Lara Kirkby has already commenced building her case to repeat as Rachael Doyle Medallist, playing an instrumental role as Maine came away with a win over Le Moyne and a draw with ACC side Syracuse in their first two games. The South Australian was dangerous throughout her 59 minutes on the pitch against Le Moyne, and was eventually rewarded as she turned home the Black Bears’ final goal in the 4-0 win.
That goal was reward for an excellent performance, but it was Kirkby’s strike against Syracuse that proved far more crucial. The former Adelaide United midfielder opened the scoring in the second minute with a well-placed finish just inside the post that caught the Syracuse goalkeeper moving the other way to put the Black Bears 1-0 up. Although the Orange would equalize, Maine can be buoyed by securing a result against a power conference team.
However, Kirkby wasn’t the only Aussie on the scoresheet this week as UNC Asheville freshman Mercedes McNabb started her college career in perfect fashion. The Bulldogs’ forward started on debut and showed intent with a shot on target in her 62 minutes of action in a 2-1 loss to The Citadel, but turned lethal just after halftime against Western Carolina. McNabb produced an absolute peach of a finish to halve a 2-0 deficit, and although the Catamounts would roll to a 6-1 win, McNabb’s goal was an absolute season highlight even at this early stage.
Abbey Burns also found the scoresheet during the opening weekend, doubling her career tally. The UAB captain played the full 90 minutes in both games this week as the Blazers came away with a 1-0 win over East Tennessee State before falling to a 3-1 defeat to Louisville. However, that solitary goal against the Cardinals came from Burns, who was successful from the spot as UAB earned a late penalty to give themselves life with ten minutes to play.
It wasn’t all about scoring goals though, as Libby Davy proved in Pacific’s opener against Houston Christian. The sophomore was instrumental between the sticks, and needed to be as Pacific finished the game with just three shots on target to Houston Christian’s eight. Davy came up with seven saves on those eight shots on target, whilst Pacific were able to score on two of their three shots on target to come away with a 2-1 win to open the season.
Shivani Battaglia wasn’t called into action quite as often as Davy, but nonetheless had an encouraging start to life as a Fresno State Bulldog following her transfer from Central Michigan. The Western Australian was called upon to make two saves, keeping a clean sheet as an eighth-minute goal was enough to deliver Fresno State a 1-0 victory over Cal Poly.
It’s been a long time coming for Isabella Chidiac, but the Sydneysider finally made her first collegiate start after two years spent coming off the bench for Denver. Thrown in at the deep end against a North Carolina side looking to impress a new head coach following the sudden retirement of the legendary Anson Dorrance, Chidiac played 60 minutes and registered a shot in a 2-1 defeat, with that hour of playing time more than doubling her previous career high of 29 minutes. The junior also started in a 1-0 defeat to Idaho State on Sunday, tallying two shots in 29 minutes of action.
As usually happens in the opening week of a new season, several freshmen made their debuts, with the battle between Tarleton State’s Adelaide Wyrzynski and Incarnate Word’s Montanna Mathews taking centre stage. Both players started, with Wyrzynski tallying 3 shots in 44 minutes of action, whilst Mathews also notched a shot in her 83 minutes on the pitch as the teams shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw.
Alice Thompson also started on debut, picking up a win just for good measure. The former Manly United player saw 57 minutes of playing time and tallied a shot in Old Dominion’s win over Greta Kraszula and VCU as the highly-rated Monarchs got their season off to a perfect start.
Lilly Bailey was given the start between the sticks for Morehead State, but unfortunately her first appearance for the Eagles was cut short. A collision as she came to collect an incoming ball saw Bailey forced from the pitch after just 18 minutes with a single save under her belt. Hopefully, her return is not too far away as even the fact that Bailey was named starter on debut is highly promising.
Finally, we also saw Claire Scarpin make her collegiate debut for Saint Francis. Having not featured in the Red Flash’s season opener against Niagara, the former NTC South Australia player saw ten minutes of action off the bench in a 0-0 with Iona as Saint Francis finished the weekend with a win and draw under their belt.
Bellarmine (Teagan Douglas)
This week: lost 7-0 to Louisville
Teagan Douglas played the full 90 minutes as Bellarmine fell to defeat against Louisville on opening day.
