Kate Ryan and Dartmouth last week secured the program’s first Ivy League tournament berth since the event was revived in 2023, and have an outside chance of securing at least a share of the regular season crown. First up, they will need to defeat sixth-placed Cornell; failure to do so not only skewers their chances of moving up the standings, but also opens them up to falling from third to fourth. Having conceded just three goals in six league games, one goal could be enough for victory. However, the Big Green have scored only four goals of their own in those six games. Should they pick up a win, a draw between Princeton and Brown would deliver Dartmouth an outright regular season crown, whilst a win for Brown would see those two teams share the title. Should Princeton win, the Tigers would take the title outright regardless of any other results. Kate Ryan has been a major part of the Dartmouth defence whilst also proving to be a threat at set pieces throughout the season, and another goal on the final day of the regular season certainly wouldn’t go astray.
Meanwhile, Erin Gordon and Harvard find themselves tied for the fourth and final spot with the same Columbia team against whom they will play on the final day of the season. As it stands, it appears Harvard hold the tiebreaker advantage if this game ends in a draw, but so much could change in the standings that they can’t rely on that staying true, so a win is imperative. These teams are almost inseparable at this point, with both teams on 10 points and with nine goals to their name, and only Columbia’s one additional goal conceded splitting them at this stage (wouldn’t it be great if goal difference was the tiebreaker?) Gordon has been utilised off the bench in cameos in recent weeks, but hopefully a return to more extended minutes is in the offing as the season reaches its crescendo.
Izzy Stein and LIU find themselves on the outside looking in as we head to the final week of Northeast Conference league play; however, the news is not all bad for the Sharks. Although they sit fifth in a league that sends four teams to its tournament, LIU have a game in hand over Central Connecticut State, who sit two points above LIU. Therefore, wins over top side Fairleigh Dickinson and third-placed Wagner will be enough to guarantee the Sharks’ passage through to the postseason, but there are still many other combinations of results that could fall their way even if they pick up only four, or possibly even three, points. Best to just get the two wins, though. Stein currently has two goals and three assists to her name, matching her career-high output from 2023, and there would be no better time to eclipse either one or both of those marks.
Montanna Mathews and Incarnate Word sit tied with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for the eighth and final Southland tournament spot, and it will be those two teams facing off for the final conference tournament spot. Obviously, this is a case of win and you’re in, otherwise a draw will see the teams separated by the conference tiebreaker procedures. As expected, the teams look to be fairly well matched, although Texas A&M-Corpus Christi have leaked 14 goals, the second-worst mark in the conference. Incarnate Word average only just over a goal per game, so it is not a guarantee they will take advantage of that fact, but it is a minor point of difference. Of course, marauding fullback Mathews will need no second invitation to get forward and attempt to add to her own personal tally.
Meanwhile, several conference tournaments kick off this weekend, with one highlight being the matchup between Sarah Birchall’s Gardner-Webb outfit and Montana-Rose Currey’s High Point in the Big South tournament’s 4th v 5th first round contest. Gardner-Webb clinched their tournament berth with far more time to spare than High Point, but the Panthers not only secured their spot but also jumped the Runnin’ Bulldogs to host this matchup. High Point also won the regular season contest between these two teams 3-0, a game in which Birchall finished with two of Gardner Webb’s five shots on target. We should see Birchall heavily involved once again after establishing herself as a crucial member of the lineup, and hopefully there are some minutes for Currey, who has featured in nine games in her first season as a junior college transfer.
Finally, the first piece of conference award news dropped during the week, with Little Rock’s Candice Kilderry earning an Ohio Valley Conference First Team selection. Known as an attacking weapon, Kilderry dropped into the backline on a regular basis this season, but was still able to contribute four goals and three assists despite playing as a wingback. Little Rock also conceded just five goals in nine conference games this season, equal for best mark in the Ohio Valley Conference. A preseason contender for College Matildas Offensive Player of the Year, the Victorian has instead given herself the inside running for Defensive Player of the Year.
