(Image Credit: Stanford Athletics)
Beattie Goad has put together a flying start to the season, and will attempt to keep things going in the same direction as Stanford take on a San Francisco side against whom they have had plenty of recent success. Having renewed their rivalry for the first time in a decade in 2017, Stanford have well and truly had the wood over the Dons, winning 8-0 in 2017 before following up with a 5-1 victory last season. Goad started both of those games, and tallied 4 shots in last year’s game, but did not actually have a hand in any of the 13 goals her team scored across those two games. However, this season is a different matter, with Goad having already contributed a goal and two assists in 2019 as the senior from Melbourne positions herself as an integral member of the Cardinal lineup.
Senior Night was once reserved for the final home game of a team’s season, but in recent years an increasing number of teams have moved the occasion to an earlier point in the season, and Demi Koulizakis will be celebrating her career prior to this weekend’s home game against in-state opponent Abilene Christian. Koulizakis’ form to start the season has been electric, and we could very well see the pre-game celebrations extend into the match itself, although the Wildcats could prove a tricky opponent after winning three of their first four matches. Nonetheless, the Red Raiders will be hot favourites even against an Abilene Christian side growing in confidence, and it would not be a surprise at all to see Koulizakis add a goal or assist to her season stats.
Teagan Micah broke the Pac-12 record with her eighth Goalkeeper of the Week award for her efforts against Florida State and Florida, and the senior will get another chance to test herself against high quality opposition as #2 UCLA travel north to the Bay Area to face a Santa Clara that has been free-flowing in attack but let down by its defence in falling to a 1-3 record at this early stage. Despite falling out of the Top 25 rankings, the Broncos still possess an attack that can pose the UCLA defence problems, having scored 9 goals in their first 4 games, putting 2 past #12 Duke in an overtime defeat last week. However, with Micah between the sticks, a UCLA back line that gives up very few shots on target in the first place can be confident that the ones that do slip through will be handled with ease on the majority of occasions. We may also see Rachel Lowe return to the pitch for the Bruins after being an unused substitute on both occasions last week, with the rotation likely to be slightly longer in this contest than it had been against the likes of defending national champions Florida State.
Rhode Island’s two wins in three games to open the season is already two more than the Rams picked up last week, and this week sees Teresa Morrissey’s side take on Pittsburgh in a battle of teams looking to make vast improvements on last season’s performance. Pittsburgh picked up just four wins in 2018, and whilst the Panthers may play in one of the toughest conferences in the nation in the ACC, that doesn’t guarantee success against mid-major schools. Rhode Island will fancy their chances in this one, with Pittsburgh’s leaky defence perhaps providing the Rams an opportunity to finally hit some decent scoring form, with all three of their matches finishing 1-0 one way or the other. However, they’ll still need to keep Pittsburgh at bay, and with Morrissey conceding just a single goal in her first three appearances, the freshman’s form could prove crucial in helping the Rams move to 3-1.
Siena Senatore has been ever-present for Southeast Missouri State in her return campaign after two seasons away from the game, and whilst last week’s games against SEC opponents Mississippi and Arkansas proved a tough occasion for the Redhawks’ defence, they get the chance to return to form against a pair of mid-majors this week. Heading on the road to face Evansville, Senatore and her teammates have a chance to rebound against a team that is yet to secure a win in a competitive fixture this year and scored just two goals in their three games to this point. Arkansas State will likely provide a sterner test than Evansville, with the Red Wolves having picked up wins over Kansas State and Central Arkansas in their opening two fixtures. However, both of these games are eminently winnable fixtures, and with Senatore shoring up the defence, the Redhawks can be confident that leaking goals won’t be an issue.
Finally, we have the chance to be treated to a pair of Aussie v Aussie matchups as Eden Taylor-Wineera and North Dakota State host Hawaii’s trio of Eliza Ammendolia, Kiri Dale, and assistant coach Rachael Doyle before Sarah Clark and Chicago State roll into town for a Sunday afternoon fixture. Taylor-Wineera has seen brief cameos off the bench in the last couple of games, whilst Ammendolia has been steadily forcing her way into the Hawaii lineup. Meanwhile, Clark tallied a trio of shots in Chicago State’s loss to Louisiana-Lafayette last week, leaving Aussie fans with plenty of players to watch as they build towards conference play.
Full Schedule
Alabama State (Sophie Bui)
This week: @ UAB – 10am, Friday September 6; v Jacksonville State – 4am, Monday September 9
Chicago State (Sarah Clark)
This week: @ North Dakota – 6am, Saturday September 7; @ North Dakota State – 4am, Monday September 9
East Tennessee State (D’arne Boato)
This week: @ Navy – 9am, Saturday September 7; @ Delaware State – 3am, Monday September 9
Fairleigh Dickinson (Sam Roff)
This week: v Monmouth – 9am, Saturday September 7; @ William & Mary – 3am, Monday September 9
Grand Canyon (Sandra Hill)
This week: v Northern Colorado – 12pm, Friday September 6; v Colorado State – 12pm, Monday September 9
Hawaii (Eliza Ammendolia, Kiri Dale)
This week: @ North Dakota State – 10am, Saturday September 7; @ North Dakota – 7am, Monday September 9
Hofstra (Monique Iannella, Grace Watson Carr)
This week: @ Rutgers – 9am, Friday September 6; @ Stony Brook – 3am, Monday September 9
Illinois (Ashleigh Lefevre)
This week: @ Illinois State – 9am, Monday September 9
La Salle (Claudia Jenkins, Alyssa Van Heurck)
This week: @ Florida Gulf Coast – 9am, Friday September 6; @ St. John’s – 3am, Monday September 9
LSU (Caitlin Cantrill)
This week: v North Carolina – 6:30am, Friday September 6; v Duke – 3:30am, Monday September 9
Marshall (Laura Farrelly)
This week: @ Lipscomb – 7:30am, Saturday September 7; @ Vanderbilt – 5:30am, Monday September 9
Mississippi (Aimee Medwin)
This week: @ Western Kentucky – 10am, Friday September 6; @ Murray State – 5am, Monday September 9
Nicholls State (Tessa Calabria, Kristy Helmers, Shauni Reid)
This week: @ Prairie View A&M – 4am, Monday September 9
North Dakota State (Eden Taylor-Wineera)
This week: v Hawaii – 10am, Saturday September 7; v Chicago State – 4am, Monday September 9
Old Dominion (Gaby Bentley)
This week: v Longwood – 9am, Friday September 6; @ VCU – 7am, Monday September 9
Rhode Island (Teresa Morrissey)
This week: @ Pittsburgh – 7am, Saturday September 7; v Sacred Heart – 3am, Monday September 9
Southeast Missouri State (Siena Senatore)
This week: @ Evansville – 10am, Saturday September 7
Stanford (Beattie Goad)
This week: @ San Francisco – 10am, Monday September 9
Texas Tech (Demi Koulizakis)
This week: v Abilene Christian – 10am, Saturday September 7; v Arkansas State – 4am, Monday September 9
UCLA (Rachel Lowe, Teagan Micah)
This week: @ Santa Clara – 12:30pm, Friday September 6
UMBC (Abi Jordan, Teal Kilbride)
This week: @ Towson – 6am, Friday September 6
Western Carolina (Kate Swartwout)
This week: @ Davidson – 9am, Friday September 6; @ Charlotte – 3am, Monday September 9
Wyoming (Indianna Asimus)
This week: v Baylor – 8am, Saturday September 7; v Idaho State – 5am, Monday September 9
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