Four different Aussies found the back of the net last week, and even at this early stage it is already looking like an exciting season could be emerging in NCAA Division I. Amongst other intriguing matchups, this week sees Molly Arens attempt to help keep Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s strong start going, whilst Aimee Medwin and Long Beach State look to pick up a first win as they continue an extremely challenging non-conference slate.
A win over #9 Michigan capped an outstanding first week for Butler, and Claire Farrington will be hoping to play a major part once again as the Bulldogs take on another Big Ten school in Illinois on Friday morning. Butler will be confident of securing victory against a team tipped to finish bottom of the Big Ten, but Illinois picked up two wins against reasonable opposition last week so are certainly riding high at this early stage. A goal and two clean sheets spelled a remarkable weekend for Farrington in Week 1, and with teammate Katie Soderstrom banging home goals for fun, Butler are turning into must-watch viewing from both an Australian and a neutral standpoint.
Molly Arens put together a stunning opening weekend, leading Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to a pair of wins with a goal and two assists, and the Islanders will consider themselves a chance to move to 4-0 as they take on Texas State and Prairie View A&M. Texas State are tabbed to finish midtable in the Sun Belt and are also coming off two wins last weekend, giving Texas A&M-Corpus Christi a solid challenge in their first game of the weekend before taking on a Prairie View A&M side that finds itself in an interesting place. Conference championship-winning coach Sonia Curvelo resigned over the offseason and the team’s first game was cancelled, so whilst the Panthers are coming off an outstanding 2021 campaign, everything is slightly up in the air at the moment. There is likely to be little compassion for their situation from Arens and the Islanders though, who will be hoping to take a second win over a SWAC team this season after defeating Texas Southern last week.
Oregon and their Aussie contingent of Isabel Rolley and Lara Kirkby, plus assistant coach Rachael Doyle, picked up a win over New Mexico State in their opener but could only secure a draw against San Francisco last week. In their only game this week, the Ducks travel to another WCC opponent for a tough non-conference game against Gonzaga. More known as a basketball school, Gonzaga’s women’s soccer program is on the rise but fell to Pittsburgh and lost to Creighton on the opening weekend. Nonetheless, Oregon will be better for the challenge provided by the Zags, and Isabel Rolley will be crucial to the Ducks’ chances of coming away with a win. The USC transfer was ever-present in the backline in Week 1, whilst hopefully Lara Kirkby can turn a pair of short cameos into some more extended playing time, both this week and as the season progresses.
Long Beach State have scheduled a non-conference gauntlet this season, and after a draw with Pacific and narrow loss to USC in Week 1, things don’t get much easier for Aimee Medwin’s side in Week 2. San Diego State knocked off Nebraska before dismantling Idaho 7-2 in Week 1, whilst Fresno State and Air Force provided only token resistance to a Washington side that banged home eight goals on the opening weekend and kept two clean sheets. There is no doubting that both of these teams will provide Long Beach State with a stern test, but Medwin and Beach will be hungry for a first win of the season as they look to build towards a return to Big West championship glory.
Iona Snape and Siena were tested during an opening weekend that comprised a loss to Central Connecticut State and a draw with Holy Cross, and the challenges keep coming in Week 2 with ACC team Syracuse on the schedule for this week alongside New Hampshire. Coincidentally, New Hampshire fell to a 2-1 loss to Syracuse on the opening day of the season, so Siena’s result against Wildcats could provide some insight as to their chances against the Orange later in the weekend. Syracuse will also be hurting from dropping a 6-0 result to high-flying UConn last week, so it will be interesting to see how they come out this weekend. Iona Snape looked highly assured in midfield throughout Week 1, starting both games, and with the New Hampshire game available for free in Australia, that game might be one to set aside time to watch.
Finally, we also have two potential Aussie v Aussie matchups this week, and both are battles between in-state rivals. Emma Bates missed out last week due to a slight injury but could be back this weekend to face South Australian junior Caitlin Le Roux as Louisiana head north to face Louisiana Tech. Meanwhile, Amy Sayer and Stanford will make the short trip into the city to face a San Francisco side featuring Ashley Jordan. Both Stanford and San Francisco find themselves in good form, so this could be a highly entertaining matchup.
