Women’s Soccer Opens BIG EAST Championships With Quarterfinals Match At Butler On Sunday

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Creighton (8-3-7, 4-3-3 BE) opens their second trip to the BIG EAST Women's Soccer Championships with a quarterfinal's matchup against Butler (7-7-4, 4-3-3 BE) on Sunday afternoon.

The winner advances to the semifinals to face top-seeded Georgetown at the Maryland Soccerplex in Boyds, Md.

Kickoff at the Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl in Indianapolis, Ind. is set for 12 p.m. Central.

Follow the Match

Live video of Sunday's match will be available on BEDN via FloSports while live stats for Sunday will be featured through StatBroadcast.com.

Live video for Sunday's contests will be available on FloSports, with Joey Lindstrom and Paul Fritschner on the call.

A subscription is required to view the event on FloSports. More information can be found at GoCreighton.com/flosports.

Links to video and live stats will be provided on the Creighton Women's Soccer schedule page.

Updates will be provided during the match on Twitter (@CreightonWSoc).

Scouting Creighton (8-3-7, 4-3-3 BE)

For the second time and three years, the Bluejays will be playing in the BIG EAST Tournament. The Bluejays earned the No. 5 seed following a 1-1 draw against Butler on Thursday night.

The draw extended the Bluejays program-record for ties out to seven, moving Creighton into a three-way tie for third place in the BIG EAST Standings. Due to tiebreakers, The Bluejays dropped to the No. 5 seed and will visit Butler in a rematch on Sunday, sporting an 8-3-7 overall record.

The Bluejays embarked on a program record eight match unbeaten streak to open the season with victories over Kansas City, North Dakota, Tulsa, and Colorado College.

Junior Lara Kazandjian paces the Bluejays on the offensive side of the pitch with a team-best four goals. She has also shared the love and dished out an assist for a team-high tying nine points this season.

Classmate Hannah Luke also has nine points so far this year from three goals and three assists. Abigail Santana, Ariana Mondiri and Jenny Grissom have also been key contributors on the offensive end this season.

Santana and Mondiri have each found the back of the net three times while also dishing out a pair of assists. Grissom has netted three goals of her own this season for a total of six points.

Sophomore Azumi Manriki has added a goal and is tied for the team-lead with three assists, while senior Aida Kardovic netted her second goal of the season in the 1-1 draw against Butler on Thursday. Junior Maddie Radke and Kardovic have also shared the ball, dishing out three assists apiece.

In total, 12 different Bluejays have found the back of the net at least once this season, as Creighton has scored 25 goals and dished out 21 assists, while out shooting their opponents 275-163.

Senior goalkeeper Keelan Terrell has started 15 matches in goal for the Bluejays this season, recording five shutouts. She has logged 1,349 minutes in between the posts, ranking seventh in the BIG EAST with a 1.00 goals against average, allowing 15 goals. Terrell also ranks seventh in the league with 41 total saves.

Freshman Lisa Hall has also made three starts in goal this season for the Bluejays. She has played 272 minutes in between the posts, making four saves and allowing two goals for a 0.66 goals against average.

The Bluejays entered the 2022 season with 18 returning letterwinners from last season's squad that posted a 7-10-2 record. Creighton returns 11 players who started 10 or more matches in 2021.

Creighton was picked seventh in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll, while Kardovic was named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST team for the second straight season.

Head coach Ross Paule is in his eighth year at the helm of the Bluejays.

Scouting Butler (7-7-4, 4-3-3 BE)

Snagging the No. 4 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament on a tiebreaker, Butler enters Sunday's rematch against the Bluejays sporting a 7-7-4 overall record.

The Bulldogs secured home-field advantage with a 1-1 draw against Creighton on Thursday night in Omaha.

Senior Katie Soderstrom and junior Abigail Isger pace Butler and the BIG EAST with 18 total points. Isger has scored a BIG EAST-best seven goals this season, while also contributing four assists.

Soderstrom, the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, has been atop the BIG EAST in goals scored and assists all season. She has found the back of the net six times this season while dishing out a league-leading six assists.

