Women's Soccer Ready for Home Opener this Weekend
8/31/2011 3:21:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Game 3 • Friday, Sept. 2 • 7:00 p.m.
Creighton (2-0-0) vs. #5 Oklahoma State (5-0-0)
Morrison Stadium • Omaha, Neb.
Series: CU leads 2-0-0
Game 4 • Sunday, Sept. 4 • 2:00 p.m.
Creighton (2-0-0) vs. South Dakota (0-2-1)
Morrison Stadium • Omaha, Neb.
Series: CU leads 4-0-0
Scouting the Jays
The Jays finished the 2010 season with a 15-4-2 overall record, finishing 5-1-0 in the MVC. They won both the regular season crown and tournament title for the first time since 2002, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007.
The Jays return their top four scorers from a season ago, with the quartet combining for 34 of the 50 total goals last season. That group is led by 2010 MVC Player of the Year Brittney Neumann, MVC Tournament MVP Lauren Cingoranelli and all-MVC picks Andrea Zuniga and Erin Gunther.
Also back for the Jays are both Alicia Montgomery and Katie Jo Swanson, who combined for a 0.83 goals against average a season ago, posting 10 shutouts in net for the Jays.
Creighton has started the 2011 with back-to-back shutouts, similar to the start of the 2009 season, where Creighton played until the fifth match without allowing a goal. The Jays defeated South Dakota State 1-0 in the opener and then traveled to UMKC to post a 2-0 shutout over the Kangaroos. Macy Mauer, Erin Gunther and Brittney Neuman each have a goal for the Jays this season, while Alicia Montgomery and Katie Jo Swanson have each recorded 90 minute shutouts.
Following the Jays
Follow Creighton's match on Friday against #5 Oklahoma State and Sunday against South Dakota at www.gocreighton.com. A link to the live video will be available, as will a link for the live stats. Throughout the season, live stats as well as live video will be available at www.gocreighton.com. You can also follow the Jays on Twitter (gocreighton) and on Facebook (search Creighton Athletics).
Home Openers
Friday is Creighton's first home match of the season. In 22 seasons of Bluejay soccer, the Jays hold a 13-5-4 overall record in the first match at home. The Jays are 6-3-3 in home-openers under head coach Bruce Erickson, and hold a 4-1-3 record since moving into Morrison Stadium in 2003.
The only other time the Jays have faced a ranked team in the home opener was in 2005, when they lost 2-0 to #25 Wisconsin.
Against the Numbers
Creighton is playing #5 Oklahoma State on Friday, just the second ranked women's team to play at Morrison Stadium (#25 Wisconsin defeated the Jays 2-0 in 2005). The Cowgirls are one of just five ranked teams the Jays have played in the 22 year history of the program. Creighton is 0-4-1 against ranked opponents. Below is a list of those matches:
9-20-02 at #19 Nebraska T, 1-1 (2ot)
11-15-02 at #6 Santa Clara * L, 5-1
11-12-04 at #8 Kansas * L, 3-1
8-26-05 vs. #25 Wisconsin L, 2-0
11-16-07 vs. #9 USC * L, 3-0
* - denotes a match played in the NCAA Tournament.
The Jays faced Minnesota in the NCAA Tournament last season, falling 4-2. The Gophers were receiving votes at the time.
Last Time Out
The Bluejays continued their dominance over UMKC, posting a 2-0 shutout over the Kangaroos. Creighton has now defeated UMKC three straight times, outscoring the Kangaroos 8-0. Creighton picked up two first half goals, one from Brittney Neumann in the 33rd minute of play, and one by Erin Gunther in the 38th minute of play, to propel them to the win. Katie Jo Swanson played all 90 minutes in goal, making two saves and earning her first shutout of the season.
Creighton outshot the Kangaroos 14-6, holding a 9-2 advantage in shots on goal.
Winners
Creighton remains the only team in the Missouri Valley Conference without a loss or tie, going 2-0-0 through the first two weeks of play. The Jays defeated South Dakota State 1-0 in the season opener and UMKC 2-0 last week.
