Mercedes McNabb shot to second spot in the scoring ranks among Aussies in NCAA Division I following a simply dominant performance in UNC Asheville’s 7-2 win over South Carolina State. The freshman scored the equaliser in the 11th minute after the Bulldogs fell behind early, before putting her team up 3-1 in the 53rd minute. That goal would prove to be the game-winner after South Carolina State tallied a second, but McNabb would outscore the opposition on her own after slotting home her third and the Bulldogs’ sixth in the 83rd minute. The freshman, who has started in eight of her ten appearances this season, now sits on four goals, just one shy of UAB’s Abbey Burns.
Little Rock sophomore Candice Kilderry also continued her good form in front of goal, picking up her third of the season after being first to react to a ball coming off the post during a goalmouth scramble following a set piece. The midfielder turned and fired home for the only goal of the game against Tennessee Tech, delivering what could be a crucial win against a team picked to win the Ohio Valley Conference in 2024. Kilderry now has three goals for the season, with all three coming in her last four games.
It’s hard to know what was more impressive: Izzy Stein’s goal against Mercyhurst to earn a 2-2 draw, or the celebration that followed. The Manly United product lashed the ball home with a vicious strike in the 66th minute, and followed it up with a celebration straight out of the Sam Kerr playbook as the Long Island secured a point in their Northeast Conference opener. The Sharks’ captain followed up with an assist on the game-winner in the Sharks’ win over Central Connecticut State, completing a solid weekend as the team picked up four of a possible six points to sit second after one week of league play.
It took two goals in the last six minutes for Oregon State to secure their second victory of the season as the Beavers faced Wyoming, and Katie Godden was once again involved as the DePaul transfer picked up her second assist in as many games. Trailing 1-0 following a fourth minute Wyoming goal, the Beavers defied the odds and the Laramie altitude in the final minutes. An 85th minute goal tied things up, before Godden teed up McKenna Martinez for the winner just three minutes later to help move the Beavers to 2-6. The assist was Godden’s second for the season, with both coming in the last two games, as the Arsenal academy product moves equal top of the assist charts among Aussies alongside Maine’s Lara Kirkby.
Meanwhile, it would be remiss not to mention the recent performances of Lilly Bailey since her return after being forced off just 18 minutes into her debut. The freshman has made 17 saves in four appearances since returning, including six against Radford this week as the Western Australian’s performance between the sticks helped salvage a 1-1 draw for Morehead State. Although Bailey has featured in only five games to this point, the freshman already appears to have locked down the starting spot between the sticks as the number of Aussie goalkeepers seeing playing time in NCAA Division I continues to rise.
Complete Results
Alabama State (Grace Norbury, Madison Chambers)
This week: No games.
Bellarmine (Teagan Douglas)
This week: lost 1-0 to Austin Peay; drew 0-0 with Lipscomb
Teagan Douglas played the full 90 minutes in both games this week, registering two shots with one on target in the loss to Austin Peay.
Charleston Southern (Eve Tiktikakis)
This week: defeated Alabama A&M 2-1
Eve Tiktikakis did not feature in Charleston Southern’s win over Alabama A&M.
Coastal Carolina (Tahlia Voskanian)
This week: drew 1-1 with Old Dominion
Tahlia Voskanian did not feature in Coastal Carolina’s draw with Old Dominion.
Dartmouth (Kate Ryan)
This week: defeated UMass Lowell 2-1
Kate Ryan did not feature in Dartmouth’s win over UMass Lowell.
Denver (Isabella Chidiac)
This week: lost 3-1 to Gonzaga
Isabella Chidiac came off the bench in Denver’s loss to Gonzaga, playing seven minutes.
Detroit Mercy (Chantelle Symes)
This week: defeated Youngstown St. 3-1; defeated Robert Morris 2-1
Chantelle Symes did not feature for Detroit Mercy in either game this week.
Fresno State (Shivani Battaglia)
This week: lost 5-0 to Pepperdine
Shivani Battaglia did not feature in Fresno State’s loss to Pepperdine.
Harvard (Erin Gordon)
This week: drew 2-2 with Santa Clara
Erin Gordon played the full 90 minutes in Harvard’s draw with Santa Clara.
High Point (Meg Roden)
This week: No games.
Incarnate Word (Montanna Mathews)
This week: defeated Grand Canyon 1-0
Montanna Mathews came off the bench in Incarnate Word’s win over Grand Canyon, playing 35 minutes.
Little Rock (Candice Kilderry)
This week: defeated Mississippi Val. 2-0; defeated Tennessee Tech 1-0
Candice Kilderry started both games for Little Rock this week, playing 83 minutes against Mississippi Valley State, before scoring the only goal against Tennessee Tech with one of her two shots in a 77-minute outing.
Long Island (Izzy Stein)
This week: drew 2-2 with Mercyhurst; defeated Central Conn. St. 2-1
Izzy Stein played the full 90 minutes in both games this week, scoring with her only shot against Mercyhurst before tallying an assist and another two shots in the win over Central Connecticut State.
