Category: Weekly Wraps

2019 Week 4 Wrap

It would be fair to say that this wasn’t the most electrifying week in College Matildas history. However, there were still a few solid performances, particularly from the goalkeepers, whilst Indianna Asimus’ goal for Wyoming was simply a delight to watch.

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(Image Credit: Rand Bleimeister/UCLA)

Having fallen to a surprise defeat to Santa Clara last week, UCLA were looking to bounce back at home against Wisconsin. However, giving up five shots on target to the Badgers meant the Bruins would need a big performance from Teagan Micah to get the win, and that is exactly what the senior goalkeeper produced. The Matildas World Cup squad member came up with five saves to keep a clean sheet, and with a 51st minute Kennedy Faulknor goal the only tally of the game for either side, those five saves proved crucial to UCLA’s win. This match also saw the return of Rachel Lowe to the pitch for the Bruins, with the freshman making brief cameos in each half to total 25 minutes of playing time for the game as UCLA moved to 5-1.

Claudia Jenkins was spectacular last week in posting a career-high 10 saves, and carried that form into La Salle’s game against Delaware. Although the junior conceded two goals, Jenkins came up with another 7 saves to play a crucial role in the Explorers’ 3-2 win to move to 4-2-1. Unfortunately, the Philadelphia-based side were on the wrong side of the same scoreline in their second game of the weekend, falling 3-2 to Navy as a solid non-conference slate ended with a loss, but also with the team scoring five goals across the weekend as Jenkins begins to receive a bit more help from her side’s attackers. Alyssa Van Heurck also featured in both games, playing 46 minutes against Delaware and 18 against Navy.

Wyoming outshot Southern Utah 24-6 in their home game to open the weekend, and it was sophomore Indianna Asimus that got the Cowgirls off to a flyer with an early goal that set their opponents on the back foot. A 15th minute finish from an incredibly tight angle from the Dubbo-born striker put Wyoming up 1-0, and with Southern Utah hardly looking threatening with just two shots on target all afternoon, a second goal for Wyoming in the 86th minute closed out the victory. The Cowgirls would close out their weekend with an 1-1 overtime draw against Montana, equalising with a last-second penalty in a game that saw Asimus play 94 of the 110 minutes.

It was a mixed week for Nicholls State, who picked up win and a loss this weekend, but Tessa Calabria continues to make progress in her return from significant injury troubles. In a 3-2 victory over Alcorn State that saw all five goals come before the 25-minute mark, Calabria helped get Nicholls State off to a flying start, teeing up teammate Blaire Laiche for the opener, whilst also testing the goalkeeper with two on-target shots of her own. Meanwhile, Kristy Helmers maintained her position as an integral member of the Colonels’ lineup, playing the full 90 minutes in both games this weekend.

Player of the Year Points:

3: Teagan Micah (UCLA)
2: Indianna Asimus (Wyoming)
1: Claudia Jenkins (La Salle)

Full Schedule

Alabama State (Sophie Bui)

This week: lost 5-0 to Samford; lost 3-1 to Charleston Southern

Sophie Bui did not feature for Alabama State in either game this week.

Chicago State (Sarah Clark)

This week: lost 3-1 to SIU-Edwardsville; lost 3-1 to Eastern Illinois

Sarah Clark started both games for Chicago State this week, playing the full 90 minutes against SIU-Edwardsville and 81 minutes against Eastern Illinois.

East Tennessee State (D’arne Boato)

This week: lost 2-0 to Radford; lost 1-0 to Winthrop

D’arne Boato did not feature for East Tennessee State in either game this week.

Fairleigh Dickinson (Sam Roff)

This week: lost 2-1 to Hofstra; lost 2-1 to Binghamton

Sam Roff started both games for Fairleigh Dickinson this week, tallying a shot in 77 minutes against Hofstra and playing 38 minutes in the loss to Binghamton.

Grand Canyon (Sandra Hill)

This week: drew 1-1 with UC Santa Barbara; lost 2-0 to North Dakota

Sandra Hill came off the bench to play 95 minutes in Grand Canyon’s draw with UC Santa Barbara, before playing a complete game in the loss to North Dakota.

Hofstra (Monique Iannella, Grace Watson Carr)

This week: defeated Fairleigh Dickinson 2-1; lost 1-0 to Columbia

Neither Grace Watson Carr nor Monique Iannella featured for Hofstra in either game this week.

Illinois (Ashleigh Lefevre)

This week: defeated Butler 2-1; defeated Colorado College 2-0

Ashleigh Lefevre started both matches for Illinois this week, playing 59 minutes against Butler and 53 minutes in the win over Colorado College.

La Salle (Claudia Jenkins, Alyssa Van Heurck)

This week: defeated Delaware 3-2; lost 3-2 to Navy

Claudia Jenkins played all 180 minutes between the sticks for La Salle this week, coming up with 7 saves in the win over Delaware and another 3 in the loss to Navy.  Alyssa Van Heurck started in the win over Delaware and played 46 minutes before coming off the bench to register a shot in 18 minutes against Navy.

LSU (Caitlin Cantrill)

This week: lost 1-0 to Arizona State

Caitlin Cantrill did not feature for LSU in their loss to Arizona State.

Marshall (Laura Farrelly)

This week: defeated High Point 3-1

Laura Farrelly did not feature for Marshall in their win over High Point.

Mississippi (Aimee Medwin)

This week: defeated Long Beach State 3-0; lost 2-1 to South Alabama

Aimee Medwin came off the bench to play four minutes in Mississippi’s win over Long Beach State, but did not feature in the loss to South Alabama.

Nicholls State (Tessa Calabria, Kristy Helmers, Shauni Reid)

This week: defeated Alcorn State 3-2; lost 2-1 to Southern

Tessa Calabria started in Nicholls State’s win over Alcorn State, tallying an assist and a pair of shots on target in 49 minutes of action. The senior then came off the bench in the loss to Southern, playing 18 minutes. Kristy Helmers started both games for Nicholls State this week, playing the full 90 minutes on each occasion. Shauni Reid did not feature in either game this week.

North Dakota State (Eden Taylor-Wineera)

This week: lost 2-1 to Drake; lost 3-0 to Northern Iowa

Eden Taylor-Wineera did not feature in North Dakota State’s loss to Drake, but returned to play 33 minutes off the bench against Northern Iowa, tallying a shot on target in the process.

Old Dominion (Gaby Bentley)

This week: defeated East Carolina 2-1; defeated William & Mary 5-0

Gaby Bentley did not feature in the win over East Carolina, but came off the bench to play 15 minutes in Old Dominion’s 5-0 drubbing of William & Mary.

Rhode Island (Teresa Morrissey)

This week: drew 1-1 with Holy Cross; lost 1-0 to Boston University

Teresa Morrissey played every minute for Rhode Island this week, coming up with 4 saves in the overtime draw with Holy Cross and another 2 saves in the loss to Boston University.

Southeast Missouri State (Siena Senatore)

This week: lost 1-0 to Arkansas State

Siena Senatore made her return to the pitch for Southeast Missouri State with an 11-minute cameo off the bench in the Redhawks’ loss to Arkansas State.

Stanford (Beattie Goad)

This week: lost 1-0 to Pepperdine; defeated UC Santa Barbara 1-0

Beattie Goad came off the bench in Stanford’s surprise loss to Pepperdine, tallying a pair of shots with one on target in 60 minutes of playing time. The senior then started in the Cardinal’s win over UC Santa Barbara, playing 42 minutes.

Texas Tech (Demi Koulizakis)

This week: defeated Loyola Marymount 3-1; defeated UC Irvine 4-2

Demi Koulizakis started both games this week, playing 56 minutes against Loyola Marymount and 41 minutes against UC Irvine. The striker registered two shots in each game, with one on target in either contest.

UCLA (Rachel Lowe, Teagan Micah)

This week: defeated Wisconsin 1-0

Teagan Micah played the full 90 minutes in UCLA’s win over Wisconsin, earning a clean sheet with five saves, whilst Rachel Lowe came off the bench to play 25 minutes.

UMBC (Abi Jordan, Teal Kilbride)

This week: lost 2-0 to Lehigh; lost 2-1 to Longwood

Teal Kilbride did not feature in UMBC’s loss to Lehigh, but started and played 26 minutes in the loss to Longwood. Abi Jordan did not feature in either game this week.

Western Carolina (Kate Swartwout)

This week: defeated High Point 2-1; defeated Radford 1-0

Kate Swartwout came off the bench in Western Carolina’s win over High Point, rattling off a pair of shots on target in her 21 minutes, before seeing another 19 minutes off the bench in the win over Radford.

Wyoming (Indianna Asimus)

This week: defeated Southern Utah 2-0; drew 1-1 with Montana

Indianna Asimus started both games for Wyoming this week, tallying the opening goal in a 66-minute outing against Southern Utah, before playing 94 minutes in the draw with Montana.

2019 Week 3 Wrap

The stars kept shining this week as the season hit the 25% point, with Demi Koulizakis and Beattie Goad putting in impressive shifts. However, the undoubted top performer was Claudia Jenkins, whose career day led La Salle to victory on the road at Florida Gulf Coast.

