Bluejays Look to Rebound Against South Dakota on Tuesday
9/10/2007 3:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
This Week - Creighton hosts Division II South Dakota at Morrison Stadium on Tuesday, Sept. 11. Coyotes head coach Becky Heiberger makes a return to Omaha, as she played at Creighton from 1998-2002 and also was an assistant coach under Bruce Erickson in 2004.
Last Week - Creighton suffered its first loss of the season on Friday, Sept. 7, to San Diego State, 2-0. The Aztecs' Jackie Ragudos scored two first half goals for the match's only scoring. The Bluejays' Marcy Gans had the potential game-tying goal nullified after an offsides penalty in the 39th minute. Goalkeeper Kristen Casey had five saves in the match for the Jays.
Scouting Creighton (2-1-0) - The Bluejays have been held scoreless in the first half through three matches this season. The Jays have tallied all three of their goals this season in the second half, while allowing all three goals by their opponents in the first half. Marcy Gans leads the team offensively with two goals (both game winners), five points, and 15 shots. Creighton has out-shot its opposition, 44-30, and holds a 19-16 advantage in corner kicks.
Scouting South Dakota (3-1-2) - South Dakota comes in after going 1-0-1 last weekend. The Coyotes defeated Wayne State College on Friday, Sept. 7, by a 4-2 score and played to a scoreless tie on Sunday, Sept. 9, against Northern State. South Dakota's only loss of the season thus far came at Mesa State on Sept. 2. USD has outscored its opponents, 13-6, led by junior Sarah Halbach's three goals. Freshman Taylor Gray and junior Angela O'Loughlin each have two goals for the Coyotes. Defensively, junior goalkeeper Ann Opsahl has recorded 41 saves and has two shutouts this season.
USD head coach Becky Heiberger scored 12 goals and had seven assists in her playing career at Creighton and helped lead the Jays to MVC regular-season and tournament championships in 2002. She was an All-MVC second team selection as a sophomore.
Series History - The Bluejays and Coyotes will be meeting for the first time on Tuesday.
Follow Along - Creighton's athletics website, www.gocreighton.com, offers live stats for each home match. Click on the “Live Stats” link on the right side of the page in the “Schedules” tab. For $29.95, fans can watch the video broadcast of each home match during the season, or at a price of $4.95 per match. Peter Della Penna will provide play-by-play for the video webcast.
Dakota Dominance - Creighton is 6-0 all-time against teams from North and South Dakota. The Bluejays' next three matches will all be against teams from the Dakotas, starting with South Dakota Tuesday.
This Day in History - September 11 has been a successful day in Creighton women's soccer history, as the Jays are 4-0 on that date. Creighton defeated North Dakota, 3-0, in 2005, James Madison, 2-1, in 1994, Cincinnati, 3-0, in 1993, and Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3-0, in 1992.
Bluejay Boss - Head coach Bruce Erickson is in his ninth season as the Creighton women's soccer coach and has an 83-69-16 (.542) record with the Jays. Erickson is the winningest coach in school history and was the 2002 Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year. He has guided Creighton to MVC Tournament championships in 2002, 2004, and 2005 and three NCAA Tournament appearances in the same years. In 2002, the Jays won both the regular season and tournament championships. Creighton has qualified for the MVC Tournament in eight straight seasons, and has reached the championship match in four of the past five years. Erickson has a 29-16-6 record in conference matches at Creighton.
Starting Strong - Creighton won its season opener for the first time since 2001, and the team's 2-0-0 start marked the first time the Jays have started with consecutive wins since 1999. Despite the loss to San Diego State, the Jays have a chance to win three of the season's first four matches for only the ninth time in program history.
Morrison Magic - Creighton is 25-9-5 (.705) at Morrison Stadium, which opened in 2003, including a 9-1-2 (.833) record in MVC play. The Jays are 1-1-0 so far at Morrison this season with a 2-1 win over Northern Colorado and a 2-0 loss to San Diego State. Creighton has led the Missouri Valley Conference in attendance every year since moving to the on-campus venue. The Aug. 31 match against Northern Colorado drew 1,077 fans, the seventh-highest attendance in school history.
