
Three games involving Aussies on both sides headline the action this week, with all three giving teams the opportunity to either solidify championship credentials or upset the apple cart, particularly up in Orono where Annie Grove and Isy Davy will be out to bring an end to Lara Kirkby’s undefeated start to the season.
The Aussie v Aussie battles are coming thick and fast early in Atlantic 10 play, with Courtney Butlion and La Salle taking on Greta Kraszula and a VCU side looking to atone for last week’s slip-ups. The Rams fell to Hannah Peric and UMass in a narrow 1-0 result, before playing out a goalless draw with Rhode Island. VCU actually outshot their opponents in both of those games, which is encouraging in terms of their ability to fashion chances, but not so much in terms of their ability to actually finish those opportunities. One player who has both helped create and finish chances recently is Courtney Butlion, who tallied a goal from the spot and an assist for La Salle in just 24 minutes against Richmond last week as the Explorers picked up a 3-0 win. On paper this is a matchup that favours VCU, but if they can’t put the ball in the back of the net, it’s going to be tough to come away with more than a draw.
Meanwhile, in the very northeast of the country, Lara Kirkby and Maine host a UMBC outfit featuring Annie Grove and Isy Davy. Maine are one of the few undefeated teams left in the entire nation, currently sitting at 7-0-3 and earning a spot in the United Soccer Coaches’ Atlantic regional top 10. Life has been slightly tougher for UMBC to this point, with their record reading 2-8-1 through the first half of the campaign. However, their only conference game to this point has been a 3-1 loss to a Binghamton team tipped to win the America East. Annie Grove’s return after a couple of weeks out has certainly strengthened the Retrievers’ lineup, but will they be able to spring the upset in Orono?
The SWAC also features an Aussie v Aussie battle this week, as Alabama State duo Madison Chambers and Grace Norbury take on Grambling State and freshman goalkeeper Aimee Benton. Grambling State have been one of the more impressive teams in the SWAC to this point, following up a solid non-conference schedule with two wins to start conference play last week. Meanwhile, Alabama State have found themselves on the wrong end of all six results so far in 2023, but are yet to play a conference game. Grace Norbury will be fully expected to play significant minutes for the Hornets, whilst Madison Chambers will hopefully be nearing a return after a couple of weeks out. On the other side, Tigers’ goalkeeper Aimee Benton has shared minutes between the sticks with Madison Covey-Taylor so far this year, so hopefully this matchup of Australian players sees the freshman chosen as the starter for this one.
Full Schedule
Alabama State (Madison Chambers, Grace Norbury)
This week: @ Grambling – 6:00AM, Saturday September 30; @ Ark.-Pine Bluff – 5:00AM, Monday October 2
Bellarmine (Teagan Douglas)
This week: v Jacksonville – 9:00AM, Friday September 29; v North Florida – 4:00AM, Monday October 2
Butler (Claire Farrington)
This week: v Providence – 9:00AM, Friday September 29
Central Michigan (Shivani Battaglia)
This week: v Western Mich. – 9:00AM, Friday September 29; @ Toledo – 4:00AM, Monday October 2
Coastal Carolina (Asha McClurg)
This week: v Arkansas St. – 4:00AM, Monday October 2
Dartmouth (Kate Ryan)
This week: v Cornell – 6:00AM, Sunday October 1
Denver (Isabella Chidiac)
This week: @ St. Thomas (MN) – 7:00AM, Friday September 29; @ Omaha – 5:00AM, Monday October 2
Eastern Kentucky (Sophie MacAlpine)
This week: v North Florida – 6:00AM, Friday September 29; v Jacksonville – 3:00AM, Monday October 2
Grambling State (Aimee Benton)
This week: v Alabama St. – 6:00AM, Saturday September 30; v Alabama A&M – 3:00AM, Monday October 2
Hawaii (Eliza Ammendolia)
This week: v UC San Diego – 3:00PM, Friday September 29; v UC Irvine – 1:00PM, Monday October 2
High Point (Meg Roden)
This week: @ Presbyterian – 5:00AM, Sunday October 1
Illinois (Isabel Rolley)
This week: @ Northwestern – 10:00AM, Friday September 29; @ Ohio St. – 3:00AM, Monday October 2
Kent State (Lua Suero)
This week: v Eastern Mich. – 9:00AM, Friday September 29; @ Miami (OH) – 4:00AM, Monday October 2
La Salle (Courtney Butlion)
This week: v VCU – 9:00AM, Friday September 29; @ Saint Joseph’s – 4:00AM, Monday October 2
Little Rock (Cameron Barreiro, Emily Jensen, Candice Kilderry, Bronte Peel)
This week: v Lindenwood – 5:00AM, Monday October 2
Long Island (Matilda Boyle, Isabella Stein)
This week: @ Sacred Heart – 9:00AM, Friday September 29
Louisiana (Emma Bates)
This week: v James Madison – 5:00AM, Sunday October 1
Maine (Lara Kirkby)
This week: v UMBC – 3:00AM, Monday October 2
Massachusetts (Hannah Peric)
This week: @ Duquesne – 9:00AM, Friday September 29; v Loyola Chicago – 4:00AM, Monday October 2
Mississippi Valley State (Jacquelline Kambere)
This week: @ Prairie View – 10:00AM, Saturday September 30; @ Texas Southern – 5:00AM, Monday October 2
Morehead State (Natasha Tanner)
This week: @ Eastern Ill. – 4:00AM, Friday September 29; @ Southern Ind. – 5:00AM, Monday October 2
Northwestern State (Caitlin Le Roux)
This week: v McNeese – 10:00AM, Saturday September 30
Oral Roberts (Layla Lopez)
This week: @ Omaha – 10:00AM, Friday September 29; @ Kansas City – 9:00AM, Monday October 2
Oregon State (Katie Godden)
This week: v Utah – 11:00AM, Friday September 29; v Colorado – 7:00AM, Monday October 2
Pacific (Libby Davy)
This week: v Portland – 1:00PM, Sunday October 1
Rider (Eloise Jones)
This week: v Quinnipiac – 4:00AM, Sunday October 1
Santa Clara (Holly Furphy)
This week: v Pepperdine – 7:00AM, Sunday October 1
Seton Hall (Grace Mitchell, Sarah Mitchell)
This week: v St. John’s (NY) – 8:00AM, Friday September 29; v Xavier – 4:00AM, Monday October 2
Southern Illinois (Chantelle Symes)
This week: v Evansville – 9:00AM, Friday September 29; @ Illinois St. – 5:00AM, Monday October 2
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Molly Arens)
This week: @ Houston Christian – 10:00AM, Saturday September 30; @ UIW – 5:00AM, Monday October 2
UAB (Abbey Burns)
This week: @ Fla. Atlantic – 9:00AM, Friday September 29
UMBC (Isobel Davy, Annaliese Grove)
This week: v NJIT – 9:00AM, Friday September 29; @ Maine – 3:00AM, Monday October 2
UNC Asheville (Jasmine Barry)
This week: v Longwood – 9:00AM, Sunday October 1
USC (Talia Grossman)
This week: @ Washington St. – 10:00AM, Friday September 29; @ Washington – 7:00AM, Monday October 2
VCU (Greta Kraszula)
This week: @ La Salle – 9:00AM, Friday September 29; v Saint Louis – 5:00AM, Monday October 2
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