Vs. The Opponents
Creighton holds a 2-0-0 record over Oklahoma State all-time, with the last meeting coming in 2001. The Jays won that match 2-0, as part of the Bluejay Classic. The only other meeting between the two teams came a year prior, when Creighton traveled to Oklahoma State and walked away with a 1-0 win over the Cowgirls.
The Jays are a perfect 4-0-0 over South Dakota, including a 4-1 win last season in Vermillion, S.D. The win started the 10-match winning-streak the Jays went on. Emily Orbell and Kayla Nsien had single goals for Creighton in the match, while Andrea Zuniga netted two. In the last match between the two schools at Morrison Stadium, the Jays unloaded for an 8-0 shutout in 2008.
Meet the Opponents
Oklahoma State
OSU return a strong nucleus of proven veterans, a group that has won three-straight Big 12 championships. The senior class is seven players strong, and that group has combined for over 50 victories and won nearly 80 percent of its matches.
OSU enters the season as the team to beat in the Big 12 as the Cowgirls are the coaches' preseason pick to finish atop the league standings and placed four players on the preseason all-conference team.
With a 5-0-0 start, the Cowgirls are currently ranked #5 in the NSCAA national poll, #1 in the central poll, making them the highest ranked women's team to play in Morrison Stadium.
South Dakota
The Coyotes are off to a 0-2-1 start this season, but both losses have come by just one goal. In their last match, South Dakota played to a double overtime draw with Wisconsin-Green Bay.
They are being led by Jenny Teslow, the first player in USD women's soccer history to pick up Summit League Offensive Player of the Week honors (Aug. 22). Teslow leads the team with two goals and five points, while Colleen Reeves, Makena Cameron and Rebecca Pederson each have two.
The Coyotes are joining the Summitt League for the first time this season. South Dakota finished last season with a 4-13-2 overall record.
Winning Ways
This group of seniors has put together one of the best overall records thus far in their first three years, holding a 42-16-5 overall record. In those three seasons, the team has put together four winning streaks of at least four wins, including the 10-match win streak a season ago. This team has started out 2-0-0 twice now, during their freshman campaigns in 2008 and this season. In both 2008 and 2009, however, it wasn't until the fifth match that they lost, going 4-0-0 in the first four in 2008 and 3-0-1 in 2009.
The senior class has recently been ranked as the 31st winningest senior class in the nation by www.CollegeSoccer360.com. The site recently compiled a list of current senior class records, and Creighton's 42 wins place them 31st. Also on the list are Friday's opponent Oklahoma State (tied for #6 with a 58-12-8 record) and last year's NCAA first round opponent Minnesota (tied for 14th with a 50-17-6 record).
On the Charts
Junior forward Brittney Neumann will look to put her name in the all-time lists at Creighton. The Omaha native inched a step closer in the 2-0 win over UMKC, scoring the 17th goal of her career. That puts her just six shy of the top five all-time charts. Neumann, named both the MVC Freshman of the Year in 2009 and the MVC Player of the Year in 2010, missed the MVC Tournament and NCAA Tournament last season after a season-ending knee injury sidelined her following the Jays' victory in the regular season championship match.
Valley's Best
For the third time in her Bluejay career, senior goalkeeper Alicia Montgomery was tabbed the Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week on August 23, following play in the opening week of games. The Walnut Creek, Calif., native helped the Jays secure their first win of the season, posting a 1-0 win over South Dakota State.
Montgomery started off the 2011 season right where she ended the 2010 season, picking up her 16th career shutout, just one shy of the number five spot on the all-time Creighton charts. Montgomery recorded seven saves, all in the second half, playing all 90 minutes in the 1-0 win. It helped Creighton remain unbeaten in openers in the last five seasons, as they now hold a 3-0-2 record on opening day.
Montgomery finished last season with a 0.88 goals against average, allowing just 13 goals in 16 matches, which put her second in the MVC in goals against average. She also finished with a .851 save percentage, also good enough for second in the league. Her 0.71 career goals against average is at the top of the charts in Creighton history, as second place holds a 0.96.
