The usual suspects were at it again this week, but not always in the way you would expect. Of course, Katie Godden was among the goals once again, but another player more known for their defensive capabilities picked up their first collegiate goal to provide another highlight for the week.
Katie Godden has been in outstanding scoring form of late, and this week finally saw the DePaul striker rewarded with a win to go with her goals as the Blue Demons picked up their first points in Big East play for 2022. Whilst a perfectly positioned header against UConn shortly before halftime only cut into the deficit in an eventual 3-1 loss, things went much better against Seton Hall later in the week. A handball in the box from the Pirates saw Godden step to the penalty spot in the 18th minute, with the Australian Under 23 representative making no mistake from the spot. In a tight match that also saw Grace and Sarah Mitchell play significant roles for Seton Hall, DePaul added a second goal ten minutes from time to secure victory in a match that was perhaps closer than a 2-0 scoreline suggests.
DePaul may not have picked up a win over UConn, but Claire Farrington’s Butler side did, and it was a particularly good day for the former Brisbane Roar defender. The Bulldogs’ defence kept a clean sheet, whilst Farrington played the full 90 minutes for the first time this season, and indeed the first time since a 2-1 defeat to Xavier in October 2021. Bouncing back from a loss to St. John’s earlier in the week, the win leaves Butler sitting in fifth position in the Big East, but just two points behind third place with three games to play.
Greta Kraszula recently picked up a first collegiate assist, and went one better this week as VCU moved into outright second position in the Atlantic 10. Having played her regulation 90 minutes in helping lead the Rams to a 1-0 win over Loyola Chicago, Kraszula was just as instrumental in a 4-2 win over Fordham in a battle of the Atlantic 10’s Rams teams. Fordham had scored the opener in the 14th minute before VCU responded just a minute later, but it was Kraszula’s touch that gave VCU the lead 10 minutes before halftime. Making a charging late run into the box, the Young Matildas representative just managed to slide in to get a toe on Anna Bagley’s pass and direct the ball past a sprawling Fordham goalkeeper. VCU would add two more before Fordham notched a consolation in the final minute of the game. VCU would score on four of their seven shots on target for a 4-2 win in a highly efficient shooting performance. The Rams trail league-leading Saint Louis by four points with three games to play, so their own regular season championship destiny is not in their own hands, but they remain in control of the chase for a top-two finish.
Long Beach State would no doubt have seen this week as a prime opportunity to pick up six points, and Aimee Medwin’s side were ruthless in dispatching of UC San Diego and Cal State Northridge. Medwin played the full 90 minutes in both games as Beach rolled UC San Diego 6-1 before following up with a 4-1 dismantling of Cal State Northridge. Beach now sit three points clear of Cal Poly and Cal State Fullerton with three games to play, and with a game against Cal Poly next week, they can eliminate one of the chasing pack with a win in that game and make the Big West regular season title fight a race in two.
In the race for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid, Oregon have a healthy RPI, but need to keep picking up results if they are to secure the .500 winning percentage required to maintain eligibility for one of those berths. A win over Washington State would have done wonders for both the Ducks’ winning percentage and their RPI ranking, and when they went 1-0 up just inside 10 minutes, Oregon had put themselves in the best possible position to secure victory. However, Washington State’s highly potent attack reeled off shot after shot, eventually finding the equaliser seven minutes after halftime. But Isabel Rolley and the Oregon defence held firm, with star goalkeeper Leah Freeman making ten saves, and the Ducks secured a 1-1 draw to move to 4-5-5 for the season. Rolley finished the game with a 75-minute performance under her belt as the grad transfer from USC continues her role as an integral part of the Ducks’ defence, whilst Lara Kirkby remained on the bench as an unused substitute.
Oregon must win at least one more game than they lose throughout the rest of the regular season, with five games left in the campaign. They face a mix of teams in the final three weeks of the season, facing three teams currently positioned above them in the Pac-12 standings and two that sit below them.
Complete Results
Alabama State (Madison Chambers, Grace Norbury)
This week: lost 1-0 to Jackson State; lost 2-0 to Southern
Grace Norbury started both games for Alabama State this week, playing 17 minutes against Jackson State and 60 minutes in the loss to Southern. Madison Chambers came off the bench in both games, playing 22 minutes against Jackson State and registering a shot on target in 30 minutes against Southern.
Butler (Claire Farrington)
This week: lost 3-1 to St. John’s; defeated Connecticut 2-0
Claire Farrington came off the bench for Butler to play 45 minutes in the Bulldogs’ loss to St. John’s, before playing the full 90 minutes in their win over Connecticut.
Coastal Carolina (Asha McClurg)
This week: lost 3-0 to Georgia Southern
Asha McClurg did not feature in Coastal Carolina’s loss to Georgia Southern.
Creighton (Renée Pountney)
This week: defeated Seton Hall 2-1
Renée Pountney did not feature in Creighton’s win over Seton Hall.
Denver (Isabella Chidiac)
This week: defeated Western Illinois 4-0; defeated St. Thomas 4-1
Isabella Chidiac played a pair of short cameos off the bench this week, with six minutes of playing time against Western Illinois and 4 minutes in the win over St. Thomas.
DePaul (Katie Godden)
This week: lost 3-1 to Connecticut; defeated Seton Hall 2-0
Katie Godden played the full 90 minutes and scored DePaul’s only goal against Connecticut before scoring the opener in an 80-minute outing in the win over Seton Hall.
Hawai’i (Eliza Ammendolia)
This week: drew 1-1 with Cal State Bakersfield
Eliza Ammendolia came off the bench in Hawai’i’s draw with Cal State Bakersfield, registering a shot on target in her 19 minutes of playing time.
