The first week of the NCAA Division I 2023 season was one of the most goal-laden in recent times as no fewer than six different Aussies hit the back of the net. These weren’t just any goals, though, as debutants and players returning from injury were among the scorers.
Holly Furphy’s freshman season was cruelly ended prematurely by the dreaded ACL injury, but the Young Matildas representative has already shown that she is returning to her best with a goal for Santa Clara in the season opener against San Jose State. Furphy swept home what proved to be the game-winner for her first collegiate goal in the 34th minute as the Broncos came away with a 2-1 victory. The Victorian played just the 18 minutes as she eases her way back into competition, before playing another half-hour off the bench in a 4-0 win over Oregon State in the team’s second game of the weekend.
Emma Bates’ weekend followed a similar script as Louisiana finished the weekend with a draw and a win. The midfielder came off the bench against Middle Tennessee State to play 49 minutes in a 1-1 draw, but it was in a 2-0 win over South Florida that Bates really shone. Like Furphy, Bates’ freshman season was interrupted by injury, but the former Northern Tigers midfielder directed a corner home in the 38th minute for the game-winner in the 2-0 victory as the Ragin Cajuns were outshot 14-12 by South Florida but put 6 shots on target to 2, resulting in the win.
Meanwhile, Meg Roden brought Young Matildas pedigree with her to High Point University, and immediately showed why with a goal on debut. With the Panthers down 2-1 heading into the final stages of the contest and a total of zero shots on target as an own goal represented their only tally of the match, Roden unleashed a shot from outside the area that nestled in the back of the net to tie things at 2-2, a scoreline that would hold until fulltime. Roden would then be elevated to the starting lineup for a game against Marshall later in the week, playing 40 minutes in a 1-0 defeat that saw High Point this time outshoot their opponents 17-9 with six on target, but unable to put the ball in the back of the net.
Fain Buete ➡️ Meg Roden 👏 #GoHPU pic.twitter.com/Q66giyw6oi
— HPU Women's Soccer (@hpu_wsoc) August 18, 2023
Highly touted coming out of the Football Victoria Emerging program, Candice Kilderry immediately made herself known to Little Rock fans with a goal less than half an hour into her college career. The Trojans conceded in just the 7th minute in their season opener against Florida Atlantic, but after subbing on in the 25th minute, Kilderry needed just 18 seconds to score her first goal courtesy of a Trans-Tasman connection as Kiwi defender Serenity Thake was credited with one of the two assists on the goal. The game would eventually finish 2-2, with Kilderry’s fellow freshman, Emily Jensen, starting alongside sophomore Bronte Peel, and Sam Houston State transfer Cameron Barreiro coming off the bench. The Trojans managed to play half of their second scheduled game of the week against Florida Gulf Coast, but unfortunately lightning hit and the game was unable to be restarted, resulting in a no contest and all statistics being rendered null and void.
However, these were not the only players to tally a goal for a new team, as Oregon transfer Lara Kirkby hit the ground running for Maine. Having already slotted into the starting lineup in the season opening 5-0 win over NCAA Division I newcomers LeMoyne, Kirkby notched another career milestone, scrambling home an 83rd minute goal against Rhode Island for what would turn out to be the game’s only goal in a match that saw only 12 shots attempted, although 10 of those were from the Black Bears as they stifled Rhode Island’s attack on just about every occasion.
Courtney Butlion scored two goals in her first season at La Salle in 2022, and is already on the way to topping that number with an opening day goal against Towson. With the Explorers 2-0 down, the Western Australian slotted one home with six minutes to play to give La Salle a fighting chance with the clock winding down. Although the Explorers couldn’t find a game-tying goal on that occasion, they were able to secure a 1-0 win over Albany to rebound and finish the weekend on a high.
However, goal scorers need someone to get the ball to them in the first place, and both Madison Chambers and Matilda Boyle did just that this weekend. Coming off a 4-1 loss to Jacksonville earlier in the weekend, Alabama State needed to bounce back against Faulkner and Chambers helped set them on their way, teeing up local player Kassandra Schoen for a 9th minute goal. Unfortunately, despite having the edge statistically, the Hornets could only come away with a 1-1 draw. Chambers would finish the game with 71 minutes under her belt, following up her 57-minute outing against Jacksonville in which she also finished with a shot on target. Meanwhile, senior Grace Norbury also started both games for Alabama State, playing 68 minutes against Jacksonville and another 75 minutes in testing heat against Faulkner.
Meanwhile, Boyle kicked off her college career in style as Long Island finished with two wins from two games. After a solid 51-minute performance in a 3-0 win over Saint Peter’s, the Western Australian was threatening throughout against Rider, finishing with two shots in 71 minutes and tallying an assist on an 11th minute goal that proved crucial in a 1-0 victory. Aussie sophomore Isabella Stein played 10 minutes off the bench in the win over Saint Peter’s but did not feature against Rider.