(Image Credit: Greg Carroccio/Sideline Photos)

La Salle managed to secure a 2-1 win on the road at Florida Gulf Coast, and had Claudia Jenkins to thank following a massive performance between the sticks. After conceding early, Jenkins came up with a career-high 10 saves to keep her team in the game as a previously insipid Explorers offence turned up the wick after the hour mark, banging home two goals in the space of six minutes to secure the victory. The South Australian followed up that scintillating performance with a clean sheet against St. John’s in the second game of the week, with all three saves proving crucial as La Salle secured a 1-0 win to round out a perfect weekend. Fellow Australian, Alyssa Van Heurck started both games, tallying a shot in a 65-minute outing against Florida Gulf Coast and seeing 31 minutes of action in the win over St. John’s.

Stanford’s last two outings against San Francisco had resulted in 5-1 and 8-0 wins for the Cardinal, but Beattie Goad had yet to be involved in a single one of those 13 goals despite starting on both occasions. However, that all changed in the space of less than two minutes as the senior tallied an assist on the first of Catarina Macario’s three goals. Just 17 minutes later, Goad put Stanford up 3-0 with a goal of her own, latching onto a through ball before finishing a one-on-one opportunity. Stanford would roll to a 9-0 victory, taking their record to 5-0 with a combined scoreline of 26-3, and look set to move to #2 in the national coaches’ poll.

Senior Night is a time for celebrations, and Demi Koulizakis made sure they lasted beyond the pre-game ceremony for Texas Tech, tucking home a goal in the Red Raiders’ win over Abilene Christian. With her team already 2-0 up inside half an hour, Koulizakis found herself wide open in the area as teammate Kirsten Davis forced a turnover in the corner before hitting a neat low cross that the Sydneysider was able to sweep home off the inside of the post to all but lock up the win in the 28th minute as Texas Tech moved to 4-1, with Koulizakis finishing with a pair of shots in her 65 minutes on the pitch.

Teresa Morrissey continued her solid early season form as Rhode Island continue to put last year’s 0-17-1 record behind them. The freshman was unbeatable for 85 minutes against Pittsburgh, but a late header just snuck inside the post to force overtime as the teams played out a 1-1 draw. However, Sacred Heart were unable to beat the Victorian, with Morrissey making three saves as the Rams secured a 2-0 win, their first multi-goal game of the season following a pair of 1-0 wins and a 1-0 defeat coming into the weekend.

Eligibility issues had prevented Sophie Bui from making her debut for Alabama State, but with her clearance coming through during the week, the freshman finally hit the pitch in the Hornets’ outing against UAB. The freshman came off the bench to play 56 minutes, tallying two shots in the process. That performance was enough to earn a start and 45 minutes of playing time against Jacksonville State as Alabama State took an early 2-0 lead before falling to a 3-2 overtime defeat.

Finally, there was a moment to remember for Eliza Ammendolia and Eden Taylor-Wineera as Hawaii faced North Dakota State. Despite playing for teams based almost 4,000 miles apart, the pair of ex-Macarthur Rams faced off, with both players coming off the bench Ammendolia securing bragging rights as Hawaii came away with the 1-0 win. Both players would also have impressive ends to the week, with Ammendolia going on to secure her first career start in Hawaii’s 2-1 loss to North Dakota, whilst Taylor-Wineera’s 33 minutes against Chicago State represented more minutes than the freshman had played in her three previous appearances combined.

Eden Taylor-Wineera and Eliza Ammendolia

Player of the Year Points:

3: Claudia Jenkins (La Salle)
2: Beattie Goad (Stanford)
1: Demi Koulizakis (Texas Tech)

Complete Results

Alabama State (Sophie Bui)

This week: lost 5-0 to UAB; lost 3-2 to Jacksonville State (OT)

Sophie Bui made her college debut in the loss to UAB, coming off the bench to register a pair of shots in 56 minutes on the pitch. Bui was then rewarded with her first start against Jacksonville State, playing the first 45 minutes in the overtime defeat.

Chicago State (Sarah Clark)

This week: lost 6-0 North Dakota; lost 2-0 to North Dakota State

Sarah Clark came off the bench to play 51 minutes in Chicago State’s loss to North Dakota, before playing a complete game in the loss to North Dakota State.

East Tennessee State (D’arne Boato)

This week: lost 2-1 to Navy; defeated Delaware State 5-2

D’arne Boato did not feature for East Tennessee State in either game this week.

Fairleigh Dickinson (Sam Roff)

This week: lost 1-0 to Monmouth; drew 1-1 with William & Mary

Sam Roff played two complete games for Fairleigh Dickinson this week, registering a single shot in the draw with William & Mary in the process.

Grand Canyon (Sandra Hill)

This week: lost 2-1 to Northern Colorado; lost 1-0 to Colorado State

Sandra Hill came off the bench for Grand Canyon in both games this week, seeing 13 minutes of action in the loss to Northern Colorado before registering a shot in 47 minutes of playing time against Colorado State.

Hawaii (Eliza Ammendolia, Kiri Dale)

This week: defeated North Dakota State 1-0; lost 2-1 to North Dakota (OT)

Kiri Dale came off the bench in both games this week, playing 28 minutes on each occasion and tallying two shots with one on target against North Dakota State. Eliza Ammendolia came off the bench to register two shots with one on target in 35 minutes against North Dakota State, before making her first college start in a 38 minute outing against North Dakota.

Hofstra (Monique Iannella, Grace Watson Carr)

This week: lost 4-1 to Rutgers; defeated Stony Brook 2-1 (OT)

Neither Grace Watson Carr nor Monique Iannella featured for Hofstra in either game this week.

Illinois (Ashleigh Lefevre)

This week: defeated Illinois State 3-2

Ashleigh Lefevre started for Illinois in their win over Illinois State, playing 53 minutes.

La Salle (Claudia Jenkins, Alyssa Van Heurck)

This week: defeated Florida Gulf Coast 2-1; defeated St. John’s 1-0

Claudia Jenkins was the saviour for La Salle in their win over Florida Gulf Coast, making a career-high 10 saves in the 2-1 win, before making 3 more against St. John’s to keep a clean sheet in the win. Alyssa Van Heurck started both games, tallying a shot on target in 65 minutes of action against Florida Gulf Coast and playing 31 minutes against St. John’s.

LSU (Caitlin Cantrill)

This week: lost 1-0 to North Carolina; lost 6-0 to Duke

Caitlin Cantrill did not feature in LSU’s loss to North Carolina, but came off the bench to play 30 minutes in the Tigers’ loss to Duke.

Marshall (Laura Farrelly)

This week: lost 2-0 to Lipscomb; lost 3-2 to Vanderbilt (OT)

Laura Farrelly did not feature for Marshall in either game this week.

Mississippi (Aimee Medwin)

This week: defeated Western Kentucky 1-0 (OT); defeated Murray State 5-4 (OT)

Aimee Medwin played brief cameos off the bench in both games this week, seeing 11 minutes of action against Western Kentucky and 5 minutes in the win over Murray State.

Nicholls State (Tessa Calabria, Kristy Helmers, Shauni Reid)

This week: lost 2-1 to Prairie View A&M

Tessa Calabria and Kristy Helmers each started for Nicholls State in the loss to Prairie View A&M, playing 70 and 80 minutes respectively. Shauni Reid did not feature for the Colonels this week.

North Dakota State (Eden Taylor-Wineera)

This week: lost 1-0 to Hawaii; defeated Chicago State 2-0

Eden Taylor-Wineera came off the bench for North Dakota State in both games this week, playing 8 minutes against Hawaii and 33 minutes in the win over Chicago State.

Old Dominion (Gaby Bentley)

This week: defeated Longwood 2-1; defeated VCU 4-3

Gaby Bentley did not feature for Old Dominion in either game this week.

Rhode Island (Teresa Morrissey)

This week: drew 1-1 with Pittsburgh; defeated Sacred Heart 2-0

Teresa Morrissey played all 110 minutes in the draw with Pittsburgh, making four saves before playing all 90 minutes and coming up with another three saves to keep a clean sheet in the win over Sacred Heart.

Southeast Missouri State (Siena Senatore)

This week: defeated Evansville 2-1

Siena Senatore did not feature for Southeast Missouri State in their win over Evansville.

Stanford (Beattie Goad)

This week: defeated San Francisco 9-0

Beattie Goad started for Stanford in their rout of San Francisco, contributing a goal and an assist in her 55 minutes on the pitch.

Texas Tech (Demi Koulizakis)

This week: defeated Abilene Christian 3-0; v Arkansas State – 4am, Monday September 9

Koulizakis – 2 shots, 2 on target, 1 goal, 65 minutes v ACU

UCLA (Rachel Lowe, Teagan Micah)

This week: lost 2-0 to Santa Clara

Teagan Micah played the full 90 minutes for UCLA, making 3 saves in the loss to Santa Clara. Rachel Lowe did not feature for the Bruins in their only game of the week.