Kent State (Lua Suero)
This week: defeated Bowling Green 1-0; drew 1-1 with Northern Illinois
Lua Suero started both games for Kent State this week, playing 71 minutes against Bowling Green and 59 minutes in the draw with Northern Illinois.
La Salle (Courtney Butlion)
This week: lost 2-0 to Richmond; defeated Saint Joseph’s 1-0
Courtney Butlion started and played 29 minutes in La Salle’s loss to Richmond, before playing 15 minutes off the bench against Saint Joseph’s.
Long Beach State (Aimee Medwin)
This week: defeated UC San Diego 6-1; defeated Cal State Northridge 4-1
Aimee Medwin was ever-present for Long Beach State this week, playing 90 minutes in each of her team’s victories.
Long Island (Isabella Stein)
This week: lost 3-0 to Fairleigh Dickinson
Isabella Stein came off the bench in Long Island’s loss to Fairleigh Dickinson, registering a shot on target in her 60 minutes on the pitch.
Louisiana (Emma Bates)
This week: defeated Louisiana-Monroe 3-0
Emma Bates played a single minute off the bench in Louisiana’s win over Louisiana-Monroe.
Louisiana Tech (Caitlin Le Roux)
This week: defeated Florida Atlantic 2-1
Caitlin Le Roux came off the bench to play 50 minutes in Louisiana Tech’s win over Florida Atlantic.
Massachusetts (Hannah Peric)
This week: defeated George Washington 2-1
Hannah Peric started for Massachusetts in their win over George Washington, playing 41 minutes.
Oral Roberts (Layla Lopez)
This week: lost 1-0 to South Dakota State; lost 2-1 to South Dakota
Layla Lopez came off the bench for Oral Roberts in both games this week, playing 3 minutes against South Dakota State and 14 minutes in the loss to South Dakota.
Lopez: off bench, 3 min v SDSU
Oregon (Lara Kirkby, Isabel Rolley)
This week: drew 1-1 with Washington State
Isabel Rolley played 74 minutes in Oregon’s draw with Washington State, whilst Lara Kirkby did not feature for the Ducks.
Rider (Eloise Jones)
This week: lost 1-0 to Niagara
Eloise Jones did not feature in Rider’s loss to Niagara.
Sam Houston State (Cameron Barreiro)
This week: lost 1-0 to New Mexico State
Cameron Barreiro did not feature in Sam Houston State’s loss to New Mexico State.
San Francisco (Ashley Jordan)
This week: drew 1-1 with Pepperdine
Ashley Jordan did not feature in San Francisco’s draw with Pepperdine.
Santa Clara (Holly Furphy)
This week: defeated Saint Mary’s 3-1
Holly Furphy did not feature in Santa Clara’s win over Saint Mary’s.
Seton Hall (Grace Mitchell, Sarah Mitchell)
This week: lost 2-1 to Creighton; lost 2-0 to DePaul
Grace Mitchell came off the bench to play 58 minutes against Creighton before starting and playing 38 minutes in the loss to DePaul. Sarah Mitchell came off the bench to play 57 minutes against Creighton, but registered a shot on target in her 79-minute performance after being elevated to the starting lineup against DePaul.
Siena (Iona Snape)
This week: lost 1-0 to Mount St. Mary’s
Iona Snape played 20 minutes off the bench in Iona’s loss to Mount St. Mary’s.
Southern Illinois (Chantelle Symes)
This week: defeated Murray State 1-0; defeated Illinois State 1-0
Chantelle Symes did not feature for Southern Illinois on either occasion this week.
St. Francis Brooklyn (Chloe Walker)
This week: lost 2-1 to Howard
Chloe Walker did not feature in St. Francis Brooklyn’s loss to Howard.
Stanford (Amy Sayer)
This week: defeated UCLA 1-0
Amy Sayer did not feature in Stanford’s win over #1 UCLA.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Molly Arens)
This week: lost 2-1 to Southeastern Louisiana; defeated Nicholls State 4-0
Molly Arens did not feature for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi as the midfielder continues to recover from a season-ending injury.
UAB (Abbey Burns)
This week: defeated Charlotte 2-0; defeated Western Kentucky 1-0
Abbey Burns: started and played 75 minutes against Charlotte, before playing 46 minutes off the bench in the win over Western Kentucky.
UMBC (Isobel Davy, Annaliese Grove)
This week: defeated NJIT 1-0; lost UMass Lowell 2-0
Annie Grove played the full 90 minutes for UMBC on both occasions this week, whilst Isobel Davy did not feature in either contest.
UNC Asheville (Jasmine Barry)
This week: defeated Longwood 3-1
Jasmine Barry did not feature in UNC Asheville’s win over Longwood.
USC (Talia Grossman)
This week: defeated California 2-0
Talia Grossman did not feature for USC in their win over California.
UTRGV (Dani Rutstein, Caitlin Webster)
This week: lost 6-1 to Utah Valley; lost 5-0 to Seattle
Caitlin Webster came off the bench in both games this week, playing 27 minutes against Utah Valley and 26 minutes in the loss to Seattle. Dani Rutstein also made two appearances off the bench, playing five minutes against Utah Valley and three minutes against Seattle.
VCU (Greta Kraszula)
This week: defeated Loyola Chicago 1-0; defeated Fordham 4-2
Greta Kraszula started both games for VCU this week, playing 90 minutes against Loyola Chicago and scoring a goal in her 86 minutes on the pitch against Fordham.
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