Charleston Southern (Eve Tiktikakis)
This week: lost 3-2 to Furman; lost 3-0 to Grand Canyon
Eve Tiktikakis did not feature for Charleston Southern this week.
Coastal Carolina (Tahlia Voskanian)
This week: drew 1-1 with Richmond
Tahlia Voskanian did not feature in Coastal Carolina’s opening day draw with Richmond.
Denver (Isabella Chidiac)
This week: lost 2-1 to North Carolina; lost 1-0 to Idaho St.
Isabella Chidiac made her first collegiate starts this week, playing 60 minutes against North Carolina and registering two shots in 29 minutes against Idaho State.
Detroit Mercy (Chantelle Symes)
This week: lost 3-1 to Bowling Green; lost 5-2 to Utah Valley
Chantelle Symes started for Detroit against Bowling Green, making one save, but did not feature against Utah Valley.
Fresno State (Shivani Battaglia)
This week: defeated Cal Poly 1-0
Shivani Battaglia played the full 90 minutes in Fresno State’s win over Cal Poly, keeping a clean sheet and making two saves.
High Point (Meg Roden)
This week: lost 3-1 to Liberty; lost 2-0 to Clemson
Meg Roden came off the bench to play 42 minutes against Liberty, before moving into the starting lineup and playing 48 minutes in the loss to #5 ranked Clemson.
Incarnate Word (Montanna Mathews)
This week: drew 1-1 with Tarleton St.; lost 1-0 to UTSA
Montanna Mathews started each of the first two games of her college career, tallying a shot in 83 minutes in the draw with Tarleton and playing 68 minutes in the loss to UTSA.
Little Rock (Candice Kilderry)
This week: lost 2-0 to Arkansas St.
Candice Kilderry started in Little Rock’s loss to Arkansas State, playing 76 minutes.
Long Island (Isabella Stein)
This week: lost 3-1 to UAlbany
Izzy Stein played the full 90 minutes in Long Island’s opening weekend loss to Albany.
Loyola Maryland (Ava Blizzard)
This week: lost 2-1 to Dayton; defeated Longwood 1-0
Ava Blizzard did not feature for Loyola Maryland this week.
Maine (Lara Kirkby, Grace Wilson)
This week: defeated Le Moyne 4-0; drew 1-1 with Syracuse
Kirkby: Start, 59 min, 2 shots, 1 on target, goal v Le Moyne
Lara Kirkby started both games for Maine this week, scoring with one of her two shots in 59 minutes against Le Moyne before scoring the opener with one of her four shots in a 90-minute outing against Syracuse. Grace Wilson did not feature this week as they prepare for the FIFA Under 20 Women’s World Cup.
Massachusetts (Hannah Peric)
This week: lost 2-0 to Syracuse
Captain Hannah Peric played the full 90 minutes as Massachusetts fell to defeat against Syracuse.
Mississippi Valley State (Jacquelline Kambere)
This week: lost 5-0 to Southern Miss.
Jacquelline Kambere played the full 90 minutes against Southern Miss, tallying two shots with one on target.
Morehead State (Lilly Bailey, Natasha Tanner)
This week: drew 1-1 with Marshall; lost 2-0 to Kentucky
Lilly Bailey started on opening day against Marshall, but was forced off following a collision after just 18 minutes, having made one save, and did not feature in the loss to Kentucky. Natasha Tanner came off the bench in both games, playing five minutes against Marshall and 11 minutes against Kentucky.
Northwestern State (Caitlin Le Roux)
This week: lost 3-0 to SMU; lost 4-0 to Mississippi St.
Caitlin Le Roux came off the bench in both games this week, playing 44 minutes against SMU and 31 minutes against Mississippi State.
Old Dominion (Alice Thompson)
This week: defeated VCU 2-1; lost 2-0 to Liberty
Alice Thompson started on debut against VCU, tallying a shot on target in her 57 minutes of action. Thompson then came off the bench against Liberty, playing 30 minutes.
Oregon State (Katie Godden)
This week: match abandoned v Iowa; lost 3-0 to Montana
Oregon State’s match against Iowa was abandoned, before Katie Godden played 51 minutes off the bench against Montana, registering a shot.