UMBC (Abi Jordan, Teal Kilbride)

This week: lost 1-0 to Towson

Teal Kilbride played the first 45 minutes for UMBC in their loss to Towson, whilst Abi Jordan did not feature for the Retrievers.

Western Carolina (Kate Swartwout)

This week: defeated Davidson 1-0; lost 5-0 to Charlotte

Kate Swartwout finished with a single shot and a yellow card in a complete-game performance against Davidson, before starting and playing 24 minutes in the loss to Charlotte.

Wyoming (Indianna Asimus)

This week: lost 2-0 to Baylor; defeated Idaho State 4-1

Indianna Asimus started both games this week, playing 78 minutes in the loss to Baylor before tallying a single shot in 49 minutes of action in the win over Idaho State.

2019 Week 2 Wrap

The Pac-12 Aussies flexed their national title credentials this week, with UCLA in particular coming up with a pair of massive wins. Meanwhile, down in the Lone Star State, Texas Tech were ruthless in smashing home 8 goals across two games, with Demi Koulizakis playing no small part in their wins.

(Image Credit: Texas Tech Athletics)

Beattie Goad turned last week’s solid start into a scintillating continuation, playing an integral role in Stanford’s 5-0 win over Penn to maintain the Cardinal’s perfect record. Goad opened the scoring for the home side on Thursday night, lashing home Madison Haley’s lay-off into the top corner from the edge of the area for her first goal of the season. The senior followed up shortly after, producing a mazy run from the left wing into the centre of the pitch before finding Abby Greubel, who made the most of Goad’s work with a classy finish into the bottom corner from outside the area. Goad would also start in Stanford’s 7-0 win over San Jose State later in the week, playing 25 minutes.

Staying in the Pac-12, Teagan Micah helped UCLA to a pair of massive wins over Florida State and Florida as the Bruins reminded everyone why they are one of the national championship favourites. The senior made two saves in UCLA’s 2-1 win over Florida State at Banc of California Stadium, before returning home to Wallis Annenberg Stadium to make three saves in the Bruins’ 2-0 win over Florida for her third clean sheet of the still young season. Unfortunately, Rachel Lowe did not feature in either game for the Bruins this week as coach Amanda Cromwell kept the rotation short in these tight contests.

Demi Koulizakis continues to make herself an integral part of the Texas Tech side, with the senior performing admirably as the Red Raiders picked up a pair of 4-0 wins. Texas Tech outshot Oral Roberts 23-3 in their first game of the week, and whilst Koulizakis may not have scored a goal in the drubbing, the former Western Sydney Wanderers W-League player got herself into good positions and managed to finish the game with three shots on target in the win. However, Koulizakis’ good work produced more tangible results against North Texas later in the week. With the Red Raiders and Mean Green locked up at 0-0 at halftime, a second-half blitzkrieg culminated in four goals for Texas Tech, with Koulizakis assisting on both the second goal as well as the final tally of the night as the home side pulled away down the stretch.

Western Carolina senior Kate Swartwout has done just about everything bar score a goal during her time with the Catamounts, but that all changed in a thrilling 5-4 victory over Tennessee-Martin. With her team down 1-0 after eight minutes, Swartwout tied things up from close range, sending the ball home from near the centre of the box. The Catamounts would take a 4-2 lead into halftime, but their lead was cut to 5-4 with still 15 minutes to play, leading to a crazy finish that somehow did not produce more goals as Western Carolina moved to 2-1.

Tessa Calabria may still only be playing limited minutes, but her impact for Nicholls State is anything but as the senior continues to produce for the Colonels. Calabria played only 30 minutes of the contest against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, but that was time enough to tally an assist on her team’s fourth goal and also test the goalkeeper with a shot of her own as Nicholls State rolled to a 5-0 win. Kristy Helmers also played 66 minutes for the Colonels in the win, whilst Shauni Reid was an unused substitute.

Sam Roff has never been known as a player to make a significant impact at the attacking end, but that has never stopped the Fairleigh Dickinson defender from being one of the most crucial parts of the Knights lineup, and the senior proved as much this weekend. Having played the first 70 minutes against Lehigh in the New Jersey team’s first game of the week, Roff was forced off with the score at 1-0. Lehigh tied the game late, and with overtime unable to separate the sides, the Knights were forced to settle for the draw. However, Roff returned to play in-state foes Rider, and proved once again to be a rock at the back as Rider were able to tally only three shots on target as the game finished in a 0-0 stalemate, with Roff playing all 110 minutes.

This week also saw two more players make their collegiate debuts in brief cameos off the bench that will no doubt drive the pair to secure more playing time going forward. Mississippi freshman winger Aimee Medwin saw 21 minutes of action in a thrilling 3-2 overtime win over Minnesota, whilst sophomore Grace Watson Carr played 17 minutes between the sticks in the back end of a dominant 6-1 win for Hofstra over local foes Fordham.

Watson Carr’s Hofstra teammate Monique Iannella also managed to produce a moment to savour this week, tallying the 14th assist of her career even as the Pride fell to a 2-1 loss to Brown. As those who have followed Iannella’s career would be unsurprised to learn, the assist came from a corner, with a short ball played out to the senior, who combined with Sabrina Bryan, with the latter’s shot from long distance managing to find its way into the net with a little help from a defender’s head.

Player of the Year Points:

3: Beattie Goad (Stanford)
2: Demi Koulizakis (Texas Tech)
1: Sam Roff (Fairleigh Dickinson)

Full Schedule

Chicago State (Sarah Clark)

This week: lost 1-0 to Purdue-Fort Wayne; lost 2-0 to Louisiana-Lafayette

Sarah Clark featured for Chicago State in both games this week, tallying a trio of shots in the loss to Louisiana-Lafayette.

East Tennessee State (D’arne Boato)

This week: drew 1-1 with Gardner-Webb

D’arne Boato did not feature for East Tennessee State in their draw with Gardner-Webb.

Fairleigh Dickinson (Sam Roff)

This week: drew 1-1 with Lehigh; drew 0-0 with Rider

Sam Roff played 70 minutes in the draw with Lehigh before being forced off the pitch, but returned to help Fairleigh Dickinson hold Rider to just 3 shots on target in a 0-0 draw, playing all 110 minutes in the process.

Grand Canyon (Sandra Hill)

This week: lost 2-1 to UTEP; lost 4-0 to UTSA

Sandra Hill did not feature for Grand Canyon in the loss to UTEP, but came off the bench to register a shot on target in her 30 minutes on the pitch against UTSA.

Hawaii (Eliza Ammendolia, Kiri Dale)

This week: defeated Nevada 1-0 (OT); drew 0-0 with Sacramento State

Eliza Ammendolia came off the bench for Nevada in both games this week for Hawaii, playing 43 minutes against Nevada and 39 minutes against Sacramento State. Kiri Dale played 23 minutes off the bench against Nevada, but did not feature against Sacramento State.

Hofstra (Monique Iannella, Grace Watson Carr)

This week: lost 2-1 to Brown; defeated Fordham 6-1

Having not featured in the loss to Brown, sophomore goalkeeper Grace Watson Carr made her Hofstra debut with a 17-minute cameo in the latter stages of the Pride’s 6-1 win over Fordham. Monique Iannella started against Brown and delivered the assist on Hofstra’s only goal in a 59-minute performance, but did not feature against Fordham.

Illinois (Ashleigh Lefevre)

This week: defeated Pepperdine 3-2; lost 3-0 to San Francisco

Ashleigh Lefevre started for Illinois in the win over Pepperdine, playing 44 minutes before coming off the bench in the loss to San Francisco to play 57 minutes.

La Salle (Claudia Jenkins, Alyssa Van Heurck)

This week: defeated NJIT 1-0; lost 1-0 to Drexel

Claudia Jenkins played all 180 minutes between the sticks for La Salle this week, finishing with 2 saves in the win over NJIT and 4 more in the loss to Drexel. Alyssa Van Heurck started both games, tallying a single shot in 33 minutes in the win over NJIT and seeing 36 minutes of action against Drexel.

LSU (Caitlin Cantrill)

This week: defeated McNeese State 1-0; drew 2-2 with Samford

Caitlin Cantrill came off the bench to play 9 minutes for LSU in the win over McNeese State, but did not feature in the draw with Samford.

Marshall (Laura Farrelly)

This week: defeated Youngstown State 3-0; lost 4-1 to Ohio

Laura Farrelly did not feature for Marshall in either game this week.

Mississippi (Aimee Medwin)

This week: defeated Southeast Missouri State 2-0; defeated Minnesota 3-2 (OT)

Aimee Medwin did not feature against Southeast Missouri State, but came off the bench against Minnesota to make her college debut, registering a single shot in 21 minutes of action.

Nicholls State (Tessa Calabria, Kristy Helmers, Shauni Reid)

This week: defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 5-0

Tessa Calabria started for Nicholls State in the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, tallying an assist and a shot on target in her 30 minutes on the pitch. Kristy Helmers also started and played 66 minutes, but Shauni Reid did not feature for the Colonels.

