We’re in for a great week in Week 4, with plenty of big-name matchups. Amy Sayer and Stanford will take on Northwestern as well as Katie Godden’s DePaul, whilst Greta Kraszula’s VCU and Courtney Butlion’s La Salle both take on teams sitting in the top ten of the national rankings.
Amy Sayer and Stanford have been flying high this season, rising to #6 in the national rankings, and this week sees the Cardinal face a pair of highly-rated opponents as they head to Chicago to face Northwestern and DePaul. Stanford are sitting pretty at 5-0 and have conceded just two goals this season, but Northwestern also have a healthy 4-1-1 record which includes a win over nationally ranked Xavier. Meanwhile, DePaul may sit at 1-3 currently, but their schedule to this date will leave them battle-hardened, whilst Australian sophomore Katie Godden has only featured in two games so far. Whilst the Blue Demons’ record may not make for great reading, they are certainly a better team than their record suggests, and Stanford should return from the Windy City with two solid hitouts under their belt. The Cardinal will be hoping those tussles result in Ws, too.
Meanwhile, Greta Kraszula’s minutes have been increasing throughout the last couple of weeks, and the timing couldn’t be more perfect as VCU take on in-state rivals and national powerhouse program Virginia. The Rams may not be playing Uno, but they have drawn four in just six games, giving them a record that features just one loss in six games, but also just one win, and playing the #5 team in the nation won’t make things any easier. However, Kraszula looks as though her time at Indy Eleven and with the Young Matildas at the Under 20 World Cup has done her the world of good, and considering the sophomore made just six appearances last season, it is almost like having a new player for VCU at this stage.
Over on the west coast, we will see an Aussie v Aussie matchup as Oregon face off against Santa Clara. Like VCU, Oregon have drawn plenty this season, sitting at 1-1-3 through five games after falling 3-1 to Boise State last week whilst significantly shorthanded. Isabel Rolley was one of those players missing, but Lara Kirkby stepped up in a big way for the Ducks and will be hoping that her increased playing time will continue if and when the recently unavailable players return. Meanwhile, Santa Clara have struggled to start the season, sitting at 1-4, but there is too much class in this Broncos team for them not to turn things around. Holly Furphy has started in four of Santa Clara’s five games, so this game between two teams desperately looking to pick up a second win could well see plenty of Australian highlights.
Meanwhile, Courtney Butlion and La Salle face #6 Rutgers as the Explorers put their impressive 5-1 record on the line as they head north to New Jersey. The Scarlet Knights currently sit 6-0 and banged home 10 goals against Temple and Princeton last week, so the Explorers will need to be at their best if they are to maintain their undefeated record. Butlion is one La Salle player who has been in especially good form, forcing her way into the starting lineup after some outstanding performances off the bench, and a goal or assist against a team such as Rutgers would only add to her growing confidence.
Full Schedule
(All Times AEST)
Alabama State (Madison Chambers, Grace Norbury)
This week: @ Jacksonville State – 10am, Saturday September 10; v Faulkner – 5am, Monday September 12
Butler (Claire Farrington)
This week: v Dayton – 9am, Friday September 9; @ Northwestern – 5am, Monday September 12
Coastal Carolina (Asha McClurg)
This week: @ Charlotte – 9am, Friday September 9; @ Stetson – 8am, Monday September 12
Creighton (Renée Pountney)
This week: v Colorado College – 7:30am, Saturday September 10; @ South Dakota State – 4am, Monday September 12
Denver (Isabella Chidiac)
This week: @ San Jose State – 11:30am, Friday September 9; @ Colorado State – 7am, Monday September 12
DePaul (Katie Godden)
This week: @ Loyola Chicago – 10am, Friday September 9; v Stanford – 4am, Monday September 12
Hawai’i (Eliza Ammendolia)
This week: @ Portland State – 6am, Friday September 9
Kent State (Lua Suero)
This week: @ Youngstown State – 9am, Friday September 9; @ Ohio State – 8am, Monday September 12
La Salle (Courtney Butlion)
This week: @ Rutgers – 9am, Friday September 9
Long Beach State (Aimee Medwin)
This week: @ Harvard – 9am, Friday September 9
Long Island (Isabella Stein)
This week: @ Dartmouth – 9am, Friday September 9; v VMI – 5am, Sunday September 11
Louisiana (Emma Bates)
This week: @ Idaho – 11am, Saturday September 10; @ Eastern Washington – 6am, Monday September 12
Louisiana Tech (Caitlin Le Roux)
This week: @ Little Rock – 9am, Saturday September 10
Massachusetts (Hannah Peric)
This week: v Boston University – 6am, Friday September 9; @ Harvard – 3am, Monday September 12
Oral Roberts (Layla Lopez)
This week: v Arkansas-Pine Bluff – 10am, Friday September 9; v Oklahoma – 8am, Monday September 12
Oregon (Lara Kirkby, Isabel Rolley)
This week: v Santa Clara – 11am, Friday September 9; @ Hofstra – 9am, Monday September 12
Rider (Eloise Jones)
This week: @ Fairleigh Dickinson – 9am, Friday September 9; @ St. Francis Brooklyn – 3am, Monday September 12
Sam Houston State (Cameron Barreiro)
This week: No games.
San Francisco (Ashley Jordan)
This week: v Baylor – 9am, Friday September 9; v SMU – 6am, Monday September 12
Santa Clara (Holly Furphy)
This week: @ Oregon – 11am, Friday September 9; v California – 6am, Monday September 12
Seton Hall (Grace Mitchell, Sarah Mitchell)
This week: @ Lafayette – 9am, Friday September 9; @ Iona – 3am, Monday September 12
Siena (Iona Snape)
This week: v Lehigh – 6am, Friday September 9
Southern Illinois (Chantelle Symes)
This week: v SIU Edwardsville – 9am, Friday September 9; @ Southeast Missouri State – 4am, Monday September 12
St. Francis Brooklyn (Chloe Walker)
This week: v Rider – 3am, Monday September 12
Stanford (Amy Sayer)
This week: @ Northwestern – 10am, Friday September 9; @ DePaul – 4am, Monday September 12
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Molly Arens)
This week: @ Lamar – 4am, Monday September 12
UAB (Abbey Burns)
This week: v Samford – 10am, Friday September 9; @ Tennessee Tech – 4am, Monday September 12
UMBC (Isobel Davy, Annaliese Grove)
This week: @ Marist – 9am, Friday September 9; @ Robert Morris – 3am, Monday September 12
UNC Asheville (Jasmine Barry)
This week: @ Davidson – 9am, Friday September 9; @ East Tennessee State – 9am, Monday September 12
USC (Talia Grossman)
This week: @ Cal State Northridge – 12pm, Friday September 9; @ Nebraska – 4am, Monday September 12
UTRGV (Dani Rutstein, Caitlin Webster)
This week: @ Texas – 4am, Monday September 12
VCU (Greta Kraszula)
This week: v Pittsburgh – 9am, Friday September 9; @ Virginia – 4am, Monday September 12
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