Conference tournament season has arrived! However, that is far from the only storyline this week, as several Aussies whose tournaments don’t start until Week 12 (or indeed don’t have a tournament to play in at all) find themselves in a prolonged regular season battle.
The Atlantic 10 Tournament kicks off this week, with all three of the conference’s Aussies involved after VCU just scraped into eighth place on the final day of league play. Courtney Butlion and La Salle come in as the highest-seeded of the three teams, facing off against Rhode Island in the 2 v 7 matchup. These teams did not actually meet during the regular season, but given the relative success of each outfit to this point, the Explorers have every reason to be confident of a victory.
Hannah Peric and Massachusetts finished fourth and will face off Duquesne in what looks to be an incredibly tight matchup, as one would expect a 4 v 5 game to be. These teams do have history this season, playing to a 1-1 draw on Duquesne’s home patch in Pittsburgh. Peric and her team will have home advantage on this occasion, and that could prove important as they are actually undefeated at home this season, posting a 6-0-1 record in seven games. It may not be a game-securing advantage, but it certainly gives the team from Amherst the edge.
Finally, Greta Kraszula and VCU snuck into eighth spot, with their reward a matchup with national powerhouse Saint Louis in the 1 v 8 game. These teams faced off in the regular season, with Saint Louis posting a 1-0 win at VCU, but since that match, Saint Louis have elevated their performances markedly. The Billikens have smashed home 22 goals without conceding in their last five games, including a 6-0 win over Massachusetts. Hopefully, VCU can demonstrate that the narrow defeat was a result of their level of play, and if they can sneak a goal here or there, an upset may be on the cards.
There is but one spot remaining unclaimed in the SWAC Tournament, but Alabama State and their Aussie duo of Grace Norbury and Madi Chambers can secure that position with a win on the final day of the regular season. The Hornets travel to Huntsville to take on arch-rivals Alabama A&M, who currently sit one point clear in eighth position, meaning only a win will be good enough if the team in yellow and black are to reach the postseason. Chambers scored in her team’s defeat to Texas Southern last week, whilst Norbury is a regular 90-minute player, so don’t be surprised if an Aussie is at the heart of the Hornets’ success if they do get the win.
Meanwhile, Holly Furphy and Santa Clara find themselves in a must-win situation for the complete opposite reason: With two weeks left in the regular season, the Broncos are neck-deep in a three-way race for the West Coast Conference title, and face fellow contenders Gonzaga this week. Both teams sit on 12 points, forming part of a three-way tie with Pepperdine, with three more teams within three points. The Broncos aren’t in any real danger of missing the NCAA Tournament as they have just about done enough to secure an at-large bid, but securing a conference championship would be a far more satisfying end to the regular season. Look for Furphy to continue her role as an impact player off the bench, particularly after notching an assist in last week’s win over Loyola Marymount.
Lara Kirkby also found herself on the scoresheet last week, tallying the opener for Maine in a draw with Binghamton. That result means that the Black Bears no longer control their own destiny heading into the final day, but they can certainly put pressure on Binghamton with a win over New Hampshire. Maine kick off an hour before Binghamton, adding an intriguing dynamic to the final day; in fact, the Black Bears’ game is the only contest to kick off early on Thursday. If Kirkby and her team can secure a win, it will ensure that Binghamton must win to secure the conference title. Kirkby is once again expected to be integral to Maine’s midfield, particularly given her recent spate of 90-minute outings in recent weeks.
Full Schedule
Alabama State (Madison Chambers, Grace Norbury)
This week: @ Alabama A&M – 7:00AM, Saturday October 28
Bellarmine (Teagan Douglas)
This week: No games.
Butler (Claire Farrington)
This week: v Creighton – 10:00AM, Friday October 27
Central Michigan (Shivani Battaglia)
This week: @ Ball St. – 6:00AM, Friday October 27
Coastal Carolina (Asha McClurg)
This week: @ James Madison – 10:00AM, Friday October 27
Dartmouth (Kate Ryan)
This week: @ Brown – 6:00AM, Sunday October 29
Denver (Isabella Chidiac)
This week: v South Dakota or Omaha – 6:00AM, Monday October 30 (Summit League Tournament Semi-Final)
Eastern Kentucky (Sophie MacAlpine)
This week: v Queens – 11:00AM, Friday October 27 (ASUN Tournament First Round)
Grambling State (Aimee Benton)
This week: v Ark.-Pine Bluff – 7:00AM, Saturday October 28
Hawaii (Eliza Ammendolia)
This week: @ Long Beach St. – 12:00PM, Friday October 27
Illinois (Isabel Rolley)
This week: No games.
Kent State (Lua Suero)
This week: @ Buffalo – 6:00AM, Friday October 27
La Salle (Courtney Butlion)
This week: v Rhode Island – 10:00AM, Saturday October 28 (Atlantic 10 Tournament Quarter Final)
Little Rock (Cameron Barreiro, Emily Jensen, Candice Kilderry, Bronte Peel)
This week: v UT Martin – 5am, Saturday October 28 (OVC Tournament First Round)
Long Island (Matilda Boyle, Isabella Stein)
This week: v Merrimack – 6:00AM, Friday October 27
Louisiana (Emma Bates)
This week: v Marshall – 11:00AM, Friday October 27
Maine (Lara Kirkby)
This week: v New Hampshire – 9:00AM, Friday October 27
Massachusetts (Hannah Peric)
This week: v Duquesne – 5:00AM, Saturday October 28 (Atlantic 10 Tournament Quarter Final)
Mississippi Valley State (Jacquelline Kambere)
This week: v Alcorn – 10:00AM, Saturday October 28
Morehead State (Natasha Tanner)
This week: No games.
Northwestern State (Caitlin Le Roux)
This week: @ Nicholls – 11:00AM, Saturday October 28
Oral Roberts (Layla Lopez)
This week: v Kansas City – 8:00AM, Saturday October 28
Oregon State (Katie Godden)
This week: v Washington St. – 1:00PM, Friday October 27; v Washington – 6:00AM, Monday October 30
Pacific (Libby Davy)
This week: @ LMU (CA) – 10:00AM, Sunday October 29
Rider (Eloise Jones)
This week: @ Canisius – 3:00AM, Monday October 30 (MAAC Tournament Quarter-Final)
Santa Clara (Holly Furphy)
This week: @ Gonzaga – 12:00PM, Sunday October 29
Siena (Iona Snape)
This week: No games.
Southern Illinois (Chantelle Symes)
This week: No games.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Molly Arens)
This week: No games.
UAB (Abbey Burns)
This week: v Temple – 11:00AM, Friday October 27
UMBC (Isobel Davy, Annaliese Grove)
This week: No games.
UNC Asheville (Jasmine Barry)
This week: No games.
USC (Talia Grossman)
This week: v Stanford – 8:00AM, Friday October 27; v California – 6:00AM, Monday October 30
VCU (Greta Kraszula)
This week: @ Saint Louis – 11:00AM, Saturday October 28 (Atlantic 10 Tournament Quarter-Final)
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