Creighton Women's Soccer Hosts Big 12 Opponent Iowa State
9/2/2010 12:47:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Game 5 - Friday, Sept. 3
Iowa State
at Creighton
Morrison Stadium
Omaha, Neb.
7:00 p.m.
Series: ISU leads 2-0-1
Scouting the Bluejays
Creighton is prepared to attack their opponents as they return five of their top six scorers from last season. The Jays have their goals set to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2007 season. Creighton started off the season with a scoreless, double overtime tie against South Dakota State at home. The Jays then traveled to DeKalb, Ill., for a matchup with Northern Illinois. The Jays were out-shot 12 to six in the match and lost 1-0. Creighton had a successful weekend last weekend in the adidas Husker Classic in Lincoln, Neb. The Jays won 2-1 over Loyola Maryland with goals from Claire Zach and Erin Gunther. The Jays offense then exploded on Sunday in a 5-0 victory over Loyola Chicago. Brittney Neumann, Rachelle Holt, Macy Mauer, Lauren Cingoranelli and Gunther all scored for the Jays, while Emily Orbell had two assists in the match. Gunther is leading the team in goals (2) and points (5). Orbell has two assists on the season, which also leads the team. Creighton is averaging 10.2 shots per match and 1.75 goals. Goalkeepers Alicia Montgomery and Katie Jo Swanson have split time in the net and have a 0.47 goals against average on the year.
Following the Jays
Follow all your favorite Bluejay soccer action at www.gocreighton.com. Live stats and live video will be provided for the Iowa State match. Just click on the links provided on the Creighton home page.
Recent Results
Loyola Maryland – In the first ever meeting between the two schools, Creighton came back from a goal down to win 2-1. The Greyhounds scored in the eighth minute of the game and the Jays didn't take long to battle back. Creighton scored in the 16th minute when Claire Zach found the back of the net (her first goal of the season) after a ricochet off the cross bar. The Jays then scored again in the first half when Erin Gunther took a feed from Beth Fyles and laced the ball into the upper right corner. It was the first game-winner of Gunther's career. Alicia Montgomery played all 90 minutes in goal for the Jays, finishing with three saves.
Loyola Chicago – Creighton showed its offensive potential in a 5-0 romp over the Ramblers of Loyola Chicago. The two teams played a scoreless first half until Creighton got on the board in the 38th minute when Erin Gunther scored off an Emily Orbell feed. It was the second goal for Gunther on the weekend, both which proved to be game-winners. Brittney Neumann then scored her first goal of the season on an unassisted rebound and shot in the 40th minute of play. In the second half, junior Rachelle Holt scored the first goal of her career in the 69th minute on a Gunther corner kick that bounced off the keeper and Holt buried in the back of the net. Macy Mauer scored 10 minutes later on an unassisted goal and then freshman Lauren Cingoranelli finished the scoring spree in the 89th minute, capitalizing on a one-on-one with the Rambler goalkeeper. Orbell ended the game with two assists. Katie Jo Swanson played all 90 minutes of the game in goal and recorded three saves while getting her first shutout of the season.
Offensive Explosion
Creighton scored five goals in the Aug. 29 victory over Loyola Chicago. That is the most goals in a single match since Oct. 18 last season, a 7-0 win over Southern Utah. The Jays also scored eight goals last season when they shutout South Dakota on Aug. 28.
Sizing Up the Competition
Iowa State - Iowa State is 3-0-1 on the season, with wins over Northern Iowa (3-1), Montana (1-0) and Nevada (2-1). In the season opener, the Cyclones played a double overtime, scoreless draw against Drake. Leading the way is Emily Goldstein, a freshman midfielder, with two goals and an assist on the season. Jordan Bishop has taken a team-high 14 shots, scoring one goal and one assist, for three points. Ashley Costanzo has started three games as a goalkeeper and has 159 minutes of scoreless soccer in net. She has made 11 saves and is 0-0-1 on the year. Maddie Jobe is 3-0-0 with 221 minutes in goal. She has given up two goals and has eight saves for the Cyclones. The team has six goals on the season and averages 20.8 shots per match.
Series History - Iowa State
Creighton and Iowa State have played three times prior to their meeting Friday night. The Cyclones hold a 2-0-1 record against Creighton, outscoring the Jays 4-2. Last season, the two teams played a scoreless draw at Morrison Stadium to open the season.
Three Peat?
Erin Gunther scored goals in back-to-back matches for the Jays (vs. Loyola Maryland and Loyola Chicago in the adidas Husker Classic last weekend). It is the first time in her career she has done so, but last season five Jays (Kyla Hoskins, Beth Fyles, Brittney Neumann, Emily Orbell and Kelly Connolly) recorded goals in back-to-back matches. The last time a player scored in three consecutive matches was Sept. 6 – 13, 2009, when Orbell scored a goal in each match.
First-timer
Freshman Lauren Cingoranelli scored the first goal of her career in the 5-0 victory over Loyola Chicago. It was the second start of the young forward's career, but she has seen playing time in all four matches. Cingoranelli also scored in the Kansas exhibition game for the Jays.