North Dakota State (Eden Taylor-Wineera)

This week: defeated Vermont 3-0; defeated New Hampshire 1-0

Eden Taylor-Wineera made a brief 5-minute cameo off the bench in North Dakota State’s win over Vermont, but did not feature against New Hampshire.

Old Dominion (Gaby Bentley)

This week: drew 1-1 with Liberty

Gaby Bentley did not feature for Old Dominion in their draw with Liberty.

Rhode Island (Teresa Morrissey)

This week: defeated Wagner 1-0

Teresa Morrissey once again played the full 90 minutes for Rhode Island, coming up with 3 vital saves in the Rams’ 1-0 win over Wagner.

Southeast Missouri State (Siena Senatore)

This week: lost 2-0 to Mississippi; lost 5-0 to Arkansas

Siena Senatore started both games for Southeast Missouri State this week, playing all 180 minutes across the two contests.

Stanford (Beattie Goad)

This week: defeated Penn 5-1; defeated San Jose State 7-0

Beattie Goad started for Stanford against Penn, tallying the opening goal and an assist during her 61 minutes on the pitch. The senior also started against San Jose State, playing the first 25 minutes.

Texas Tech (Demi Koulizakis)

This week: defeated Oral Roberts 4-0; defeated North Texas 4-0

Demi Koulizakis peppered Oral Roberts’ goal with 3 shots in target during her 47 minutes on the pitch in Texas Tech’s win, before coming off the bench to assist on two goals in the Red Raiders’ win over North Texas in a 23-minute cameo.

UCLA (Rachel Lowe, Teagan Micah)

This week: defeated Florida State 2-1; defeated Florida 2-0

Teagan Micah played all 180 minutes of the weekend, making two saves in the win over Florida State and another 3 in the victory over Florida. Rachel Lowe did not feature for the Bruins in either game this week.

UMBC (Abi Jordan, Teal Kilbride)

This week: lost 3-1 to Temple; defeated Mount St. Mary’s 3-0

Teal Kilbride started for UMBC in the loss, playing 34 minutes, but did not feature in the win over Mount St. Mary’s. Abi Jordan did not feature for the Retrievers in either game this week.

Western Carolina (Kate Swartwout)

This week: lost 4-1 to Middle Tennessee State; defeated Tennessee-Martin 5-4

Kate Swartwout came off the bench against Middle Tennessee State to play 13 minutes, before getting the start against Tennessee-Martin and scoring her first career goal in a 23-minute cameo in the Catamounts’ thrilling 5-4 win.

2019 Week 1 Wrap

A week of outstanding performances saw a pair of freshmen enjoy outstanding debuts, a sophomore pick up a first career goal, and a senior make a stunning comeback from injury with a goal as a number of Aussies got on the scoresheet during the opening weekend of the season.

Debuts don’t get much better than the one that Teresa Morrissey produced for Rhode Island as they faced New Hampshire in the season opener. Thrown in at the deep end as starting goalkeeper, Morrissey stood tall for the Rams, making five saves and keeping a clean sheet as Rhode Island clinched an overtime winner in the 93rd minute to ensure that the freshman’s outstanding performance was not in vain.

However, Morrissey was not the only freshman to enjoy a dream debut. Starting on the bench for UCLA, Rachel Lowe entered the game against Iowa State as a halftime substitute, and took less than 13 minutes to tally a debut goal that put the Bruins 2-0 up on their way to a 3-0 victory. Lowe would then play another 22 minutes off the bench in Sunday’s win over Long Beach State. Fellow Australian, Teagan Micah played every minute of the weekend between the sticks for UCLA, making one save in each game to keep two clean sheets.

Speaking of goalkeepers, La Salle custodian Claudia Jenkins had a far busier weekend than Micah, doing everything in her power to keep the Explorers in the contest against national contenders Duke. The junior came up with six saves as the Blue Devils piled on the pressure, with Jenkins keeping the opposition attack at bay until the 68th minute before the sheer weight of shots told as La Salle fell to a 2-0 defeat. However, five more saves from Jenkins would prove crucial for the Explorers as they secured a 1-1 draw with North Florida in their second game of the week. Fellow Australian, Alyssa Van Heurck proved an integral part of the La Salle side, playing 80 minutes and tallying a shot against Duke before following up with a 78-minute outing against North Florida two days later.

Having done everything but manage to score a goal in her freshman season, Wyoming sophomore Indianna Asimus appears hellbent on making up for lost time, taking the early lead on the Australian goalscoring charts. With her team level at 1-1 with UTEP heading into the final 15 minutes, Asimus stepped up to take a free kick, bending it around the wall and past the outstretched goalkeeper for a 2-1 lead before the game finished 2-2 as UTEP picked up a late equaliser, with overtime unable to split the teams. Asimus would then follow up with a goal just five minutes into the Cowgirls’ second game of the week against New Mexico State, but a 70th minute equaliser saw Wyoming once again forced to split the points.

Demi Koulizakis finished 2018 strongly and picked right up where she left off as Texas Tech put San Diego State to the sword. Koulizakis played just 28 minutes off the bench as the Red Raiders dominated in a 6-1 victory, but that was all the time the senior need to tally her first goal of the campaign, nodding home a corner late in the first half to put Texas Tech 5-0 up before halftime, whilst also adding an assists in the dominant victory. Unfortunately, the Red Raiders’ road trip didn’t end as well as it started as they fell 1-0 to New Mexico in Albuquerque later in the week, with Koulizakis tallying one of the team’s 7 shots on target as they outshot the Lobos, but couldn’t find an equaliser.

Nicholls State already look better than they did in 2018, and they have Aussie duo Tessa Calabria and Kristy Helmers to thank. The Colonels played Mississippi Valley State in a pair of back-to-back games at home, with Calabria tallying a goal from the spot and Helmers adding a goal and an assist late in the piece as Nicholls State rolled to a 5-0 victory in the first game. The 34-4 shot count of the second game suggested that the result should have been the same again, but somehow Mississippi Valley State stood firm in a 1-1 draw, with Helmers teeing up a teammate for a 65th minute equaliser after Nicholls State had conceded the opener via a penalty in the first half.

Beattie Goad also started the season in fine form. Now a senior in a Stanford squad looking to replace a number of stars, Goad earned a start in the Cardinal’s season opener, going close to scoring on one occasion in a 2-1 win over Penn State. However, despite coming off the bench against West Virginia two days later, Goad was able to have more of an impact, tallying an assist on her team’s final goal in a 3-1 win as Stanford started the season 2-0.

Player of the Year Points:

3: Teresa Morrissey (Rhode Island)
2: Indianna Asimus (Wyoming)
1: Kristy Helmers (Nicholls State)

Full Schedule

Alabama State (Sophie Bui)

This week: lost 6-1 to Fairleigh Dickinson; lost 6-0 to UTRGV

Sophie Bui did not feature for Alabama State in either game this week.

Chicago State (Sarah Clark)

This week: lost 5-0 to Northern Iowa; lost 2-0 to Wisconsin-Green Bay

Sarah Clark did not feature for Chicago State against Northern Iowa, whilst there are no stats available for the game against Wisconsin-Green Bay.

East Tennessee State (D’arne Boato)

This week: defeated King 4-0; lost 1-0 to UNC Asheville

D’arne Boato did not feature for East Tennessee State in either game this week.

Fairleigh Dickinson (Sam Roff)

This week: defeated Alabama State 6-1; lost 4-1 to Miami (FL)

Sam Roff started both games for Fairleigh Dickinson, playing 68 minutes in the win over Alabama State and 58 minutes in the loss to Miami.

Grand Canyon (Sandra Hill)

This week: defeated Stetson 1-0; lost 7-1 to Florida Atlantic

Sandra Hill did not feature for Grand Canyon in either game this week.

Hawaii (Eliza Ammendolia, Kiri Dale)

This week: lost 3-0 to USC; lost 3-2 to South Florida

Kiri Dale came off the bench to play 14 minutes in the loss to USC, but did not feature in the game against South Florida. Eliza Ammendolia did not feature against USC, but came off the bench to make her debut against South Florida, playing 31 minutes.

Hofstra (Monique Iannella, Grace Watson Carr)

This week: defeated Monmouth 1-0; lost 6-0 to Penn State

Monique Iannella played the full 90 minutes for Hofstra in both games to start the season. Grace Watson Carr did not feature for Hofstra in either game this week.

Illinois (Ashleigh Lefevre)

This week: defeated Loyola Chicago 3-1; defeated Dayton 3-2

Ashleigh Lefevre started in the win over Loyola Chicago, playing 47 minutes before coming off the bench to play 59 minutes in the win over Dayton.

La Salle (Claudia Jenkins, Alyssa Van Heurck)

This week: lost 2-0 to Duke; drew 1-1 with North Florida

Claudia Jenkins played all 200 minutes of the weekend, making 6 saves in the loss to Duke and another 5 in the draw with North Florida. Alyssa Van Heurck started both games, registering a single shot on target in 80 minutes against Duke before playing 78 minutes against North Florida.