Meanwhile, it was a promising weekend for a number of the goalkeepers looking to make their mark this season. Junior college transfer Shivani Battaglia started on debut for Central Michigan in a 3-3 draw with Detroit Mercy, whilst Pacific freshman Libby Davy played the full 90 minutes on both occasions as the Tigers came away with a draw against UCSD and a win over Eastern Washington. Meanwhile, Grambling State freshman Aimee Benton split playing time with incumbent Madison Covey-Taylor, playing the second half in each game as the Tigers snagged a win over Murray State before falling to Southeast Missouri State later in the week. In fact, it was a solid week all-round for defensive players new to the NCAA Division I scene, as Bellarmine’s Teagan Douglas, Morehead State’s Natasha Tanner, and Eastern Kentucky’s Sophie MacAlpine all made their debuts in what was a highly promising start to the season.
Complete Results:
Alabama State (Madison Chambers, Grace Norbury)
This week: lost 4-1 to Jacksonville; drew 1-1 with Faulkner
Grace Norbury started both games for Alabama State this week, playing 68 minutes in the loss to Jacksonville and 75 minutes against Faulkner. Madison Chambers also started both games, registering a shot in 57 minutes against Jacksonville and tallying the assist on Alabama State’s goal against Faulkner in a 71-minute outing.
Bellarmine (Teagan Douglas)
This week: drew 3-3 with Northern Ky.
Teagan Douglas started on debut for Bellarmine in their draw with Northern Kentucky, playing 71 minutes in defence.
Butler (Claire Farrington)
This week: lost 3-0 to Virginia Tech; defeated Illinois St. 3-0
Claire Farrington started for Butler against Virginia Tech, but unfortunately picked up her second yellow card of the contest in the 70th minute, ending her game early and also forcing her to sit out for the game against Illinois State.
Central Michigan (Shivani Battaglia)
This week: drew 3-3 with Detroit Mercy
Shivani Battaglia played the full 90 minutes against Detroit Mercy as Central Michigan drew 3-3 with Detroit Mercy after the Chippewas equalised with fewer than 20 seconds to play.
Coastal Carolina (Asha McClurg)
This week: defeated UNCW 1-0
Asha McClurg did not feature for Coastal Carolina in their win over UNC Wilmington.
Dartmouth (Kate Ryan)
This week: No games.
Denver (Isabella Chidiac)
This week: drew 1-1 with Colorado St.; drew 2-2 with Colorado Col.
Isabella Chidiac did not feature for Denver in either game this week.
Eastern Ky. (Sophie MacAlpine)
This week: lost 1-0 to Kentucky; lost 2-1 to Western Mich.
Sophie MacAlpine came off the bench in both games this week, playing 38 minutes against Kentucky and 31 minutes in the loss to Western Michigan.
Grambling State (Aimee Benton)
This week: defeated Murray St. 2-0; lost 4-1 to Southeast Mo. St.
Aimee Benton played the second half of both matches for Grambling State this week, making 3 saves in the win over Murray State and 1 save in the loss to Southeast Missouri State.
Hawaii (Eliza Ammendolia)
This week: drew 1-1 with Utah Valley; lost 7-5 to Gonzaga
Eliza Ammendolia came off the bench to play 51 minutes for Hawaii in their draw with Utah Valley, before starting and playing 45 minutes in Sunday’s thrilling loss to Gonzaga.
High Point (Meg Roden)
This week: drew 2-2 with Campbell; lost 1-0 to Marshall
Meg Roden came off the bench on debut against Campbell, scoring the game-tying goal in her 53 minutes on the pitch. The freshman then started against Marshall, playing 40 minutes.
Illinois (Isabel Rolley)
This week: defeated Loyola Chicago 3-2
Isabel Rolley came off the bench for Illinois in their win over Loyola Chicago, playing 58 minutes in her first game for the Illini.
Kent State (Lua Suero)
This week: defeated Oakland 2-1; drew 1-1 with Colgate
Lua Suero did not feature for Kent State in either game this week.
La Salle (Courtney Butlion)
This week: lost 2-1 to Towson; defeated UAlbany 1-0
Courtney Butlion started for La Salle on both occasions this week, scoring the Explorers’ only goal in a 55-minute outing against Towson before registering a shot in her 61 minutes of action against Albany.
Little Rock (Cameron Barreiro, Emily Jensen, Candice Kilderry, Bronte Peel)
This week: drew 2-2 with Fla. Atlantic; match v FGCU abandoned due to weather.
All four Australians saw playing time in Little Rock’s draw with Florida Atlantic. Bronte Peel and Emily Jensen each started, playing 50 and 71 minutes respectively. Candice Kilderry came off the bench to score the Trojans’ opener as part of a 45-minute outing, whilst Cameron Barreiro tallied a shot in her 25 minutes off the bench. The Trojans’ Sunday match against FGCU was abandoned midgame due to severe weather, with the game ruled a no contest and no stats being recorded for the fixture.
Long Island (Matilda Boyle, Isabella Stein)
This week: defeated Saint Peter’s 3-0; defeated Rider 1-0
Matilda Boyle started on debut for Long Island, playing 51 minutes in the win over Saint Peter’s, before tallying two shots and an assist on the game’s only goal during a 71-minute outing against Rider. Isabella Stein played 10 minutes off the bench against Saint Peter’s but did not feature against Rider.