Neighbors to the North - Minnesota natives Emily Orbell (White Bear Lake) and Brittni Deeb (Lake Elmo) have both started the first three matches of the season as true freshmen. Orbell scored a goal in her first collegiate match against Northern Colorado in the season opener, and is currently second on the team with 8 shots. Deeb has started on the backline in each of the Jays' early-season contests. Senior Tristan Moser-Bleil (Minneapolis) gives Creighton three starters from the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Moser-Bleil has been a regular in the lineup since arriving as a freshman and has played in more matches (64) than any other player on the Jays' roster. Head coach Bruce Erickson (Brooklyn Park) also originally hails from the state.
Reliable Russell - Senior defender/midfielder Sam Russell has become a rare four-year starter for the Bluejays this fall. The Stilwell, Kan., native has made 59 career starts, more than any other player on the Creighton roster. In the team's season opener against Northern Colorado, Russell assisted on Emily Orbell's game-tying goal with one of her patented flip throw-ins. The helper was the 15th of Russell's career, two shy of fifth place on the school's career charts. Twelve of Russell's 15 assists have come at Morrison Stadium, which is three away from the stadium's career mark of 14 set by Kristine Willrett.
Marcy's Playground - Junior forward Marcy Gans is the team's most potent offensive threat, and leads all current players with 12 career goals and 33 career points. She leads the team this season with two goals, five points, 15 shots, and five shots on goal. Gans scored the game-winning goal in both Creighton victories to open the season, and assisted on Emily Orbell's goal against Northern Colorado. She holds Morrison Stadium career records for goals (8), shots (74), and shots on goal (36). Gans is a two-time MVC All-Tournament team pick and was the tourney's MVP as a freshman. She has also been named an all-MVC honorable mention twice in her career.
Seniority Rules - The 2007 Creighton squad features six seniors, all of whom should have a significant impact on the Jays' success this season. The six seniors have played in a combined 331 matches and accumulated 194 starts throughout their careers. Tristan Moser-Bleil, Ally Peetz, Katy Peetz, and Sam Russell each have started at least 30 matches at Creighton. Toch Ihemelu led the Jays in scoring last season with five goals and 10 points, while Heather Duncan made 12 starts as a junior and was an All-MVC honorable mention last season.
The Newcomers - The Jays have five newcomers: D Brittni Deeb, M/F Grace Kwon, M Emily Orbell, M/F Claire Zach, and M Mary Zapapas. Zapapas is a sophomore transfer from Middle Tennessee, where she was named the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year after scoring 11 goals and assisting on four. The 2007 recruiting class was ranked second in the MVC by Soccer Buzz Magazine. So far this season, the newcomers have combined to play in seven matches, including three starts apiece for Deeb and Orbell.
Lineup Flexibility - Exactly half of the players on the Creighton roster are listed at multiple positions, giving head coach Bruce Erickson the ability to mix and match lineups for various situations. This strategy also is critical for developing team depth at each position.
All Over the Field - Junior Nicole DeLue is the definition of versatility. The Littleton, Colo., native is listed at all three positions on the roster and will play all three throughout the course of the season. DeLue has three career goals and three assists on the offensive end, while also helping anchor the Jays' backline. She picked up the game-winning assist on Marcy Gans' goal in the Jays' 2-1 win over Northern Colorado in the season opener.
Seeing Double - Senior twins Ally and Katy Peetz will look to finish their Creighton careers with a bang. The pair has combined to start 70 matches and played in a total of 116 so far in their careers at Creighton. Younger sister, Anne, is a sophomore on the team and made seven starts during her freshman season. Anne also has a twin, Carly, who plays soccer at the University of Nebraska.
Exhibition Recap - The Jays finished 1-1-1 during exhibition play this preseason. Creighton fell 2-0 at Iowa State on Aug. 18, before reversing the fortunes with a 2-0 victory at Valparaiso on Aug. 21. Marcy Gans scored a goal and assisted on the other in the win over the Crusaders. Creighton and the University of Mary played to a 0-0 draw Aug. 26 at Morrison Stadium. The Jays out-shot Mary, 26-1, in the match but could not capitalize.
International Experience - Three members of the women's soccer program have or will represent their countries on the field. Sophomore Eden Hingwing played with the Canadian National Team last fall at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Championships in Russia. First-year assistant coach Ileana Moschos was a goalkeeper for the Greek Women's National Team from 2002-04 and volunteer assistant coach and former Jay player Ivonne Valentin will begin training with the Puerto Rican National Team in September.