LSU (Caitlin Cantrill)

This week: lost 1-0 to Villanova; drew 1-1 with Navy

Caitlin Cantrill did not feature for LSU in either game this week.

Marshall (Laura Farrelly)

This week: lost 5-0 to Michigan; lost 5-1 to Michigan State

Laura Farrelly did not feature for LSU in either game this week.

Mississippi (Aimee Medwin)

This week: defeated North Alabama 2-0; lost 3-1 to Memphis

Aimee Medwin did not feature for Mississippi in either game this week.

Nicholls State (Tessa Calabria, Kristy Helmers, Shauni Reid)

This week: defeated Mississippi Valley State 5-0; drew 1-1 with Mississippi Valley State

Tessa Calabria started for Nicholls State in the first game against Mississippi Valley State, netting a penalty during her 39 minutes on the pitch before coming off the bench in the second meeting of the week to tally 5 shots, including 2 on target, in a 60-minute outing. Kristy Helmers started both games, playing 79 minutes whilst tallying an assist and a shot on target in the first outing. The senior tallied another assist in the drawn second meeting as well as another shot on target during a 74-minute stint. Shauni Reid did not feature in either game this week.

North Dakota State (Eden Taylor-Wineera)

This week: defeated Saint Mary’s 1-0; drew 1-1 with Montana

Eden Taylor-Wineera did not feature against Saint Mary’s, but came off the bench against Montana, making her debut with a brief 5-minute cameo.

Old Dominion (Gaby Bentley)

This week: defeated Towson 4-1; defeated George Mason 3-1

Gaby Bentley did not feature for Old Dominion in either game this week.

Rhode Island (Teresa Morrissey)

This week: defeated New Hampshire 1-0 (OT)

Teresa Morrissey enjoyed an outstanding debut, playing all 92 minutes and making five crucial saves as Rhode Island secured a 1-0 overtime win against New Hampshire to open the season.

Southeast Missouri State (Siena Senatore)

This week: defeated Southern Miss 3-2

In her first competitive fixture since 2016, Siena Senatore played the full 90 minutes for Southeast Missouri State in their win over Southern Miss.

Stanford (Beattie Goad)

This week: defeated Penn State 2-1; defeated West Virginia 3-1

Beattie Goad started against Penn State, playing 79 minutes and registering three shots, of which one was on target. The senior came off the bench against West Virginia, tallying an assist on Stanford’s third goal during her 41 minutes on the pitch.

Texas Tech (Demi Koulizakis)

This week: defeated San Diego State 6-1; lost 1-0 to New Mexico

Demi Koulizakis came off the bench to score one of Texas Tech’s six goals against San Diego State during a 28-minute cameo, before playing 49 minutes off the bench in the loss to New Mexico, registering two shots with one on target.

UCLA (Teagan Micah)

This week: defeated Iowa State 3-0; defeated Long Beach State 1-0

Teagan Micah played all 180 minutes in UCLA’s pair of victories, making a single save in each game. Rachel Lowe came off the bench in both games, scoring on debut in a 45-minute effort against Iowa State before playing 22 minutes in the win over Long Beach State.

UMBC (Abi Jordan, Teal Kilbride)

This week: drew 0-0 with NJIT; drew 2-2 with Saint Francis (PA)

Teal Kilbride played the full 90 minutes in the draw with NJIT, but did not feature in the draw with Saint Francis. Abi Jordan did not feature in either game this week.

Western Carolina (Kate Swartwout)

This week: defeated Gardner-Webb 2-1

Kate Swartwout played the full 90 minutes for Western Carolina as the Catamounts secured a 2-1 victory despite conceding the opener.

Wyoming (Indianna Asimus)

This week: drew 2-2 with UTEP; drew 1-1 with New Mexico State

Indianna Asimus started the season on fire, finishing with a goal and three shots on target in an 89-minute performance against UTEP, before scoring Wyoming’s only goal in a 76-minute performance in the draw with New Mexico State.

2018 Week 12 Wrap

A whirlwind weekend to end the regular season has left us with four teams and five Australians securing conference championships, with a raft of other teams having either locked up an at-large bid or still very much in the mix. However, the performance of the week came in a game that saw one Aussie help another to a title as Teagan Micah’s performance in goal helped UCLA to a win over USC that delivered Beattie Goad and Stanford an outright Pac-12 championship with a game to spare.

(Featured Image Credit: Michael Rincon)

The week kicked off with a belter of a goal from Sandra Hill that provided one of the highlights of the week even if Grand Canyon couldn’t secure a victory. The Lopes conceded two early goals to Utah Valley in their WAC quarter-final, but when the ball fell to Hill just outside the area following a corner late in the first half, the sophomore had only one thing in mind and rocketed it into the top corner to halve Utah Valley’s lead. Unfortunately, that was the last goal of the game, with Grand Canyon managing just one shot in the second half as their season came to an end with a 2-1 loss.

Stanford needed a win in either of their two games this week to secure a share of the Pac-12 Championship, and as expected clinched one at the first opportunity with a 2-0 victory over arch-rivals Cal on the road at Berkeley. Beattie Goad started once again and played the full 90 minutes, tallying two shots with one on target and one cannoning back off the post as Stanford secured the win courtesy of a pair of Jordan DiBiasi goals, leaving the Cardinal to await the result of the game between USC and UCLA, with any dropped points from USC resulting in Stanford clinching the championship outright even before they played Arizona State. Stanford would go on to beat the Sun Devils regardless, with Goad coming off the bench to play 53 minutes as the Cardinal completed an undefeated regular season with a dominant 4-1 victory.

Teagan Micah remains perfect in her three games against local rivals USC after a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory for UCLA this week, and the Bruins certainly have their goalkeeper to thank for that. Micah came up with eight saves, including three highlight reel efforts, one of which came with just two seconds to play with the game tied at 2-2. In a game that saw the teams trade goals within six seconds of each other as Hailie Mace’s screamer cancelled out USC’s second goal, it was UCLA who secured the victory as Olivia Athens narrowly beat an onrushing goalkeeper to head home into an open net and extend the Bruins’ winning streak over their arch-rivals to three games, as well as see UCLA jump the Trojans to finish in second spot in the Pac-12 behind Stanford.

Monique Iannella has been ever-present in the Hofstra back four this season, and the Pride’s defensive line came up in a massive way as the Pride secured the CAA title and an NCAA Tournament berth with a 2-0 win over James Madison. Hofstra conceded just two shots on target all game, with Iannella coming up with a goal-saving block from close range in a contest that saw the Pride take an early lead through Lucy Porter before doubling the margin in the 57th minute courtesy of Sabrina Bryan.

Caitlin Cantrill and LSU faced South Carolina in the SEC semi-finals, having already won their way through from the first round last weekend. The Tigers had already upset the Gamecocks once this season in a 2-1 win at home, but South Carolina on paper stil looked to be the favourites. However, LSU would secure the 1-0 victory courtesy of a 66th minute South Carolina own goal that sent the Tigers through to the championship game against Arkansas. LSU went down 1-0 just 13 minutes in, but Shannon Cooke’s long-range screamer in the 72nd minute tied the game at 1-1. Overtime couldn’t split the teams, but cooler heads prevailed in the shootout as a far more confident LSU team converted all four of their penalties for a 4-1 shootout victory that secured the team’s first conference championship. Unfortunately, Cantrill did not feature for the Tigers in either game.

Claire Urquhart and Albany had just one game to get through this week, but it was a big one – the America East Championship against UMass-Lowell. It was hardly a contest befitting a championship game, but Albany won’t mind as they dominated for the entire 90 minutes to roll to a 5-1 victory and book their spot in the NCAA Tournament, with Urquhart featuring in garbage time in the final couple of minutes.

A Texas Tech side featuring Demi Koulizakis couldn’t quite grab the upset win over Baylor in the Big 12 semi-finals, but their season looks set to continue into the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid. The Red Raiders gave up an equaliser just before halftime, but responded with an equaliser ten minutes after the break. An even game that saw each team finish with 18 shots rightly went to overtime, but Baylor found the golden goal in just the third extra minute. Demi Koulizakis played just two minutes in the loss, but the junior will likely have at least one more chance this season as Texas Tech will certainly hear their name called as an NCAA Tournament team on Selection Monday.

Illinois aren’t quite as comfortable as Texas Tech, but some big early season results against Duke and Oklahoma State may have padded the Illini’s resume just enough to see them sneak into the NCAA Tournament. A Big Ten semi-final loss to Penn State on the back of a 67th minute own goal ended the team’s charge for a conference championship as Ashleigh Lefevre played just a minute off the bench, and whilst they can’t get too comfortable yet, those in the know are predicting that Illinois will find their name in the NCAA Tournament bracket come Monday afternoon.

