The usual suspects continue to produce in 2022, with Molly Arens and Amy Sayer once again instrumental in their teams’ success in Week 5. Elsewhere, we saw one player make their NCAA Division I debut and another score a long-awaited first collegiate goal.
Molly Arens has been unbelievably instrumental for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in 2022, and absolutely nothing changed in Week 5. The junior was crucial to the Islanders coming away from the weekend with a pair of wins, notching a goal and two assists across the weekend. However, that goal proved to be the most important of the weekend for the Islanders. Having opened the scoring on a penalty in the final minute before halftime, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi had allowed an equaliser on the hour mark and as time ticked down, a draw increasingly became the most likely result. However, Arens was having none of that as the Novocastrian slotted from close range with just six minutes remaining to deliver the Islanders victory.
Things were slightly easier against Incarnate Word later in the week, with both of Arens’ assists coming inside the first 17 minutes. The Islanders took a 4-0 lead into the halftime interval, and although Incarnate Word tallied a response early in the second half, the scoring would wrap up with still almost 40 minutes to play as Arens and her team emerged with a 4-1 victory.
The assists also continued to flow for Amy Sayer as Stanford dominated San Diego before somehow pulling out a draw against Santa Clara after falling in a 2-0 hole. With Stanford 4-0 up against San Diego, Sayer’s pinpoint pass for Logan Smith resulted in a career-first goal for the freshman as the Sydneysider’s accuracy in the build-up would not go to waste courtesy of a calm finish.
However, Sayer’s assist against Santa Clara proved vital as Stanford looked to pull themselves back from an early 2-0 deficit. Turning on a dime, Sayer played a perfect pass for Samantha Williams, who took a touch before burying the finish to cut the deficit in half just over 10 minutes before halftime. However, it would take until the 89th minute for the Cardinal to register an equaliser, with Jasmine Aikey’s pinpoint free kick nestling in the corner of the net to leave the Cardinal singing and dancing in the rain at Stevens Stadium.
Katie Godden also proved instrumental in attack this week as DePaul dominated in the opening 45 minutes on their way to a 3-1 win over Lindenwood. Encouragingly, the two assists came in vastly different ways. The first, in just the fifth minute, came courtesy of a pinpoint cross that was headed home by Sydney Parker. The second, however, was a delightful through ball that allowed Susie Soderstrom to round the Lindenwood goalkeeper and put the Blue Demons up 2-0 inside half an hour. DePaul would add a third before the break, and despite a Lindenwood goal early in the second half, the team from Chicago was rarely threatened and victory never looked in serious doubt.
Meanwhile, it appears that the east coast is quickly becoming the domain of Australian defensive players. The much-anticipated matchup between Hannah Peric and Greta Kraszula in the Atlantic 10 opener finished 1-1, with both players heavily involved. Peric saw 57 minutes of action, whilst Kraszula tallied a pair of shots in a full 90 minutes of action, a stat line the Young Matilda would repeat in a 1-1 draw with Rhode Island later in the week. Meanwhile, Annaliese Grove also played the full 90 minutes on both occasions this week as UMBC fell to Towson before securing a draw with Vermont later in the week.
Staying on the east coast, another Australian made their NCAA Division I debut as Chloe Walker earned her first appearance for St. Francis Brooklyn during their match against Merrimack. Although the Terriers fell to a 2-1 loss, the match will still have been memorable for Walker as the freshman played the entire second half of her first college game.
Finally, and this may have happened during midweek play, but it is certainly worth mentioning that San Francisco forward Ashley Jordan picked up the first goal of her college career as the Dons knocked off UC San Diego to the tune of a 4-1 scoreline. As UC San Diego failed to clear a corner, Jordan was quickest to react in the goal-line scramble, poking the ball home to round out an impressive 31 minutes on the pitch that included a couple of shots on target. With six appearances in 2022, Jordan has already equalled her mark from 2021 and that number only looks set to grow throughout the rest of the campaign.
Complete Results
Alabama State (Madison Chambers, Grace Norbury)
This week: defeated South Carolina State 2-0
Madison Chambers and Grace Norbury both came off the bench in Alabama State’s win over South Carolina State. Chambers tallied a shot on target in 52 minutes of action, whilst three of Norbury’s four shots tested the goalkeeper in 71 minutes of playing time.
Butler (Claire Farrington)
This week: drew 2-2 with Ball State
Claire Farrington came off the bench for Butler in their draw with Ball State, registering a shot in her 52 minutes on the pitch.
Coastal Carolina (Asha McClurg)
This week: lost 1-0 to James Madison
Asha McClurg did not feature for Coastal Carolina in their loss to James Madison.
Creighton (Renée Pountney)
This week: No games.
Denver (Isabella Chidiac)
This week: lost 2-0 to Colorado
Isabella Chidiac did not feature for Denver in their loss to Colorado.
DePaul (Katie Godden)
This week: defeated Lindenwood 3-1
Katie Godden started for DePaul in their win over Lindenwood, tallying a pair of assists and a couple of shots in 70 minutes of action.
Hawai’i (Eliza Ammendolia)
This week: defeated UC Davis 1-0
Eliza Ammendolia started for Hawai’i and played 71 minutes in the win over UC Davis.
Kent State (Lua Suero)
This week: No games.