Louisiana (Emma Bates)
This week: drew 1-1 with Middle Tenn; defeated South Fla. 2-0
Emma Bates came off the bench for Louisiana in both games this week, playing 49 minutes against Middle Tennessee State before registering three shots and the game-winning goal in 47 minutes against South Florida.
Maine (Lara Kirkby)
This week: defeated Le Moyne 5-0; defeated Rhode Island 1-0
Lara Kirkby started both games for Maine this week, tallying a shot on target in 56 minutes against LeMoyne before scoring the game-winner with her only shot in 76 minutes against Rhode Island.
Massachusetts (Hannah Peric)
This week: defeated Stony Brook 2-1; drew 0-0 with Vanderbilt
Hannah Peric played the full 90 minutes for UMass in both games this week as the Minutewomen came away with an undefeated weekend.
Mississippi Valley State (Jacquelline Kambere)
This week: lost 2-1 to The Citadel; lost 4-0 to Mercer
Jacquelline Kambere did not feature for Mississippi Valley State against Mercer, whilst there are no stats available for the game against The Citadel.
Morehead State (Natasha Tanner)
This week: lost 3-0 to Marshall; defeated Detroit Mercy 5-2
Natasha Tanner came off the bench for Morehead State in each of her first two collegiate matches, playing 45 minutes against Marshall and 35 minutes in the win over Detroit Mercy.
Northwestern State (Caitlin Le Roux)
This week: lost 3-0 to North Texas
Caitlin Le Roux came off the bench for Northwestern State in their lost to North Texas, playing 30 minutes.
Oral Roberts (Layla Lopez)
This week: drew 2-2 with Tex. A&M-Commerce; lost 4-2 to Oklahoma
Layla Lopez did not feature for Oral Roberts in either game this week.
Oregon State (Katie Godden)
This week: defeated San Francisco 1-0; lost 4-0 to Santa Clara
Katie Godden started both matches for her new team this week, tallying a shot in 59 minutes in the win over San Francisco, and playing 37 minutes in the loss to Santa Clara.
Pacific (Libby Davy)
This week: drew 4-4 with UC San Diego; defeated Eastern Wash. 3-2
In a pair of thrilling games, Libby Davy played the full 90 minutes for Pacific on both occasions, making 3 saves against UCSD and 2 saves in the win over Eastern Washington.
Rider (Eloise Jones)
This week: defeated Wagner 1-0; lost 1-0 to LIU
Eloise Jones did not feature for Rider in either game this week.
Santa Clara (Holly Furphy)
This week: defeated San Jose St. 2-1; defeated Oregon State 4-0
Holly Furphy marked her return from an ACL injury with a goal in 18 minutes off the bench in Santa Clara’s win over San Jose State, before tallying a shot in 30 minutes off the bench against Oregon State.
Seton Hall (Grace Mitchell, Sarah Mitchell)
This week: lost 4-1 to Lafayette; defeated Central Conn. St. 2-1
Neither Grace nor Sarah Mitchell featured for Seton Hall this week as both players continue to recover from season-ending injuries.
Siena (Iona Snape)
This week: lost 3-0 to Central Conn. St.; lost 3-0 to Syracuse
Iona Snape came off the bench to play 30 minutes against Central Connecticut State, but was elevated to the starting lineup to face Syracuse, and tallied a shot on target in 63 minutes of action.
Southern Illinois (Chantelle Symes)
This week: defeated Jackson St. 2-1 lost 2-0 to IUPUI
Chantelle Symes played the full 90 minutes against Jackson State, making two saves, but did not feature in the loss to IUPUI.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Molly Arens)
This week: defeated Texas Southern 2-0; lost 2-1 to UTRGV
Molly Arens came off the bench in both games this week, playing 25 minutes against Texas Southern and 52 minutes against UTRGV.
UAB (Abbey Burns)
This week: lost 2-0 to Ga. Southern; lost 1-0 to Alabama
Abbey Burns came off the bench for UAB to tally a shot in 45 minutes against Georgia Southern, before moving into the starting lineup to play 87 minutes in the loss to Alabama.
UMBC (Isobel Davy, Annaliese Grove)
This week: defeated Kutztown 2-0; lost 1-0 to Longwood
Neither Isobel Davy nor Annaliese Grove featured for UMBC in either game this week.
UNC Asheville (Jasmine Barry)
This week: lost 1-0 to Western Caro; defeated VMI 1-0
Jasmine Barry started in UNC Asheville’s loss to Western Carolina, playing 49 minutes, before coming off the bench to play 22 minutes in the Bulldogs’ win over VMI.
USC (Talia Grossman)
This week: defeated Michigan 1-0; match v Georgia cancelled due to Hurricane Hilary
Talia Grossman did not feature in USC’s win over Michigan as she continues to recover from an injury, whilst an impending hurricane forced the cancellation of the match against Georgia.
VCU (Greta Kraszula)
This week: lost 2-1 to Liberty; defeated UNCW 5-0
Greta Kraszula started both games for VCU this week, tallying 3 shots with 1 on target in a 90-minute outing against Liberty, and threatening the goal with 2 shots and 1 on target in 82 minutes of action in the win over UNC Wilmington.
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