ... Lawrence also got a great run from rookie Jane Partsch, who was fifth in 23:06.5. Lawrence had five of the top 11 finishers. ... Rookies Finn Lee and Ryan Cassiday continue to set the pace for the men's squad. Lee was fourth at the Gene Davis Invitational in 25:29.7 and Cassiday was fifth in 25:51.  


FOOTBALL (0-5, 0-4 MWC)
Lawrence vs. Beloit (Joe Patterson Day/Hall of Fame Game)
When and Where: Saturday, Oct. 14, 1 p.m., Ron Roberts Field at the Banta Bowl  
Webcast: https://vikings.lawrence.edu/watch/?Live=114&type=Live with Dick Knapinski and RJ Gamble on the call.
Series Record: Lawrence holds a 62-38-5 advantage over Beloit in one of the oldest series on the books for the Vikings. Lawrence and Beloit have been playing since 1899, and Ripon is the only other Midwest Conference rival with a longer series against the Vikings. The teams have split the last two meetings, and Lawrence is 4-2 against the Bucs since 2016.

Coach: Tony Aker (UW-Stevens Point 2012) is in his fourth season at Lawrence and has a record of 2-22-0 (.083).

Fast Facts: Lawrence is 40-35 in homecoming games since 1946. The last Lawrence victory in a homecoming game was a 21-13 triumph over Beloit in 2014. ... A pair of celebrations will take place Saturday around the game. ... Prior to kickoff, Lawrence will honor former great Joe Patterson when his No. 71 is retired. Patterson, a great offensive tackle during his Lawrence career who went on to play in the NFL, joins Chuck McKee (22) and Scott Reppert (35) as players to have their number retired. ... At halftime, the seven 2023 inductees into the Lawrence Hall of Fame will be introduced. Included in that group is Justin Berrens, a star running back for the Vikings in the early 2000s. Berrens ranks third in Lawrence history in career rushing yards behind only Reppert and Brad Olson and is the last Viking to earn Wisconsin Private College Player of the Year honors. ... Rookie defensive back Kolbe Gelvin posted his second double-digit tackle game of the season with 13 stops against Lake Forest. He posted a season-best 20 tackles against Monmouth. ... Sophomore linebacker Jon Pasquarello recorded his first career interception when he picked off Lake Forest quarterback Tre Stewart at the Lawrence one-yard line and returned the ball out to the Lawrence 34. Pasquarello finished the game with four tackles.   


WOMEN'S SOCCER (3-5-3, 2-1-1 MWC)
Lawrence at Illinois College
When and Where: Saturday, Oct. 14, 5:30 p.m., England Stadium, Jacksonville, Ill.  
Webcast: https://illinoiscollegeathletics.com/watch/?Live=192&type=Live 
Live Stats: https://illinoiscollegeathletics.com/sidearmstats/wsoc/summary
Series Record: Lawrence holds a 19-4-1 advantage over Illinois College in a series that started in 1997. The Vikings have won the last three meetings with the Lady Blues.

Coach: Joe Sagar (McKendree 2012) is in his sixth season at Lawrence and has a record of 32-49-4 (.400).   

Fast Facts: Lawrence is looking to bounce back from a tough pair of Midwest Conference games. The Vikings had multiple scoring chances but couldn't cash in in a 0-0 tie with Beloit and then gave up a late goal in a 2-1 setback at Lake Forest. The Vikings are still in fourth place with seven points, just one point from third place and three points from first. ... Junior forward Cambrie Rickard scored her first goal of the season at Lake Forest. Rickard is coming back from an injury suffered late in the 2022 season, which saw her earn Midwest Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors.


MEN'S SOCCER (0-7-4, 0-2-2 MWC)
Lawrence at Illinois College
When and Where: Saturday, Oct. 14, 8 p.m., England Stadium, Jacksonville, Ill. 
Webcast: https://illinoiscollegeathletics.com/watch/?Live=211&type=Live
Live Stats: https://illinoiscollegeathletics.com/sidearmstats/msoc/summary
Series Record: Lawrence holds a 16-8-1 lead over Illinois College in a series that started in 1997. The Vikings have won the last three games against the Blueboys.

Coach: Will Greer (Marian 2003), the 2021 Midwest Conference Coach of the Year, is in his eighth season at Lawrence and has a record of 29-71-12 (.313). 

Fast Facts: The Vikings are playing a very rare (likely the first time ever) 8 p.m. road start due to Illinois College's football game. With a tripleheader scheduled on Saturday, the Vikings' soccer games in Jacksonville have been moved back from their normal afternoon start times. ... A rare red card was handed out to the Beloit goalkeeper last week, and it likely prevented a Lawrence victory. Beloit goalkeeper Brock Bidwell tackled Lawrence forward Evan Toth and prevented what was likely a certain goal. Even though Beloit played a man down, the Bucs hung for a 1-1 tie. ... Toth scored his first collegiate goal in the tie with Beloit.