La Salle (Courtney Butlion)
This week: lost 4-1 to Saint Louis; lost 2-1 to Loyola Chicago
Courtney Butlion started and played 37 minutes in La Salle’s loss to Saint Louis, before coming off the bench to play 21 minutes against Loyola Chicago.
Long Beach State (Aimee Medwin)
This week: lost 2-0 to Pepperdine; drew 2-2 with UC Riverside
Aimee Medwin played the full 90 minutes for Long Beach State on both occasions this week, tallying two shots in the loss to Pepperdine.
Long Island (Isabella Stein)
This week: lost 2-1 to Central Connecticut State; drew 0-0 with Sacred Heart
Isabella Stein came off the bench to play 16 minutes in Long Island’s loss to Central Connecticut State, but did not feature in the draw with Sacred Heart.
Louisiana (Emma Bates)
This week: lost 1-0 to Old Dominion
Emma Bates did not feature for Louisiana in their loss to Old Dominion.
Louisiana Tech (Caitlin Le Roux)
This week: defeated Western Kentucky 1-0; drew 2-2 with UTEP
Caitlin Le Roux did not feature for Louisiana Tech in their win over Western Kentucky, but came off the bench for a five-minute cameo against UTEP.
Massachusetts (Hannah Peric)
This week: drew 1-1 with VCU; defeated Davidson 3-1
Hannah Peric started both games for Massachusetts this week, playing 57 minutes against VCU and 77 minutes in the win over Davidson.
Oral Roberts (Layla Lopez)
This week: defeated Mid-America Christian 4-1; lost 1-0 to Tulsa
Layla Lopez came off the bench to play 19 minutes in Oral Roberts’ win over Mid-America Christian, but did not feature in the loss to Tulsa.
Oregon (Lara Kirkby, Isabel Rolley)
This week: drew 1-1 with Portland
Isabel Rolley played the full 90 minutes for Oregon in their draw with Portland, whilst Lara Kirkby did not feature for the Ducks in their only game of the weekend.
Rider (Eloise Jones)
This week: lost 2-1 to Canisius
Eloise Jones did not feature in Rider’s loss to Canisius.
Sam Houston State (Cameron Barreiro)
This week: lost 3-0 to Seattle; lost 1-0 to Utah Valley
Cameron Barreiro did not feature for Sam Houston State on either occasion this week.
San Francisco (Ashley Jordan)
This week: defeated Cal State Fullerton 2-1
Ashley Jordan came off the bench to play 16 minutes in San Francisco’s win over Cal State Fullerton.
Santa Clara (Holly Furphy)
This week: drew 2-2 with Stanford
Holly Furphy did not feature for Santa Clara in their draw with Stanford.
Seton Hall (Grace Mitchell, Sarah Mitchell)
This week: defeated Columbia 3-0
Sarah Mitchell started for Seton Hall in their win over Columbia, playing 62 minutes. Grace Mitchell came off the bench to play 27 minutes.
Siena (Iona Snape)
This week: lost 3-0 to Fairfield
Iona Snape started for Siena in their loss to Fairfield, playing 38 minutes and registering a shot.
Southern Illinois (Chantelle Symes)
This week: drew 2-2 with Drake
Chantelle Symes did not feature in Southern Illinois’ draw with Drake.
St. Francis Brooklyn (Chloe Walker)
This week: lost 2-1 to Merrimack
Chloe Walker made her debut for St. Francis in their loss to Merrimack, playing the entire second half in her maiden appearance for the Terriers.
Stanford (Amy Sayer)
This week: defeated San Diego 5-0; drew 2-2 with Santa Clara
Amy Sayer saw 38 minutes of action off the bench in both games this week, finishing with six shots and an assist against San Diego and another assist alongside a shot on target in the draw with Santa Clara.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Molly Arens)
This week: defeated Houston Baptist 2-1; defeated Incarnate Word 4-1
Molly Arens started both games for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi this week, scoring the winner in a 60-minute outing against Houston Baptist and tallying two assists in 53 minutes of action against Incarnate Word.
UAB (Abbey Burns)
This week: defeated Middle Tennessee State 2-1
Abbey Burns started for UAB in their win over Middle Tennessee State, registering a shot on target in her 79 minutes on the pitch.
UMBC (Isobel Davy, Annaliese Grove)
This week: lost 2-0 to Towson; drew 0-0 with Vermont
Annaliese Grove played the full 90 minutes for UMBC on both occasions this week, however Isobel Davy did not feature on either occasion.
UNC Asheville (Jasmine Barry)
This week: No games.
USC (Talia Grossman)
This week: defeated UC Irvine 3-2
Talia Grossman did not feature for USC this week.
UTRGV (Dani Rutstein, Caitlin Webster)
This week: lost 2-1 to Southern Utah; lost 1-0 to Utah Tech
Caitlin Webster came off the bench for UTRGV on both occasions this week, playing six minutes against Southern Utah and five minutes against Utah Tech. Dani Rutstein did not feature in either contest this week.
VCU (Greta Kraszula)
This week: drew 1-1 with Massachusetts; drew 1-1 with Rhode Island
Greta Kraszula was ever-present for VCU this week, playing the full 90 minutes on both occasions and registering two shots against Rhode Island.
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