Talia Sommer, the reigning BIG EAST Freshman of the Week, netting the Bulldogs lone goal in the 1-1 draw against Creighton on Thursday raising her goal total to five on the season. Sommer has also dished out three assists to rank tied for fifth in the BIG EAST with 13 total points.

Overall, Butler has scored 30 goals and dished out 28 assists, while outshooting their opponents 288-168.

Sophomore Emma Martin has started each of the last four matches in goal for the Bulldogs. She has allowed just five goals while collecting 18 saves in 377 total minutes in between the posts.

Redshirt freshman Anna Pierce has played the majority of the time in net for the Bulldogs. Pierce ranks tied for seventh in the BIG EAST with 40 saves while her 1.30 goals against average is 10th best in the league.

Butler was picked to finish third in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll. Co-Head Coach Tari St. John is in her 17th year at the helm of Butler and holds a 177-124-35 overall record while co-head coach Rob Alman is in his 11th season with the Bulldogs and holds a 127-61-27 overall mark.

Series History Against Bulldogs

Creighton and Butler will meet for the first in the postseason on Sunday afternoon after posting their first result with Butler since 2014.

Butler continues to hold an 12-1-2 edge in the all-time series following a 1-1 draw on Thursday in the regular-season finale.

Creighton has dropped eight of the last 10 matches against the Bulldogs, while their only win in the series coming back in 1993.

Creighton is 0-6-1 all-time against Butler in matches played in Indianapolis, with the Bulldogs snagging a 3-1 win in the season finale last season.

Creighton in the BIG EAST Tourney

The Bluejays will make their second appearance in the BIG EAST Tournament in the last three season on Sunday at Butler.

The only other time the Bluejays qualified for the BIG EAST Tournament was in 2020, earning the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Division.

Creighton is 0-1-0 in the BIG EAST Tournament, suffering a 2-1 overtime loss to #10 Georgetown on a penalty kick in the opening minute of the extra frame.

Complete results and Creighton BIG EAST Tournament record can be found on page 11 and 12 of the notes packet.

Conference Tournament History

Creighton will be making their 19th conference tournament appearance on Sunday at Butler.

The Bluejays are a combined 19-10-5 in conference tournament matches, advancing to the NCAA Tournament five times.

The Bluejays last advanced in the conference tournament on Oct. 28, 2012, when Flo Beshiri converted her penalty kick in the 10th round of the shootout against Drake, giving Creighton the 8-7 win in penalty kicks.

Shootout Notes

Now that the postseason has arrived, it's possible a game could go to a shootout if it's tied after 90 minutes of regulation and two 10-minute overtime periods.

Creighton has made 1-of-2 penalty kick opportunities this fall, including a Aida Kardovic conversion from the spot on Oct. 23 at Xavier. Kardovic took the only other penalty kick for the Bluejays this season but was denied by the Tulsa goalkeeper.

Kardovic is 6-of-7 in her career on penalty kicks while Abigail Santana and Hailey Rothwell were each 1-for-1 on penalty kicks last season.

Creighton - Penalty Kick Conversions

Name '22 '21 '20 '19 Total

Aida Kardovic 1-2 2-2 3-3 - 6-7

Abigail Santana - 1-1 - - 1-1

Hailey Rothwell - 1-1 - - 1-1

More PK Knowledge

The last time Creighton was in a penalty kick shootout was on Oct. 28, 2012, and it was a doozy. Playing in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship against Drake, Creighton won 8-7 in a 10-round penalty kick shootout.

True freshman Flo Beshiri appeared for the second time all season and converted her attempt in the 10th round to clinch the win for the Bluejays.

Creighton is 2-3 all-time in conference tournament shootouts, including a 2-1 mark all-time in shootouts away from home.

Official RPI Rankings

The sixth official RPI Rankings were released by the NCAA on Monday. The Bluejays are listed at No. 86 in the release, after being 68th (Oct. 16), 65th (Oct. 9), 70th (Oct. 2), 94th (Sept. 25) and 52nd (Sept. 18).