Up Next - The Jays will travel to Fargo, N.D., to take on North Dakota State on Fri., Sept. 14, at 4 p.m. Creighton will conclude its tour of the Dakots with a trip to Brookings, S.D., to face South Dakota State on Sun., Sept. 16, at 1 p.m.
Last Week - Creighton suffered its first loss of the season on Friday, Sept. 7, to San Diego State, 2-0. The Aztecs' Jackie Ragudos scored two first half goals for the match's only scoring. The Bluejays' Marcy Gans had the potential game-tying goal nullified after an offsides penalty in the 39th minute. Goalkeeper Kristen Casey had five saves in the match for the Jays.
Scouting Creighton (2-1-0) - The Bluejays have been held scoreless in the first half through three matches this season. The Jays have tallied all three of their goals this season in the second half, while allowing all three goals by their opponents in the first half. Marcy Gans leads the team offensively with two goals (both game winners), five points, and 15 shots. Creighton has out-shot its opposition, 44-30, and holds a 19-16 advantage in corner kicks.
Scouting South Dakota (3-1-2) - South Dakota comes in after going 1-0-1 last weekend. The Coyotes defeated Wayne State College on Friday, Sept. 7, by a 4-2 score and played to a scoreless tie on Sunday, Sept. 9, against Northern State. South Dakota's only loss of the season thus far came at Mesa State on Sept. 2. USD has outscored its opponents, 13-6, led by junior Sarah Halbach's three goals. Freshman Taylor Gray and junior Angela O'Loughlin each have two goals for the Coyotes. Defensively, junior goalkeeper Ann Opsahl has recorded 41 saves and has two shutouts this season.
USD head coach Becky Heiberger scored 12 goals and had seven assists in her playing career at Creighton and helped lead the Jays to MVC regular-season and tournament championships in 2002. She was an All-MVC second team selection as a sophomore.
Series History - The Bluejays and Coyotes will be meeting for the first time on Tuesday.
Follow Along - Creighton's athletics website, www.gocreighton.com, offers live stats for each home match. Click on the “Live Stats” link on the right side of the page in the “Schedules” tab. For $29.95, fans can watch the video broadcast of each home match during the season, or at a price of $4.95 per match. Peter Della Penna will provide play-by-play for the video webcast.
Dakota Dominance - Creighton is 6-0 all-time against teams from North and South Dakota. The Bluejays' next three matches will all be against teams from the Dakotas, starting with South Dakota Tuesday.
This Day in History - September 11 has been a successful day in Creighton women's soccer history, as the Jays are 4-0 on that date. Creighton defeated North Dakota, 3-0, in 2005, James Madison, 2-1, in 1994, Cincinnati, 3-0, in 1993, and Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3-0, in 1992.
Bluejay Boss - Head coach Bruce Erickson is in his ninth season as the Creighton women's soccer coach and has an 83-69-16 (.542) record with the Jays. Erickson is the winningest coach in school history and was the 2002 Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year. He has guided Creighton to MVC Tournament championships in 2002, 2004, and 2005 and three NCAA Tournament appearances in the same years. In 2002, the Jays won both the regular season and tournament championships. Creighton has qualified for the MVC Tournament in eight straight seasons, and has reached the championship match in four of the past five years. Erickson has a 29-16-6 record in conference matches at Creighton.
Starting Strong - Creighton won its season opener for the first time since 2001, and the team's 2-0-0 start marked the first time the Jays have started with consecutive wins since 1999. Despite the loss to San Diego State, the Jays have a chance to win three of the season's first four matches for only the ninth time in program history.
Morrison Magic - Creighton is 25-9-5 (.705) at Morrison Stadium, which opened in 2003, including a 9-1-2 (.833) record in MVC play. The Jays are 1-1-0 so far at Morrison this season with a 2-1 win over Northern Colorado and a 2-0 loss to San Diego State. Creighton has led the Missouri Valley Conference in attendance every year since moving to the on-campus venue. The Aug. 31 match against Northern Colorado drew 1,077 fans, the seventh-highest attendance in school history.
Neighbors to the North - Minnesota natives Emily Orbell (White Bear Lake) and Brittni Deeb (Lake Elmo) have both started the first three matches of the season as true freshmen. Orbell scored a goal in her first collegiate match against Northern Colorado in the season opener, and is currently second on the team with 8 shots. Deeb has started on the backline in each of the Jays' early-season contests. Senior Tristan Moser-Bleil (Minneapolis) gives Creighton three starters from the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Moser-Bleil has been a regular in the lineup since arriving as a freshman and has played in more matches (64) than any other player on the Jays' roster. Head coach Bruce Erickson (Brooklyn Park) also originally hails from the state.