Colorado have been flying for most of the season, but after a tough back end to the season that saw the Buffaloes face Stanford, UCLA, and USC before this week’s game against Utah, the team from Boulder have slipped onto the bubble and they’ll have a sleepless Sunday night before the selection show on Monday afternoon US time. A win against Utah might have been enough to make them safe, but the Buffaloes fell to a 1-0 loss in a game in which Isobel Dalton did not feature. Now, with a solid 13-4-3 record offset by a less-than-stellar strength of schedule and just one RPI Top 50 win, Colorado will be keeping their fingers crossed and collecting every four-leaf clover and rabbit’s foot they can find in the hope that the selection committee looks favourably upon them.

The dream All-Aussie championship game in the Northeast Conference unfortunately did not come to pass this week, with All-Conference selection Sam Roff playing the full 90 minutes but Fairleigh Dickinson falling to a 2-1 defeat in their semi-final against a Central Connecticut State side that has dominated for the majority of the conference season. However, Shelby Milton and Saint Francis did make it through to the final, with the junior playing 27 minutes in the Red Flash’s 4-0 demolition of Mount St. Mary’s in the other semi-final. Unfortunately, though, Central Connecticut State could not be stopped in the championship game. Saint Francis equalised in the 78th minute having given up the opener 11 minutes earlier, but an 89th minute winner was enough to see Central Connecticut State secure the conference title and an NCAA Tournament berth in a game in which Shelby Milton unfortunately did not feature.

Wyoming came into their Mountain West Conference semi-final evenly matched with New Mexico after the pair finished as two of the league’s three co-champions. As it turned out, the match ended up going to overtime as the Cowgirls secured a 78th minute equaliser to cancel out New Mexico’s 33rd minute opener. Unfortunately, it would be New Mexico who grabbed the golden goal winner in the 102nd minute, bringing Wyoming’s season to an end, and with it, the conclusion of Jessie Gentle and Annika Clayton’s brilliant college careers. All four Aussies started for the Cowgirls, with Indianna Asimus managing two shots on target but not finding the back of the net, whilst Clayton and Gentle were solid in their final collegiate appearances and Caitlin Pickett saw 42 minutes of action as a starter. However, it wasn’t all bad news as Clayton rounded out her career with an All-Mountain West Conference second team selection.

We also bade Isabel Hodgson farewell after four outstanding years as East Tennessee State fell to a heavy 5-1 defeat to UNC Greensboro in the Southern Conference semi-finals. Although East Tennessee State had defeated their opponents in the regular season, UNC Greensboro were certainly the favourites to win this, and they came out strongly to grab a goal inside the first 20 minutes on their way to a 2-0 halftime lead. That lead would be doubled in the second half before East Tennessee State picked up a consolation in the 67th minute, before UNCG added one more from the spot with 12 minutes to play. Hodgson played 78 minutes in her final collegiate appearance, tallying one shot that was on target in rounding out a career that sees the South Australian finish as the team’s career appearances record holder and one of just two ETSU players to collect multiple All-Southern Conference Tournament selections after adding to her 2016 nod with another for her performances this year.

Two more players saw their seasons come to an end this week without having much impact on their team’s fortunes, but both will be back for another crack next season. Neither Gaby Bentley and Lauren Featherstone were called upon as their Old Dominion and North Dakota State sides unfortunately fell in conference tournaments, putting an end to their campaigns with both out of the running for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid.

Full Schedule:

Albany (Claire Urquhart)

This week: defeated Massachusetts-Lowell 5-1

Claire Urquhart came off the bench to play the final minute in Albany’s America East Championship game victory over Massachusetts-Lowell. 

Colorado (Isobel Dalton) 

This week: lost 1-0 to Utah

Isobel Dalton did not feature in Colorado’s loss to Utah.

East Tennessee State (Isabel Hodgson) 

This week: lost 5-1 to UNC Greensboro

Isabel Hodgson played 79 minutes and tallied a shot on target in her final college match as East Tennessee State fell 5-1 to UNC Greensboro in the Southern Conference semi-finals. 

Fairleigh Dickinson (Sam Roff) 

This week: lost 2-1 to Central Connecticut State

Sam Roff played the full 90 minutes in Fairleigh Dickinson’s Northeast Conference semi-final loss to Central Connecticut State.

Grand Canyon (Sandra Hill)

This week: lost 2-1 to Utah Valley

Sandra Hill scored Grand Canyon’s only goal in the loss to Utah Valley in the WAC tournament quarter-finals. 

Hofstra (Monique Iannella, Grace Watson-Carr)

This week: defeated James Madison 2-0

Monique Iannella played the full 90 minutes in Hofstra’s CAA Championship win over James Madison, whilst reserve goalkeeper Grace Watson-Carr did not feature.

Illinois (Ashleigh Lefevre)

This week: lost 1-0 to Penn State

Ashleigh Lefevre came off the bench to play a single minute in Illinois’ Big Ten semi-final loss to Penn State.

LSU (Caitlin Cantrill) 

This week: defeated South Carolina 1-0; defeated Arkansas 4-1 on penalties (1-1 after extra time)

Caitlin Cantrill did not feature for LSU in either game this week as the Tigers secured the SEC Championship.

North Dakota State (Lauren Featherstone) 

This week: lost 3-0 to Denver

Lauren Featherstone did not feature in North Dakota State’s Summit League quarter-final loss to Denver.

Old Dominion (Gaby Bentley)

This week: lost 3-2 to Louisiana Tech (OT)

Gaby Bentley did not feature for Old Dominion in their overtime loss to Louisiana Tech in the Conference USA quarter-finals. 

St. Francis University (Shelby Milton) 

This week: defeated Mount St. Mary’s 4-0; lost 2-1 to Central Connecticut State

Shelby Milton came off the bench to play 27 minutes in St. Francis’ Northeast Conference semi-final win over Mount St. Mary’s, but did not feature in the championship game against Central Connecticut State. 

Stanford (Beattie Goad) 

This week: defeated California 2-0; defeated Arizona State 4-1

Beattie Goad played the full 90 minutes in Stanford’s win over California, tallying two shots with one on target before playing 53 minutes off the bench against Arizona State.

Texas Tech (Demi Koulizakis)

This week: lost 2-1 to Baylor (OT)

Demi Koulizakis came off the bench for Texas Tech in their Big 12 semi-final loss to Baylor, playing just two minutes. 

UCLA (Teagan Micah)

This week: defeated USC 3-2 (OT)

Teagan Micah played all 105 minutes of UCLA’s overtime victory over USC, making 8 saves.

Wyoming (Indianna Asimus, Annika Clayton, Jessie Gentle, Caitlin Pickett)

This week: lost 2-1 to New Mexico (OT)

All four Australians started in Wyoming’s loss to New Mexico in the Mountain West Conference semi-finals. Annika Clayton was a star in midfield, playing 86 minutes and registering a single shot in the process. Jessie Gentle was ever-present at fullback, whilst Caitlin Pickett played 42 minutes. Indianna Asimus had her chances, finishing with four shots including two on target in a 78-minute performance.

Player of the Year Points:

3: Teagan Micah (UCLA)
2: Sandra Hill (Grand Canyon)
1: Isabel Hodgson (East Tennessee State)

2018 Week 11 Wrap

The number of Aussies left standing can only go down from here, but it was a fairly solid week of conference tournament play with a number of teams seeing their way through to next week. However, the news of the weekend was Wyoming clinching a share of the Mountain West Conference regular season title with a final day win over Colorado State.

Conference tournaments kicked off this week, with mixed fortunes for teams featuring Australians. Hofstra have perhaps been the most impressive to this point, with Monique Iannella a mainstay in the lineup for a Pride team that will play in the CAA championship game next weekend. Hofstra dominated Delaware in the quarterfinals, holding their opponents to just six shots for the entire game, all of which came in the first half. However, despite having the run of play for the whole evening, Hofstra could only tally a single 33rd minute goal, but secured a 1-0 victory to face perennial contenders Northeastern in the semi-finals. This time, it was Hofstra who found themselves under the pump throughout, but a ninth-minute goal from Lucy Porter on one of just two shots on target for the Pride proved enough as Northeastern were unable to convert any one of their twenty shots into a goal. Iannella played every minute of the two games, and Hofstra will now face James Madison in the conference title game. The Dukes have a link to Australia of their own – first-year head coach Josh Walters was an assistant at UCLA prior to moving to James Madison, and in fact helped to recruit Teagan Micah to the Bruins.

Unfortunately, Emma Heckenberg and Drexel were unable to join Hofstra in the semi-finals after falling 3-2 to Charleston in an overtime thriller. Heckenberg rattled off two shots, with one on target, in a game that saw Drexel rally from two goals down with an 87th minute equaliser before eventually giving up the golden goal winner with just five minutes remaining in extra time. The loss also spells the conclusion of an outstanding career for Heckenberg, who took a while to find her spot in the Drexel lineup, but eventually carved out her spot as an integral member of the Dragons’ team.

Isabel Hodgson also played the full 90 minutes in a defensive struggle against Mercer as East Tennessee State won their quarterfinal contest in the Southern Conference tournament. In a game that saw each team manage just six shots apiece, and it took East Tennessee State until the 80th minute to break the deadlock through Sarah Connolly. The Buccaneers will now face UNC Greensboro in the semi-finals, a team they beat 2-1 on their home patch in the regular season.