BIG EAST in the RPI (Oct. 23 edition)

23. Georgetown

25. Xavier

84. Creighton

90. Connecticut

97. St. John's

108. Butler

152. Providence

173. Marquette

227. Seton Hall

241. DePaul

249. Villanova

Tied For 7th Nationally In Ties

Creighton has battled their way to a school-record seven draws this season. The seven draws currently rank tied for 7th most in the NCAA this season.

The University of Pacific leads the nation with 10 ties this season, while Creighton paces the BIG EAST with seven.

Bluejays Extend School-Record with Seventh Draw

Creighton closed out the regular season with a 1-1 draw against Butler on Thursday night, extending its program record for draws in a single season out to seven.

The Bluejays surpassed the previous school-record of four draws in a single season with a 1-1 draw at St. John's on Oct. 6.

The seven draws this season are the most by a Creighton squad in a single season, surpassing the 2003 and 2004 teams that battled to four draws in their respected seasons.

In head coach Ross Paule's first seven seasons, Creighton had just 11 ties in 119 contests. This season, the Bluejays have had seven ties in 18 matches.

Year # Ties # of Matches

1. 2022 7 18

2. 2004 4 21

2003 4 21

4. 2019 3 18

2017 3 18

2012 3 19

2011 3 18

2005 3 21

9. 11 years with two ties (last 2021)

Impact of No Overtime

The 2022 season brought one major change to NCAA Soccer as overtime periods were eliminated from the regular season. With the postseason looming, overtime comes back into play with some additional changes. First, there is no golden goal. Teams will now play two 10-minute periods before heading to a shootout if the score remains tied after the overtime periods.

Since joining the BIG EAST in 2013, Creighton has played 35 overtime matches with the Bluejays going 8-14-13 in those contests.

In the first four years in the BIG EAST, Creighton went 5-4-4 in matches that went extra time. The five seasons prior to 2022 have not fared quite as well, as the Bluejays have gone 3-10-9 in overtime matches.

In total, Creighton has played 127 overtime matches with the Bluejays holding a 35-42-50 mark in those contests.

What A Senior Class

Creighton honored 11 seniors prior to its final home match of the season on Thursday vs. Butler. Ansley Atkinson, Gabby Grimaldi, Jenny Grissom, Aida Kardovic, Juelle Love, Renée Pountney, Jordy Rothwell, Keelan Terrell, Michaela Weist, Emma Yackley and Hitomi Yamaue were all recognized as they have combined to win 33 matches, while guiding Creighton to its first BIG EAST Tournament appearance in 2020.

They are back in the BIG EAST Tournament again this season for the second time in three seasons, matching up against Butler on Sunday afternoon.

Atkinson Makes Return To The Pitch

To a standing ovation, senior Ansley Atkinson returned to the pitch for the first time in 399 days on Oct. 20 against DePaul.

Atkinson checked in for Hailey Rothwell in the 39th minute for her first action on pitch this season. Atkinson logged 37 minutes of play in her first action since Sept. 16, 2021, against Iowa State. The Minneapolis, Minn. native was leading the NCAA in assists before suffering a torn ACL in the 40th minute of play against the Cyclones.

Home Sweet Home

Creighton closed out the regular season with a 6-1-3 record inside Morrison Stadium this season, following a 1-1 draw against Butler on Thursday night.

The six home wins this season are tied for the second most home wins since joining the BIG EAST in 2013 and the seventh most home wins since moving into Morrison Stadium in 2003.

Overall, Creighton is now 111-56-25 all-time at Morrison Stadium (opened in 2003), which includes a 49-31-10 mark at Morrison Stadium since the start of 2013, when the program joined the BIG EAST and 16-25-5 during home league matches.

The Bluejays are also 21-9-4 all-time in home-openers, which includes an 12-5-3 mark during home-openers at Morrison Stadium.

Most Win in Morrison Stadium in a Season

Year Wins Overall Home Record

1. 2010 9 9-1-2

2. 2009 8 8-2-2

2008 8 8-2-1

2005 8 8-1-1

5. 2015 7 7-4-0

2007 7 7-2-1

7. 2022 6 6-1-3

2019 6 6-4-0

2016 6 6-2-2

2013 6 6-4-0

2006 6 6-5-0

Women’s Soccer Opens BIG EAST Championships With Quarterfinals Match At Butler On Sunday

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