Full Schedule
(All Times AEST)
Alabama State (Madison Chambers, Grace Norbury)
This week: v Jacksonville – 9am, Saturday August 27; v Presbyterian – 4am, Monday August 29
Butler (Claire Farrington)
This week: v Illinois – 10am, Friday August 26
Coastal Carolina (Asha McClurg)
This week: @ UNC Wilmington – 9am, Monday August 29
Creighton (Renée Pountney)
This week: v Kansas City – 6am, Friday August 26; v Iowa State – 6am, Monday August 29
Denver (Isabella Chidiac)
This week: @ Utah – 11am, Friday August 26; v Arizona State – 4am, Monday August 29
DePaul (Katie Godden)
This week: @ Illinois-Chicago – 9am, Friday August 26; @ Iowa – 4am, Monday August 29
Eastern Illinois (Belinda Stojcevski)
This week: @ Indiana State – 9am, Friday August 26; @ Illinois-Chicago – 4am, Monday August 29
Hawai’i (Eliza Ammendolia)
This week: v Seattle – 3pm, Friday August 26; v Nicholls State – 10am, Monday August 29
Kent State (Lua Suero)
This week: @ Dayton – 3am, Friday August 26; @ Pitt – 9am, Monday August 29
La Salle (Courtney Butlion)
This week: v Saint Francis (PA) – 8am, Friday August 26; v James Madison – 8am, Monday August 29
Long Beach State (Aimee Medwin)
This week: v San Diego State – 12pm, Friday August 26; v Washington – 6am, Monday August 29
Long Island (Isabella Stein)
This week: v Saint Peter’s – 7am, Friday August 26; @ Stony Brook – 4am, Monday August 29
Louisiana (Emma Bates)
This week: v Houston – 10am, Friday August 26; @ Louisiana Tech – 4am, Monday August 29
Louisiana Tech (Caitlin Le Roux)
This week: v Abilene Christian – 10am, Saturday August 27; v Louisiana – 4am, Monday August 29
Massachusetts (Hannah Peric)
This week: @ Pitt – 7am, Friday August 26; @ Robert Morris – 3am, Monday August 29
Oral Roberts (Layla Lopez)
This week: v Central Arkansas – 8am, Monday August 29
Oregon (Lara Kirkby, Isabel Rolley)
This week: @ Gonzaga – 12pm, Sunday August 28
Rider (Eloise Jones)
This week: @ Villanova – 6am, Friday August 29; @ Delaware State – 4am, Monday August 29
San Francisco (Ashley Jordan)
This week: v Stanford – 12pm, Friday August 26; @ UC Davis – 10am, Monday August 29
Santa Clara (Holly Furphy)
This week: @ TCU – 10am, Friday August 26; v UCLA – 6am, Monday August 29
Seton Hall (Grace Mitchell, Sarah Mitchell)
This week: v NJIT – 6am, Friday August 26; v Saint Joseph’s – 3am, Monday August 29
Siena (Iona Snape)
This week: @ New Hampshire – 8am, Friday August 26; @ Syracuse – 3am, Monday August 29
Southern Illinois (Chantelle Symes)
This week: @ Missouri – 10am, Friday August 26
St. Francis Brooklyn (Chloe Walker)
This week: v Hartford – 5am, Friday August 26; v Iona – 3am, Monday August 29
Stanford (Amy Sayer)
This week: @ San Francisco – 12pm, Friday August 26; v UC Santa Barbara – 6am, Monday August 29
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Molly Arens)
This week: v Texas State – 10am, Friday August 26; v Prairie View A&M – 4am, Monday August 29
UAB (Abbey Burns)
This week: v Kennesaw State – 10am, Friday August 26; v Memphis – 10am, Monday August 29
UMBC (Isobel Davy, Annaliese Grove)
This week: v Wagner – 8am, Friday August 26; @ VMI – 4am, Sunday August 28
UNC Asheville (Jasmine Barry)
This week: @ The Citadel – 6am, Friday August 26; v South Carolina State – 6:30am, Monday August 29
USC (Talia Grossman)
This week: No games.
UTRGV (Dani Rutstein, Caitlin Webster)
This week: v Kansas State – 10:30am, Friday August 26; v TCU – 4am, Monday August 29
VCU (Greta Kraszula)
This week: v UNC Wilmington – 9am, Friday August 26; v UNC Greensboro – 8:30am, Monday August 29
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