Full Schedule
Bellarmine (10-5-3) (Teagan Douglas)
This week: @ FGCU – 10:00am, Friday 31 October (ASun Tournament Quarter-Finals)
Cal State Bakersfield (8-7-2) (Georgia Martell)
This week: v Cal St. Fullerton – 1:00pm, Friday 31 October; TBD – Sunday 3 November (Big West Tournament First Round)
Canisius (Chloe Tseros)
This week: v Marist – 3:00am, Monday 3 November (MAAC Tournament First Round)
Central Michigan (Alyssa Di Campli)
This week: No games.
Charleston (Viktorija Calusic)
This week: No games.
Charleston Southern (Eve Tiktikakis)
This week: @ Longwood – 10:00am, Sunday 2 November (Big South Tournament First Round)
Chicago State (5-7-5) (Jacquelline Kambere)
This week: v Mercyhurst – 11:00am, Friday 31 October; @ Stonehill – 5:00am, Monday 3 November
Cleveland State (Sophie Abbott)
This week: No games.
Dartmouth (8-3-4) (Kate Ryan)
This week: v Cornell – 8:00am, Sunday 2 November
Denver (Isabella Chidiac)
This week: No games; bye in Summit League tournament.
Detroit Mercy (Chantelle Symes)
This week: No games.
East Carolina (6-6-4) (Jenny Hill)
This week: v Charlotte – 10:00am, Friday 31 October
Fresno State (6-6-5) (Shivani Battaglia)
This week: v San Jose St. – 1:00pm, Friday 31 October
Gardner-Webb (Sarah Birchall)
This week: @ High Point – 7:00am, Sunday 2 November (Big South Tournament Quarter-Finals)
George Mason (Libby Davy)
This week: No games.
George Washington (Jasmine Black)
This week: No games.
Harvard (5-5-3) (Erin Gordon)
This week: @ Columbia – 5:00am, Sunday 2 November
High Point (Montana-Rose Currey)
This week: v Gardner-Webb – 7:00am, Sunday 2 November (Big South Tournament Quarter-Finals)
Hofstra (6-4-7) (Lilly Bailey)
This week: @ Stony Brook – 5:00am, Friday 31 October (CAA Tournament First Round)
Incarnate Word (4-7-4) (Montanna Mathews)
This week: @ A&M-Corpus Christi – 11:00am, Friday 31 October
Jacksonville State (Lara Aitken)
This week: No games.
Little Rock (Claudia Hewitt, Candice Kilderry, Serenity Thake)
This week: No games; bye in Ohio Valley Conference tournament.
Long Island (7-4-4) (Izzy Stein)
This week: v FDU – 3:00am, Friday 31 October; @ Wagner – 10:00am, Monday 3 November
Loyola Maryland (Eva McGorian, Ava Blizzard)
This week: @ Army – TBD, Monday 3 November (Patriot League Tournament First Round)
Maine (3-7-3) (Grace Wilson)
This week: v New Hampshire – 9:00am, Friday 31 October
Providence (6-6-3) (Meg Roden)
This week: @ DePaul – 4:00am, Sunday 2 November
Purdue (Margaux Chauvet)
This week: No games.
Quinnipiac (Stella Tosoni)
This week: No games; bye in MAAC Tournament.
Rider (CJ Harris, Eloise Jones)
This week: No games.
Saint Peter’s (Wilma Thodhlana)
This week: No games.
Seton Hall (3-9-5) (Grace Mitchell, Sarah Mitchell)
This week: @ Marquette – 5:00am, Sunday 2 November
Siena (Iona Snape)
This week: @ Sacred Heart – TBD, Monday 3 November (MAAC Tournament Quarter-Finals)
Tarleton State (7-6-5) (Zoe Daly, Charlie Shanahan, Adelaide Wyrzynski, Phoebe Riley)
This week: v California Baptist – 11:00am, Friday 31 October; v Utah Valley – 5:00am, Monday 3 November
UAB (6-5-6) (Abbey Burns)
This week: @ North Texas – 11:00am, Friday 31 October
Youngstown State (Aimee Benton)
This week: v Oakland – 4:00am, Monday 3 November (Horizon League Tournament Quarter-Finals
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