Demi Koulizakis and Texas Tech secured a win over Texas on the final day of the regular season to set up a Big 12 tournament quarterfinal against TCU. In a pulsating fixture that somehow failed to yield a goal, Koulizakis saw 14 minutes on the pitch before Texas Tech advanced after a 5-3 win on penalties.

Unfortunately, the remaining six Australians failed to see the pitch in their teams’ conference tournament matches. Ashleigh Lefevre’s Illinois, Claire Urquhart’s Albany and Caitlin Cantrill’s LSU sides remain in contention for conference titles next weekend, but for Freyja Murray’s Akron, Siena Senatore’s Southeast Missouri State and Kate Swartwout’s Western Carolina outfits, their next games will come in 2019 after falling in their own conference tournament games.

Back in league action, Wyoming came into their game against arch-rivals Colorado State knowing that a win would not only give them the 2nd seed in the Mountain West conference tournament, but also give them a chance of securing a share of the regular season title if Boise State were to lose later in the afternoon. On a windy day in Laramie, the Cowgirls had the edge in the first half despite running into the gale, and once the teams switched sides for the second half, Wyoming dominated. However, it took until the 76th minute for a ball pinging around in the box to finally be slotted home by Adalyn Vergara for the 1-0 victory. Whilst the Australian quartet weren’t involved in the goal, they were highly impressive. Indianna Asimus found herself in good positions on multiple occasions and should possibly have done better with her three shots, all of which went narrowly over the bar, whilst seniors Annika Clayton and Jessie Gentle saw out their careers at Laramie in style with solid performances. Caitlin Pickett also started, but came out of the game after 33 minutes. As it turns out, Boise State did fall in their final game of the season against Utah State, handing Wyoming and New Mexico a three-way split of the league title ahead of next week’s conference tournament.

Beattie Goad has been given a slightly increased role in the Stanford lineup of late, and the junior continued to be a threat for the nation’s top team as the Cardinal continued to extend their unbeaten streak. Earning the start in Stanford’s 2-0 win over Washington, Goad was solid in midfield and managed to tally a single shot before showing more promise against Washington State. The junior tallied another two shots, forcing a point-blank save from Cougars’ goalkeeper Rachel Thompson in a game that looked certain to end in a Stanford win. However, a calamitous misplay at the back from Stanford allowed Washington State to tally an open-goal equaliser late on, and with neither team able to break the deadlock in extra time, the spoils were shared in a 1-1 draw.

Full Schedule: 

Akron (Freyja Murray)

This week: defeated Buffalo 3-2; lost 1-0 to Western Michigan

Freyja Murray did not feature for Akron in either game this week as the Zips’ season ended with a first-round conference tournament loss to Western Michigan.

Albany (Claire Urquhart)

This week: defeated New Hampshire 1-0; defeated Hartford 1-0

Claire Urquhart did not feature for Albany in either game this week as Albany advanced to the America East conference championship game.

Chicago State (Sarah Clark) 

This week: lost 8-0 to UMKC

Sarah Clark did not feature for Chicago State in their loss to UMKC.

Colorado (Isobel Dalton)

This week: lost 1-0 to USC; lost 2-1 to UCLA

Isobel Dalton did not feature for Colorado in either game this week. 

Drexel (Emma Heckenberg)

This week: lost 3-2 to Charleston (OT)

Emma Heckenberg played all 104 minutes in her final game of college soccer, registering two shots with one on target in Drexel’s season-ending loss to Charleston.

East Tennessee State (Isabel Hodgson) 

This week: defeated Mercer 1-0

Isabel Hodgson played the full 90 minutes as East Tennessee State advanced to the Southern Conference tournament semi-finals with a 1-0 win over Mercer.

Fairleigh Dickinson (Sam Roff)

This week: lost 1-0 to Sacred Heart

Sam Roff played the full 90 minutes for Fairleigh Dickinson in their loss to Sacred Heart.

Grand Canyon (Sandra Hill)

This week: drew 3-3 with Cal State Bakersfield

Sandra Hill started and played all 110 minutes for Grand Canyon in their thrilling draw with Cal State Bakersfield.

Hawaii (Kiri Dale)

This week: defeated UC Riverside 2-0; lost 2-1 to Cal State Fullerton

Kiri Dale started both games this week, registering a shot in 68 minutes against UC Riveride before tallying another in the dying seconds of Hawaii’s season-ending loss to Cal State Fullerton as part of a 35-minute performance. 

Hofstra (Monique Iannella, Grace Watson-Carr)

This week: defeated Delaware 1-0; defeated Northeastern 1-0

Monique Iannella played the full 90 minutes on both occasions this week as Hofstra advanced to the CAA championship game with a pair of 1-0 wins. Reserve goalkeeper Grace Watson-Carr did not feature in either game. 

Illinois (Ashleigh Lefevre)

This week: defeated Wisconsin 3-0 on penalties (0-0 after extra time)

Ashleigh Lefevre did not feature as Illinois defeated Wisconsin on penalties to advance to the Big Ten tournament semi-finals.

LSU (Caitlin Cantrill) 

This week: defeated Mississippi State 2-1; defeated Missouri 3-2 (OT)

Caitlin Cantrill did not feature for LSU in either game this week as the Tigers advanced to the SEC tournament semi-finals with an overtime win over Missouri.

Marshall (Laura Farrelly) 

This week: lost 2-0 to Western Kentucky

Laura Farrelly did not feature for Marshall in their loss to Western Kentucky. 

Nicholls State (Tessa Calabria, Tenille Harberger, Kristy Helmers)

This week: lost 4-0 to Southeastern Louisiana

Kristy Helmers came off the bench for Nicholls State in their loss to Southeastern Louisiana to play 42 minutes, whilst Tenille Harberger and Tessa Calabria did not feature. 

North Dakota State (Lauren Featherstone) 

This week: defeated South Dakota 1-0

Lauren Featherstone did not feature for North Dakota State in their win over South Dakota. 

Old Dominion (Gaby Bentley) 

This week: defeated North Texas 4-0

Gaby Bentley came off the bench for Old Dominion in their win over North Texas, playing 23 minutes and registering a single shot on target.

Southeast Missouri State (Siena Senatore)

This week: defeated Belmont 4-3 on penalties (0-0 after extra time); lost 3-2 on penalties to Eastern Illinois (1-1 after extra time)

Siena Senatore did not feature for Southeast Missouri State in either game this week as the Redhawks’ season ended in a shootout loss to Eastern Illinois.

St. Francis University (Shelby Milton) 

This week: lost 1-0 to Central Connecticut State; defeated Wagner 5-0

Shelby Milton did not feature for St. Francis in their loss to Central Connecticut State, but came off the bench play 27 minutes in the win over Wagner.

Stanford (Beattie Goad)

This week: defeated Washington 2-0; drew 1-1 with Washington State

Beattie Goad started and tallied a shot in 49 minutes in the win over Washington before coming off the bench to register two shots in 52 minutes against Washington State, with one on target. 

Texas Tech (Demi Koulizakis) 

This week: defeated Texas 1-0; defeated TCU 5-3 on penalties (0-0 after extra time)

Demi Koulizakis came off the bench in both games this week, playing 24 minutes in the win over Texas and 14 minutes in the shootout victory over TCU that handed Texas Tech a Big 12 tournament semi-final berth. 

UCLA (Teagan Micah) 

This week: defeated Utah 5-1; defeated Colorado 2-1

Teagan Micah played the full 90 minutes against Utah but did not make a save before playing the second half against Colorado, making one save and giving up the one goal that UCLA conceded. 

Western Carolina (Kate Swartwout) 

This week: lost 1-0 to Furman

Kate Swartwout did not feature for Western Carolina in their season-ending Southern Conference tournament loss to Furman. 

Wyoming (Indianna Asimus, Annika Clayton, Jessie Gentle, Caitlin Pickett)

This week: defeated Colorado State 1-0

All four Aussies started for Wyoming in their win over Colorado State. Annika Clayton played 82 minutes, whilst Jessie Gentle was a menace out wide for her 86 minutes. Indianna Asimus registered three shots, all of which went narrowly over the bar, in her 62 minutes on the pitch, whilst Caitlin Pickett played 33 minutes.

Player of the Year Points:

3: Indianna Asimus (Wyoming)
2: Beattie Goad (Stanford)
1: Emma Heckenberg (Drexel)

2018 Week 10 Wrap

Extended time on the pitch has not been forthcoming for Beattie Goad recently, but the Stanford junior took full advantage of her chance to star for the Cardinal as the nation’s top team continued their march towards back-to-back titles. Elsewhere, Emma Heckenberg continued to exhibit her talent at dead ball situations to help Drexel grab a vital win.