Loyola Maryland (Ava Blizzard)
This week: drew 1-1 with Boston U.
Ava Blizzard did not feature in Loyola Maryland’s draw with Boston University.
Maine (Grace Wilson, Lara Kirkby)
This week: defeated Binghamton 2-1
Lara Kirkby started and played 79 minutes in Maine’s win over Binghamton, whilst Grace Wilson did not feature on this occasion.
Massachusetts (Hannah Peric)
This week: lost 1-0 to Saint Louis; defeated St. Bonaventure 1-0
Hannah Peric started both games for Massachusetts this week, playing the full 90 minutes against Saint Louis and 63 minutes in the win over St. Bonaventure.
Mississippi Valley State (Jacquelline Kambere)
This week: lost 2-0 to Little Rock
Jacquelline Kambere started in Mississippi Valley State’s loss to Little Rock, tallying four shots with two on target in 87 minutes.
Morehead State (Lilly Bailey, Natasha Tanner)
This week: drew 1-1 with Radford; defeated Eastern Ill. 5-1
Lilly Bailey played all 180 minutes of the weekend for Morehead State, making six saves against Radford and three more in the win over Eastern Illinois. Natasha Tanner came off the bench to play 50 minutes against Radford, before being elevated to the starting lineup and playing 78 minutes against Eastern Illinois.
Northwestern State (Caitlin Le Roux)
This week: defeated Nicholls 2-0
Caitlin Le Roux came off the bench to play 32 minutes in Northwestern State’s win over Nicholls State.
Old Dominion (Alice Thompson)
This week: drew 1-1 with Coastal Carolina
Alice Thompson came off the bench in Old Dominion’s draw with Coastal Carolina, playing eight minutes.
Oregon State (Katie Godden)
This week: defeated Wyoming 2-1
Katie Godden started in Oregon State’s win over Wyoming, assisting on the game-winning goal in the 88th minute and finishing with four shots, including two on target in her 84 minutes on the pitch.
Pacific (Libby Davy)
This week: defeated UC San Diego 1-0
Libby Davy did not feature in Pacific’s win over UC San Diego.
Purdue (Zoe Karipidis)
This week: lost 1-0 to Southern California; lost 2-0 to UCLA
Zoe Karipidis did not feature for Purdue in either game this week.
Rider (Eloise Jones)
This week: No games.
Saint Francis (Claire Scarpin, Aimee Benton)
This week: defeated Chicago St. 1-0
Neither Claire Scarpin nor Aimee Benton featured in Saint Francis’ win over Chicago State.
Saint Peter’s (Sophie Cook, Wilma Thodhlana)
This week: lost 3-1 to Canisius
Sophie Cook played the full 90 minutes in Saint Peter’s loss to Canisius, whilst Wilma Thodhlana did not feature this week.
Santa Clara (Holly Furphy)
This week: drew 2-2 with Harvard
Holly Furphy did not feature in Santa Clara’s draw with Harvard.
Seton Hall (Grace Mitchell, Sarah Mitchell)
This week: drew 0-0 with Villanova
Neither Grace nor Sarah Mitchell featured in Seton Hall’s draw with Villanova.
Siena (Iona Snape)
This week: lost 1-0 to Quinnipiac
Iona Snape started in Siena’s loss to Quinnipiac, playing 57 minutes.
Southern (Yazmin Baird-Watson)
This week: No games.
Stetson (Camila Madriz Figueroa)
This week: lost 1-0 to Jacksonville; lost 2-1 to North Florida
Camila Madriz Figueroa did not feature for Stetson this week.
Tarleton State (Adelaide Wyrzynski)
This week: defeated Southeastern La. 2-1
Adelaide Wyrzynski came off the bench in Tarleton State’s win over Southeastern Louisiana, playing 38 minutes.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Molly Arens, Emma Bates)
This week: drew 0-0 with Houston Christian
Emma Bates started and played 63 minutes in Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s draw with Houston Christian, whilst Molly Arens came off the bench to play 36 minutes.
Towson (Courtney Butlion)
This week: lost 2-1 to Drexel
Courtney Butlion came off the bench in Towson’s loss to Drexel, playing 13 minutes.
UAB (Abbey Burns)
This week: drew 0-0 with Memphis
Abbey Burns did not feature in UAB’s draw with Memphis.
UMBC (Annie Grove)
This week: drew 0-0 with UAlbany
Annie Grove started in UMBC’s draw with Albany, playing 78 minutes.
UNC Asheville (Mercedes McNabb, Jasmine Barry)
This week: defeated South Carolina St. 7-2
Mercedes McNabb and Jasmine Barry both started in UNC Asheville’s win over South Carolina State. McNabb was ruthless, netting a hat-trick on just four shots in an hour of play, whilst Barry played 63 minutes.
VCU (Greta Kraszula)
This week: defeated Davidson 1-0; drew 0-0 with George Mason
Greta Kraszula started both games for VCU this week, playing the full 90 minutes against Davidson and 71 minutes in the draw with George Mason.
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