As quickly as we started, we’ve reached the one-third point of the NCAA Division I spring season this week, and the calendar is starting to look a lot more full with games. We may see Renee Pountney and Abi Jordan debut, whilst Amy Sayer will be introduced to Pac-12 play on a weekend that sees the Stanford freshman up against Oregon assistant coach and College Matildas legend Rachael Doyle.
The first Australian to play for Creighton since Anastasia McCleary in 2015, Renee Pountney is set to make her debut this week as the Bluejays kick off their season on the road against Missouri. Unlike many teams playing this spring, Missouri have already played the first half of their schedule prior to Christmas, going 4-3-2 in SEC play. The Tigers provide an intriguing opponent for which Pountney to debut against, with both Missouri and Creighton hovering around the .500 mark in 2019. As one of the higher credentialed Aussie players in college this season, Pountney’s progression this season will be highly intriguing to watch as she looks to break into a Creighton side playing in one of the premier conferences in NCAA Division I.
It’s been a long time coming for Abi Jordan, but the UMBC defender could step onto the pitch as a Retriever for the first time this week after sitting out the 2019 season due to injury. UMBC will face local rivals Towson in their season opener, with just 20 miles of road separating the two campuses. The Retrievers fell 1-0 in the corresponding fixture last season in a game that saw both teams finish with 12 shots as the Tigers came away with the win courtesy of a 12th minute goal. Jordan will not be expected to reverse that result on her own, but the Retrievers’ Australian coach Vanessa Mann will be extremely grateful to have a player of Jordan’s pedigree in the lineup.
Amy Sayer enjoyed a successful debut last week against Pepperdine, and the Stanford freshman will now move onto her first Pac-12 game as the Cardinal travel to the Beaver State to face Oregon and Oregon State. Sayer looked more than comfortable in her opening game, and the same will be expected this week in a pair of fixtures in which Stanford look to be comfortable favourites. However, there will be one Australian who will disagree with that tag: Washington State legend Rachael Doyle, who now serves as assistant coach for Oregon and will be plotting the Cardinal’s demise in this early season contest.
Teresa Morrissey and Rhode Island were valiant in defeat to Connecticut last week, but the Rams will have a chance to get things back on track this week as they face New Hampshire. Rhode Island have put together two creditable performances despite their two losses, but New Hampshire have a pair of wins and will be high on confidence. However, with Morrissey between the sticks, Rhode Island have every reason to be confident of slowing a New Hampshire attack that slotted five past Merrimack last week.
Full Schedule
Alabama State (Grace Norbury, Sophie Bui)
No games this week.
Butler (Claire Farrington)
This week: v Bowling Green – 6am, Saturday February 27 (Exhibition)
Creighton (Renee Pountney)
This week: @ Missouri – 8am, Friday February 26; v Minnesota State-Mankato – 6:45am, Saturday February 27 (Exhibition)
East Tennessee State (D’arne Boato)
No games this week.
Eastern Illinois (Ashleigh Harvie)
No games this week.
Grambling State (Ashley Commens)
This week: v Prairie View A&M – 8am, Saturday February 27; v Texas Southern – 6am, Monday March 1
Grand Canyon (Sandra Hill)
No games this week.
Hartford (Jamie Campbell)
No games this week.
Hofstra (Grace Watson Carr)
This week: v Fairleigh Dickinson – 8am, Friday February 26
Illinois (Ashleigh Lefevre)
This week: v Iowa – 8am, Friday February 26; v Penn State – 4am, Monday March 1
Incarnate Word (Madison McComasky)
This week: @ Sam Houston State – 11:30am, Saturday February 27; @ Stephen F. Austin – 6am, Monday March 1
La Salle (Alyssa Van Heurck)
This week: @ NJIT – 7am, Friday February 26; v Drexel – 11am, Monday March 1
Marshall (Laura Farrelly)
This week: @ Dayton – 8am, Monday March 1
Massachusetts (Hannah Peric)
This week: @ St. John’s – 7am, Monday March 1
Nicholls State (Shauni Reid)
This week: @ Northwestern State – 12pm, Saturday February 27; @ Central Arkansas – 6am, Monday March 1
Rhode Island (Teresa Morrissey)
This week: @ New Hampshire – 6am, Monday March 1
San Francisco (Ashley Jordan)
This week: @ Brigham Young – 11am, Sunday February 28
St. Francis Brooklyn (Jazzmin Forwood)
No games this week.
Stanford (Amy Sayer)
This week: @ Oregon – 1pm, Saturday February 27; @ Oregon State – 10am, Monday March 1
Tennessee-Martin (Kiarnie Latham)
This week: No games this week.
UMBC (Abi Jordan)
This week: v Towson – 3am, Monday March 1
USC (Talia Grossman)
This week: @ Arizona State – 1pm, Saturday February 27
Washington State (Aly Hay)
This week: v Utah – 2pm, Saturday February 27; v Utah – 7am, Monday March 1
Wyoming (Indianna Asimus)
No games this week.
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