The League's Best
Junior Erin Gunther has been awarded the Missouri Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week for the week of Aug. 16-Aug. 22. It is the first Player of the Week honor in her Bluejay career. The Longmont, Colo., native had an outstanding week for the Jays. In the adidas Husker Classic, she had two goals in two matches, both of which were game-winners (scored the second goal against Loyola Maryland in a 2-1 win Friday and then scored the first goal Sunday over Loyola Chicago in a 5-0 route.) They were the first two game-winning goals of her career. Gunther leads the team in points (5) and goals scored (2). In the victory on Sunday, Gunther also provided an assist. Gunther has taken a shot in all four matches thus far and started in all four of the Bluejay matches. She is fifth on the team in minutes played (305).
Double Digits
Creighton is 2-0-1 this season when attempting more than 10 shots in a game. The Jays took 11 shots in their opening scoreless draw with South Dakota State, then 13 shots in the 2-1 win over Loyola Maryland. Finally, Creighton shot 11 times in the 5-0 win over Loyola Chicago. In the only game with less than 10 shots, Northern Illinois, Creighton took just six shots and lost 1-0.
Going the Distance
Bluejay defender Claire Zach is the only player who has played in all 380 minutes this season. Five other Jays, Erin Gunther, Brittney Neumann, Macy Mauer, Emily Orbell and Shonna Fraser have started all four matches and played at least 75 percent of each match. Last season, four Jays (Eden Hingwing, Kelly Connolly, Claire Zach, and Kyla Hoskins) started every match, playing 6,215 of the 21,130 minutes, almost one-third of the total minutes played by Creighton.
Third Year's a Charm
Creighton junior Rachelle Holt scored the first goal of her Creighton career in the Loyola Chicago match. In her previous two seasons, Holt had taken four shots and played in 14 matches. Fellow Bluejay juniors Carey Dahlquist and Tessa McKeone are in the same position, as they are looking for their first collegiate goals in their third year of sporting blue and white. Dahlquist has taken four shots in eight career matches and McKeone has taken two shots in 12 matches.
Neumann Nets One
After leading the team in goals last year, including scoring three goals in the third match of the season, Brittney Neumann did not find the back of the net in the first three matches this season. Neumann broke her scoreless streak when she scored in the 40th minute of the Loyola Chicago match. Neumann currently leads the team in shots (11), shots on goal (6) and is tied for second in points (2).
Big 12 Struggles
Friday's match against Iowa State marks the 23rd time the Jays have faced a Big 12 school. Creighton is 8-12-2 all-time against teams from the Big 12, but is 1-1-1 in the last five years. The Jays are 3-9-2 against Big 12 schools under Bruce Erickson, including NCAA postseason matches against Nebraska (L, 0-1) and Kansas (L, 1-3). Finally, Creighton owns a 2-3-1 when playing at home under Erickson against Big 12 schools. Iowa State and Creighton played in a scoreless draw in the season opener at Morrison Stadium a year ago.
Valley Success
Missouri Valley Conference women's soccer teams had a great Aug. 27-29 weekend, recording a 9-3-1 non-conference slate. Four league teams (Drake, Missouri State, Creighton and Indiana State) carry two-match winning streaks into this week's contests.
Home Field Advantage
Creighton has had great success at home since moving to Morrison Stadium in 2003. Overall while at home, Creighton is 47-14-9 at Morrison and are 14-3-4 in MVC conference home matches. Last season, the Jays were 8-2-2 at home, including 2-1 in the MVC Tournament held at Morrison Stadium. The last time Creighton lost two games in a row at home was back in Sept. 2006, when the Jays lost to Loyola Chicago and Iowa State, both 2-1 scores.
Goose-eggs
Creighton has shut out opponents in two of their first four games, as well as both of the exhibition games. Last season, the Jays recorded a school record 11 shutouts, including the first four games of the season. In the past three years, the Jays have shut out their opponents in at least two out of the first four games each season.
Bicentennial
Creighton head coach Bruce Erickson is approaching his 200th career win as a head coach. He needs just 11 wins in order to reach the milestone. Erickson sits at 189-150-28 overall (spanning 19 years at both Viterbo and Creighton) and holds a 119-89-22 record at Creighton.
In the Record Books
Senior Emily Orbell is working hard in the final season of her career to get her name into the record books. The forward is the current career leader in goals on the team with 16 and needs seven this year to make it into the top five all time in Creighton history. Orbell is also the active leader in assists (14) and points (46).
Valley Preseason Poll
This year's preseason Missouri Valley Conference coaches poll has Creighton finishing in second place. Last year's regular season champion Illinois State received the most points, 46, with the Jays receiving 37, just one point ahead of third place Missouri State. Evansville was picked fourth with 23 points, while Drake, Indiana State, and Northern Iowa rounded out the list with 19, 19 and 16 points, respectively.
Grand Finale
The Jays have four seniors on this year's team aiming to leave a legacy behind. Tara Bailey, Grace Kwon, Emily Orbell, and Claire Zach will push this team to make it back to the first NCAA postseason since 2007, when the four were freshmen. The four have a 38-21-6 record overall, needing eight wins to become the winningest senior class under Bruce Erickson (last years seniors were 45-28-7 in their four years).
Coming Up Next
Creighton is in action again on Tuesday, Sept. 7 when it hosts North Dakota State at Morrison Stadium for a 6 p.m. non-conference match-up. Creighton is 3-2-0 all time against the Bison, but lost 1-0 last season in Fargo, N.D.