Creighton's Leaders
Category Leader Number
Goals Neumann/Zuniga/Gunther 1
Assists Cingoranelli 1
Points Neumann/Zuniga/Gunther 2
Saves Montgomery 7
GAA Montgomery/Swanson 0.00
Eye'n the Record
Senior goalkeeper Alicia Montgomery recorded her 16th career shutout with the win on Friday over South Dakota State. That puts her just shy of the all-time Creighton top-five charts. Jaimie Thompson and Denise Zaver lead the charge with 24, but sitting in fifth is Maggie Phelan with 17. Montgomery finished last season with six shutouts, which left her tied for first in the MVC at the end of the season. Her eight shutouts in 2009 are tied for second most on the Bluejay all-time charts.
Bombs Away
Creighton took a season high 35 shots against UMKC a season ago, including Andrea Zuniga's and Emily Orbell's 10 shots each, which set Morrison Stadium records. The Jays took 14 shots in the 2-0 win last week, led by Kelly Connolly's four. Creighton's all-time most shots are 45, taken at Morrison Stadium against Northern Iowa, Oct. 15, 2004.
Opening Day Numbers
Creighton is now 12-9-2 all-time in season openers and are 5-6-0 when opening on the road. Creighton is 5-6-2 on opening day under head coach Bruce Erickson. The Jays played scoreless matches the last two opening day games, with a scoreless draw in 2009 against Iowa State and last years 0-0 tie against South Dakota State, before winning 1-0 against South Dakota State Aug. 19. Both of the scoreless matches were played at home. The Jays have not lost an opener at Morrison Stadium since 2006, going 3-0-2 in that span.
Picked by the Coaches
Creighton is picked to repeat as the top team in the MVC this season, receiving 45 points and edging out Illinois State, who picked up 39. The Jays will face the Redbirds in the final match of the regular season conference schedule in Normal, Ill. Missouri State, the league runner-up from a season ago, sits at number three with 38 points and Indiana State was picked fourth earning 24 points. Drake, Evansville and UNI round out the seven teams with 21, 15 and 14 points, respectively.
Pre-season Honors
Creighton was picked to finish atop the MVC this season, returning nine starters from the 2010 season that won both the regular season and tournament titles a season ago. Three Jays were named to the MVC women's soccer pre-season team, while three more Jays landed on the honorable mention list. Brittney Neumann (junior forward), Lauren Cingoranelli (sophomore forward), and Andrea Zuniga (senior forward) were all voted to the pre-season All-MVC team, while Alicia Montgomery (senior goalkeeper), Erin Gunther (senior defender/midfielder) and Macy Mauer (senior defender) each picked up honorable mention pre-season accolades.
Leadership
Head coach Bruce Erickson returns one of the most balanced squads for the 2011 campaign that he has put together in his 13-year reign at Creighton. It is also one of the most experienced, with nine seniors on the 2011 Bluejay roster, seven of which started at least seven matches for the Jays a season ago. Erickson stresses that while the Jays may be experienced, they will still need to stay healthy throughout the line-up when the conference portion of the season hits.
Snipers
Creighton finished the 2010 season with 50 total goals, placing them second on the all-time charts in school history. They finished with 2.38 goals per game, which put them ninth in the NCAA a season ago. The Jays return the top four scorers from last season, which combined for 34 of the 50 goals. Leading the group from a season ago are Andrea Zuniga and Brittney Neumann, who each drove in nine goals. Lauren Cingoranelli and Erin Gunther each added eight goals of their own to the mix. Bruce Erickson expects each of those players to have a better season than the year before, while also throwing out Emma Auld and Beth Fyles as scoring threats to knock out the other teams' defense.
D-D-D-D Fence
Creighton's defense returns a solid nucleus from the team that posted a 0.83 goals against average and 10 shutouts a season ago. While the Jays will have to replace All-MVC backs Claire Zach and Emily Orbell, head coach Bruce Erickson is sure the leaders returning will easily adapt to a new crew. In goal will be two of the best that have walked onto a Creighton pitch, with Alicia Montgomery and Katie Jo Swanson poised to defend the net. Seniors Macy Mauer, Kelly Connolly and junior Kat Wright will remain in the starting line up, while sophomore Shonna Fraser and freshman Madelyn Buckner will look to gain a starting spot to plug up the middle of the backline.