(Featured Image Credit: Stanford Athletics)

Given her chance after an injury to teammate Sophia Smith early in the second first half of Stanford’s game against Utah, Beattie Goad took full advantage in her unexpected extended stint on the field. After a short stint on the field late in the first half, Goad was called upon just after halftime after Smith went down following a crunching tackle, and set about asserting herself. In 44 minutes on the pitch, Goad tallied three shots, positioning herself well throughout the second half both deep in midfield and higher up the pitch. But the moment of the match for the junior was surely her second goal of the season. Making a perfect run in behind, Goad picked up Jordan DiBiasi’s delightful through ball and finished across the goalkeeper to double Stanford’s lead to 2-0 and ensure that the Cardinal’s unbeaten streak would be extended. Goad rounded out her weekend with an assist in Stanford’s 7-0 rout of Isobel Dalton’s Colorado side as the Cardinal left no doubt as to the top team in the Pac-12, extinguishing the Buffaloes’ conference title charge with the dominant win. The Victorian, along with teammate Kiki Pickett, combined to tee superstar Catarina Macario for Stanford’s third goal inside the first half-hour, a sign of things to come throughout the rest of the afternoon.

Emma Heckenberg also chipped in an assist on a weekend that saw Drexel pick up a pair of wins to secure their spot in the Colonial Athletic Association conference tournament. After a solid 90-minute performance in the Dragons’ 1-0 upset win over Northeastern that earned the team a bonus three points of sorts, Drexel came into their game against Elon on a high. That confidence turned to goals, with Heckenberg heavily involved in the attack. Aside from tallying two shots with one on target, the senior once again demonstrated her prowess at set pieces, whipping in a free kick from deep that found teammate Lauren Currey for the Dragons’ second goal ten minutes from time to seal the 2-0 win and a spot in the conference tournament.

Wyoming have become the masters of overtime this season, and this week picked up their fourth win in the extra minutes this season to continue their march towards a high seed in the Mountain West tournament. After demolishing Nevada 4-0 earlier in the week, Wyoming looked set to defeat UNLV as they took a 1-0 lead into the final five minutes. However, a contentious penalty call handed UNLV their chance which was duly taken. However, Wyoming rebounded in the 9th minute of the first overtime period to see Madison Barrick score the golden goal for the 2-1 victory. Whilst the Australian quartet did not manage any of the goals, they did combine for five of the Cowgirls’ 16 shots. Indianna Asimus and Caitlin Pickett tallied one apiece, whilst Annika Clayton dominated the midfield as per usual whilst also managing to get forward and have three attempts on goal, of which one was on target.

Full Schedule:

Akron (Freyja Murray)

This week: defeated Bowling Green 1-0; defeated Toledo 1-0

Freyja Murray did not feature for Akron in either game this week.

Albany (Claire Urquhart)

This week: defeated UMBC 4-0; defeated Binghamton 1-0

Claire Urquhart did not feature for Albany in either game this week. 

Chicago State (Sarah Clark) 

This week: lost 2-0 to UTRGV

Sarah Clark did not feature for Chicago State in their loss to UTRGV. 

Colorado (Isobel Dalton)

This week: defeated California 3-0; lost 7-0 to Stanford

Isobel Dalton came off the bench in both games this week, playing 5 minutes against California and 8 minutes in the loss to Stanford. 

Drexel (Emma Heckenberg) 

This week: defeated Northeastern 1-0; defeated Elon 2-0

Emma Heckenberg played the full 90 minutes in both games this week, tallying an assist and two shots in the win over Elon, of which one was on target.

East Tennessee State (Isabel Hodgson) 

This week: lost 2-1 to Mercer (OT); lost 2-1 to The Citadel (OT)

Isabel Hodgson played all 102 minutes in the loss to Mercer, before following up with another complete game performance as East Tennessee State conceded a 105th minute winner to The Citadel, a game in which Hodgson finished with two shots. 

Fairleigh Dickinson (Sam Roff)

This week: lost 2-1 to St. Francis (OT)

Sam Roff started and played all 95 minutes for Fairleigh Dickinson in their loss to St. Francis.

Georgia Southern (Hannah Allen)

This week: lost 3-1 to Arkansas State; lost 1-0 to Arkansas-Little Rock

Hannah Allen did not feature for Georgia Southern in either game this week. 

Grand Canyon (Sandra Hill)

This week: defeated New Mexico State 1-0; drew 0-0 with Utah Valley

Sandra Hill started both games for Grand Canyon this week, playing 68 minutes in the win over New Mexico State and 40 minutes against Utah Valley.

Hawaii (Kiri Dale) 

This week: defeated Cal Poly 4-0; lost 1-0 to UC Santa Barbara

Kiri Dale came off the bench for Hawaii in both games this week, tallying a single shot in 52 minutes against Cal Poly and playing 28 minutes in the loss to UC Santa Barbara.

Hofstra (Monique Iannella, Grace Watson-Carr)

This week: defeated Charleston 1-0

Monique Iannella played all 90 minutes for Hofstra in their win over Charleston, whilst reserve goalkeeper Grace Watson-Carr did not feature for the Pride. 

Illinois (Ashleigh Lefevre)

This week: lost 2-1 to Northwestern; defeated Nebraska 2-1

Ashleigh Lefevre came off the bench in both games this week, playing 9 minutes against Northwestern and 13 minutes in the win over Nebraska.

La Salle (Claudia Jenkins, Alyssa Van Heurck)

This week: lost 1-0 to George Mason; lost 4-2 to VCU

Claudia Jenkins played the full 90 minutes in both games this week, making four saves on each occasion. Alyssa Van Heurck also started both games, playing 40 minutes against George Mason and 42 minutes in the loss to VCU. 

LSU (Caitlin Cantrill) 

This week: lost 2-1 to Tennessee (OT); defeated South Carolina 2-1 (OT)

Caitlin Cantrill did not feature for LSU in either game this week. 

Marshall (Laura Farrelly)

This week: drew 2-2 with Louisiana Tech

Laura Farrelly did not feature for Marshall in their draw with Louisiana Tech. 

Nicholls State (Tessa Calabria, Tenille Harberger, Kristy Helmers) 

This week: lost 4-0 to Central Arkansas; lost 3-2 to Northwestern State (OT)

Kristy Helmers came off the bench in both games this week, playing 32 minutes against Central Arkansas and registering one shot in 52 minutes against Northwestern State. Neither Tessa Calabria nor Tenille Harberger featured in either game this week. 

North Dakota State (Lauren Featherstone) 

This week: defeated Oral Roberts 1-0 (OT); lost 1-0 to Nebraska-Omaha

Lauren Featherstone came off the bench in both games this week, playing 4 minutes against Oral Roberts and tallying a shot in 13 minutes against Nebraska-Omaha.

Old Dominion (Gaby Bentley)

This week: defeated UTSA 2-0; drew 2-2 with UTEP

Gaby Bentley came off the bench in both games this week, playing 4 minutes against UTSA and 9 minutes against UTEP. 

Southeast Missouri State (Siena Senatore) 

This week: lost 2-1 to Belmont; defeated Austin Peay 2-1

Siena Senatore did not feature for Southeast Missouri State in either game this week. 

St. Francis University (Shelby Milton) 

This week: defeated Fairleigh Dickinson 2-1 (OT)

Shelby Milton did not feature for St. Francis in their win over Fairleigh Dickinson. 

Stanford (Beattie Goad)

This week: defeated Utah 2-0; defeated Colorado 7-0

Beattie Goad starred off the bench for Stanford, tallying the Cardinal’s second goal with one of her three shots in 44 minutes against Utah before adding an assist and another shot in 58 minutes in the 7-0 drubbing of Colorado.

Texas Tech (Demi Koulizakis) 

This week: lost 2-0 to TCU

Demi Koulizakis came off the bench for Texas Tech in their loss to TCU, playing 22 minutes and tallying a single shot.

Towson (Jodie Burchell) 

This week: lost 4-3 to UNC Wilmington (OT)

Jodie Burchell started for Towson in their overtime loss to UNC Wilmington, playing 37 minutes.

UCLA (Teagan Micah) 

This week: defeated Oregon 2-1; defeated Oregon State 6-0

Teagan Micah played the full 90 minutes against Oregon and made one save, but did not feature against Oregon State – a game in which the UCLA defence gave up a total of zero shots on target in any case. 

Western Carolina (Kate Swartwout)

This week: defeated The Citadel 3-0; defeated Mercer 1-0 (OT)

Kate Swartwout came off the bench to play 21 minutes against The Citadel, but did not feature in the win over Mercer.

William & Mary (Lorena Bugden)

This week: lost 2-0 to Delaware; lost 1-0 to Northeastern

Lorena Bugden did not feature for William & Mary in either game this weekend.

Wyoming (Indianna Asimus, Annika Clayton, Jessie Gentle, Caitlin Pickett)

This week: defeated Nevada 4-0; defeated UNLV 2-1 (OT)

Annika Clayton started both games this week, playing 55 minutes against Nevada and finishing with 3 shots in 84 minutes against UNLV. Jessie Gentle saw 54 minutes of action against Nevada and played the full 99 minutes in the win over UNLV. Caitlin Pickett also played 54 minutes against Nevada, before tallying a single shot in 53 minutes against UNLV. Indianna Asimus played 65 minutes in the win over Nevada and registered a shot in 66 minutes against UNLV.