Reliable Russell - Senior defender/midfielder Sam Russell has become a rare four-year starter for the Bluejays this fall. The Stilwell, Kan., native has made 59 career starts, more than any other player on the Creighton roster. In the team's season opener against Northern Colorado, Russell assisted on Emily Orbell's game-tying goal with one of her patented flip throw-ins. The helper was the 15th of Russell's career, two shy of fifth place on the school's career charts. Twelve of Russell's 15 assists have come at Morrison Stadium, which is three away from the stadium's career mark of 14 set by Kristine Willrett.
Marcy's Playground - Junior forward Marcy Gans is the team's most potent offensive threat, and leads all current players with 12 career goals and 33 career points. She leads the team this season with two goals, five points, 15 shots, and five shots on goal. Gans scored the game-winning goal in both Creighton victories to open the season, and assisted on Emily Orbell's goal against Northern Colorado. She holds Morrison Stadium career records for goals (8), shots (74), and shots on goal (36). Gans is a two-time MVC All-Tournament team pick and was the tourney's MVP as a freshman. She has also been named an all-MVC honorable mention twice in her career.
Seniority Rules - The 2007 Creighton squad features six seniors, all of whom should have a significant impact on the Jays' success this season. The six seniors have played in a combined 331 matches and accumulated 194 starts throughout their careers. Tristan Moser-Bleil, Ally Peetz, Katy Peetz, and Sam Russell each have started at least 30 matches at Creighton. Toch Ihemelu led the Jays in scoring last season with five goals and 10 points, while Heather Duncan made 12 starts as a junior and was an All-MVC honorable mention last season.
The Newcomers - The Jays have five newcomers: D Brittni Deeb, M/F Grace Kwon, M Emily Orbell, M/F Claire Zach, and M Mary Zapapas. Zapapas is a sophomore transfer from Middle Tennessee, where she was named the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year after scoring 11 goals and assisting on four. The 2007 recruiting class was ranked second in the MVC by Soccer Buzz Magazine. So far this season, the newcomers have combined to play in seven matches, including three starts apiece for Deeb and Orbell.
Lineup Flexibility - Exactly half of the players on the Creighton roster are listed at multiple positions, giving head coach Bruce Erickson the ability to mix and match lineups for various situations. This strategy also is critical for developing team depth at each position.
All Over the Field - Junior Nicole DeLue is the definition of versatility. The Littleton, Colo., native is listed at all three positions on the roster and will play all three throughout the course of the season. DeLue has three career goals and three assists on the offensive end, while also helping anchor the Jays' backline. She picked up the game-winning assist on Marcy Gans' goal in the Jays' 2-1 win over Northern Colorado in the season opener.
Seeing Double - Senior twins Ally and Katy Peetz will look to finish their Creighton careers with a bang. The pair has combined to start 70 matches and played in a total of 116 so far in their careers at Creighton. Younger sister, Anne, is a sophomore on the team and made seven starts during her freshman season. Anne also has a twin, Carly, who plays soccer at the University of Nebraska.
Exhibition Recap - The Jays finished 1-1-1 during exhibition play this preseason. Creighton fell 2-0 at Iowa State on Aug. 18, before reversing the fortunes with a 2-0 victory at Valparaiso on Aug. 21. Marcy Gans scored a goal and assisted on the other in the win over the Crusaders. Creighton and the University of Mary played to a 0-0 draw Aug. 26 at Morrison Stadium. The Jays out-shot Mary, 26-1, in the match but could not capitalize.
International Experience - Three members of the women's soccer program have or will represent their countries on the field. Sophomore Eden Hingwing played with the Canadian National Team last fall at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Championships in Russia. First-year assistant coach Ileana Moschos was a goalkeeper for the Greek Women's National Team from 2002-04 and volunteer assistant coach and former Jay player Ivonne Valentin will begin training with the Puerto Rican National Team in September.
Up Next - The Jays will travel to Fargo, N.D., to take on North Dakota State on Fri., Sept. 14, at 4 p.m. Creighton will conclude its tour of the Dakots with a trip to Brookings, S.D., to face South Dakota State on Sun., Sept. 16, at 1 p.m.
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