Newcomers
Creighton has just three new faces to meet this season, while returning one red shirt. Becca Spinar (midfield/defense) redshirted a season ago and now is ready to throw her name in the hat for a starting spot, while freshman Stephanie Anasi (forward/midfield) and Madelyn Buckner (defender) will make an immediate impact in the Bluejay lineup. Highly touted recruit Kelsey O'Donnell, an all-conference player at Sacramento State in her first two collegiate seasons, will sit out a season due to transfer rules, but will be ready to learn the Bluejay offense in the spring.
Grand Finale
Creighton has nine seniors on the roster this season, the single most in the Bruce Erickson era. In their first three seasons, this team compiled a 40-16-5 overall record, winning one MVC title and advancing to one NCAA Tournament. They look to build on that more this season.
She's Back
2010 MVC Player of the Year Brittney Neumann might be the most excited player on the Bluejay roster to get things started on Friday. The junior, who is a two-time all-MVC player as well as a third-team All-Region player, hasn't played for the Bluejays since scoring the match-winning goal against Illinois State in overtime last fall. The goal gave the Jays the MVC regular season crown, but Neumann was injured in practice the next day. She missed out on the MVC Tournament as well as NCAA Tournament last season, but is back and ready to strike again this season.
One for Fun
The Bluejays and UNO played in the lone exhibition of the 2011 season last Saturday, with the two teams playing to a 1-1 tie. Creighton got on the board first when Andrea Zuniga placed a shot from 35-yards out just under the cross bar and just over the outstretched UNO keepers fingers, giving the Jays the 1-0 edge. The match remained in the Jays control until late in the second half, when a diving save by Katie Jo Swanson turned into a corner kick for the Mavs, which was converted for the lone goal of the match for UNO. Swanson and Alicia Montgomery split time in goal, with head coach Bruce Erickson moving the rest of the offense and defense around to work with different combinations on the field.
Morrison Stadium is Tops:
This summer CollegeSoccerNews.com made a top-12 list of the most exciting venues to watch a college soccer match and Creighton's Morrison Stadium topped the list. Creighton ranked eighth in the NCAA in attendance in 2010 and has ranked in the NCAA top-10 in attendance in each of the last eight years.
1. Morrison Stadium - Creighton
2. Harder Stadium - UC Santa Barbara
3. Ludwig Field - Maryland
4. Cub Cadet Field - Akron
5. Morrone Stadium - Connecticut
6. Armstrong Stadium - Indiana
7. UNM Soccer Complex - New Mexico
8. Spry Stadium - Wake Forest
9. Spanos Stadium - Cal Poly
10. Merlo Field - Portland
11. Hermann Stadium - Saint Louis
12. Belson Soccer Stadium - St. John's
Welcoming a Returner
Bluejay head coach Bruce Erickson has promoted Ivonne Valentin to full-time assistant, after she has spent the last five seasons as the volunteer assistant for the Jays. Valentin was an all-conference and all-region defender during her four seasons as a Bluejay, leading the squad to one of the most prolific finishes in the history of Bluejay soccer. Valentin replaces Ileana Moschos, who took the same position at Ball State.
The Valley's Weekend Schedule
9/2/2011
Northern Illinois at Illinois State 4:00 PM
Ball State at Indiana State 6:00 PM
UNI at Loyola 7:00 PM
Oklahoma State at Creighton 7:00 PM
South Dakota State at Drake 7:00 PM
Kansas at Missouri State 7:00 PM
SE Missouri State at Evansville 7:00 PM
9/4/2011
Evansville at Morehead State 12:00 PM
Illinois State at DePaul 1:00 PM
UNI at Northern Illinois 1:00 PM
Western Illinois at Drake 1:00 PM
Indiana State at SIU Edwardsville 1:00 PM
South Dakota at Creighton 2:00 PM
Missouri State at Oklahoma 7:00 PM
Players Mentioned