Pacific (Libby Davy)
This week: defeated Houston Christian 2-1; lost 5-0 to Arizona
Libby Davy started both games this week, playing the full 90 minutes and making seven saves against Houston Christian, and playing 57 minutes in the loss to Arizona.
Purdue (Zoe Karipidis)
This week: defeated Washington St. 1-0; lost 3-0 to Butler
Zoe Karipidis did not feature for Purdue this week.
Rider (Eloise Jones)
This week: drew 0-0 with Wagner
Eloise Jones did not feature in Rider’s opening day draw with Wagner.
Saint Francis (Aimee Benton, Claire Scarpin)
This week: defeated Niagara 2-1; drew 0-0 with Iona
Claire Scarpin made her Saint Francis debut with ten minutes off the bench against Iona after not featuring against Niagara. Aimee Benton did not feature in either game this week.
Saint Peter’s (Sophie Cook, Wilma Thodhlana)
This week: lost 4-2 to Howard
Wilma Thodhlana played the full 90 minutes for Saint Peter’s in their loss to Howard, whilst Sophie Cook did not feature for the Peacocks.
Santa Clara (Holly Furphy)
This week: defeated San Jose St. 4-0; defeated California 2-1
Holly Furphy started both games for Santa Clara this week, playing 46 minutes against San Jose State and registering a shot in 58 minutes against California.
Seton Hall (Grace Mitchell, Sarah Mitchell)
This week: defeated Marist 2-1; drew 0-0 with FDU
Neither Grace nor Sarah Mitchell featured for Seton Hall this week.
Siena (Iona Snape)
This week: lost 3-0 to Lafayette; defeated Bryant 1-0
Iona Snape started both games for Siena this week, playing 48 minutes in the loss to Lafayette and 63 minutes in the win over Bryant.
Southern (Yazmin Baird-Watson)
This week: lost 4-0 to Ole Miss; lost 2-0 to ULM
Yazmin Baird-Watson did not feature for Southern this week.
Stetson (Camila Madriz Figueroa)
This week: defeated Gardner-Webb 2-1; lost 1-0 to Wofford
Camila Madriz Figueroa did not feature for Stetson this week.
Tarleton State (Adelaide Wyrzynski)
This week: drew 1-1 with UIW; drew 0-0 with A&M-Corpus Christi
Adelaide Wyrzynski started on debut against Incarnate Word, tallying three shots with one on target in 44 minutes. The freshman then came off the bench against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, playing 49 minutes.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Molly Arens, Emma Bates)
This week: drew 1-1 with North Dakota; drew 0-0 with Tarleton St.
Molly Arens started both games this week, registering a shot on target in 72 minutes against North Dakota and another shot in 74 minutes against Tarleton State. Emma Bates also started both games, playing the full 90 minutes against North Dakota and 63 minutes in the draw with Tarleton State.
Towson (Courtney Butlion)
This week: lost 2-0 to Virginia; defeated UMBC 1-0
Courtney Butlion started each of her first two matches for Towson since transferring from La Salle, playing 77 minutes in the loss to Virginia and registering a shot on target in 59 minutes in the win over UMBC.
UAB (Abbey Burns)
This week: defeated ETSU 1-0; lost 3-1 to Louisville
Abbey Burns played the full 90 minutes in both games this week, tallying two shots with one on target against East Tennessee State and scoring with her only shot against Louisville.
UMBC (Annaliese Grove)
This week: lost 1-0 to Towson
Annie Grove started for UMBC in their loss to Towson, playing 83 minutes.
UNC Asheville (Jasmine Barry, Mercedes McNabb)
This week: lost 2-1 to The Citadel; lost 6-1 to Western Caro.
Jasmine Barry started both games for UNC Asheville this week, playing 55 minutes against The Citadel and 46 minutes against Western Carolina. Mercedes McNabb also started both games, tallying a shot on target in 62 minutes against The Citadel before scoring with one of her two shots in 75 minutes of action against Western Carolina.
VCU (Greta Kraszula)
This week: lost 2-1 to Old Dominion
Greta Kraszula started for VCU in their loss to Old Dominion, playing 81 minutes.
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