Women's Soccer Closes Out Non-Conference Play Versus South Dakota State On Friday

Match #8: Creighton Bluejays (1-2-4) vs. South Dakota State Jackrabbits (7-1-0)
Friday, Sept. 15, 2023 • 5:00 p.m.
Omaha, Neb. | Morrison Stadium
Television: FloSport
Series History: Creighton leads 13-2-2
LIVE VIDEO | FLOSPORTS INFO | LIVE STATS | CU NOTES (PDF)

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Creighton (1-2-4) closes non-conference play with a home match against South Dakota State as part of a Friday night doubleheader. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Morrison Stadium, with men's soccer to follow at 8 p.m.

Follow the Match

Friday match will feature both live video and live stats.

Live video for Friday's contests will be available on FloSports with Noah Sullinger and Maren McCrary on the call, while live stats will be featured through http://Creighton.StatBroadcast.com.

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 (1-2-4)

Creighton recorded its first win of the season in comeback fashion, overcoming a 2-0 deficit to defeat North Dakota State, 3-2, last Sunday. Creighton enters Friday's contest with a 1-2-4 overall record with its lone losses coming to Missouri (3-1 on Aug. 20) and to No. 24 Saint Louis (4-1 on Aug. 24).

Creighton also owns draws against Nebraska, Kansas State, Drake and Minnesota. The Bluejays four draws are tied for the second most draws in program history.

Offensively, Creighton is led by senior Abigail Santana with three goals and an assist, while seniors Azumi Manriki and Hannah Luke follow closely behind with a goal and an assist.

Senior's Maddie Radke and Hitomi Yamaue as well as freshman Savanna Soloman have each provided one goal for the Bluejays.

Fifth-year senior Keelan Terrell has been the driving force for the Bluejays in goal this season. In seven matches, Terrell has collected 34 saves while playing all 630 minutes and posting two shutouts in between the posts.

Fresh off a second trip to the BIG EAST Tournament Semifinals in 2022, the Bluejays have renewed energy as 15 players return from last season's squad that posted an 8-4-8 record. Creighton returned eight players who started 10 or more matches in 2022, led by senior Lara Kazandjian.

Creighton also welcomes in 14 newcomers, including transfer Andrine Westlie and freshmen Maia and Shani Sirota (Israel) who are each expected to contribute during their first seasons in Omaha.

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

Scouting South Dakota State (7-1-0)

South Dakota State is off to a blistering start as the Jackrabbits bring a 7-1-0 record into Friday's contest.

SDSU's lone loss came on the road at Utah State, 2-1, but the Jackrabbits have responded with three straight wins, including back-to-back shutouts over Grand Canyon (1-0) and Green Bay (5-0).

Senior Maya Hansen leads the Jackrabbits offensive with 11 points on five goals and one assist, while junior Avery Murdzek and senior Jadenn Carrillo have each contributed three goals this season.

Seniors Kayla Anderson and Katherine Jones as well as junior Maleah Evans have also scored twice, while junior Laney Murdzek has dished out a team-high five assists thus far.

In goal, senior Jocelyn Tanner has played 585 minutes this season for the Jackrabbits, allowing just five goals for a 0.77 goals against average while collecting 20 saves. Freshman Emma Knack has also played 135 minutes in goal over three matches, allowing one goal for a 0.67 goals against average.

Last season SDSU posted an 13-1-5 overall record and returned eight All-Summit League performers, including Tanner, the two-time Summit League Goalkeeper of the Year, and Hansen, the reigning conference Offensive Player of the Year.

South Dakota State was picked to finish second in this year's Summit League Preseason Coaches' poll as head coach Brock Thompson enters his seventh season at the helm of the Jackrabbits.

Series History Against The Jackrabbits

Creighton and South Dakota State have met 17 times previously with the Bluejays holding a 13-2-2 lead in the all-time series.

Creighton has won four of the last six meetings between the two schools, which includes a 1-1 draw in last season match in Brookings, S.D. South Dakota State took the lead in the 51st minute before Hailey Rothwell delivered an equalizing
goal in the 70th minute to earn the draw.

The Bluejays are 7-2-1 all-time in matches played in Omaha, while Ross Paule is 5-2-1 all-time against South Dakota State.

Creighton Success Against The Summit

Friday's match against South Dakota State is the second match against a member of the Summit League this season. Last Sunday, Creighton erased an early 2-0 deficit to defeat North Dakota State, 3-2.

Creighton has now battled at least one current member of the Summit League in 18 of the last 19 seasons. The only season the Bluejays did not match-up against a Summit League opponent was during the 2020 COVID-19 season. Creighton owns a 57-11-8 all-time record against current members of the Summit League.

Team Overall Record Against

Denver 4-1-0

Kansas City 7-3-3

North Dakota 5-0-0

North Dakota State 5-2-1

Omaha 9-1-0

Oral Roberts 3-1-1

St. Thomas Have not met

South Dakota 11-1-1

South Dakota State 13-2-2

Go Ahead and Call it a Comeback

Creighton's comeback win over North Dakota State marked just the fourth time in school history that the Bluejays erased a two-goal deficit to claim a victory.

The win was the Bluejays first win when trailing 2-0 since Creighton scored three unanswered goals in a 3-2 win over Kansas State in the 2019 season opener. It was also the Bluejays first come-from-behind victory since defeating DePaul, 2-1, on April 4, 2021.

The only other two times Creighton has erased a 2-0 deficit were a 3-2 double-overtime victory over Marquette on September 25, 2016, and a 3-2 win at Minnesota in the 1993 season-opener.

Date Opponent Deficit Result

9/4/93 at Minnesota 0-2 W, 3-2

9/25/16 Marquette 0-2 W, 3-2 (2ot)

8/23/19 Kansas State 0-2 W, 3-2

9/10/23 at NDSU 0-2 W, 3-2

Yamaue Delivers Game-Winner and First Bluejay Goal

In just her third game back after returning from a torn ACL, graduate student Hitomi Yamaue delivered in a biggest way possible.

Yamaue netted the game-winning goal in the 84th minute of the Bluejays 3-2 come-from-behind victory over North Dakota State on Sept. 10 while also recording the first goal of her Creighton career.

In her third year with the Bluejays, Yamaue has appeared in 31 matches, logging 1,950 minutes of action.

Santana Reasserting Scoring Role

Senior Abigail Santana delivered a team-high eight goals in 19 matches during her sophomore season at Creighton in 2021 and added three more goals in 2022.

This season the Iowa native has reasserted herself in the scoring role for the Bluejay. Santana already has three goals, which includes recording her second career multi-goal match with two goals in Creighton's 3-2 come-from-behind win over North Dakota State on September 10.

Socctoberfest Success

Creighton continued its success during the ninth Annual Socctoberfest, moving to an impressive 6-1-2 all-time during Socctoberfest matches with a 0-0 scoreless draw against Minnesota on September 8.

Creighton has posted six wins over New Mexico State, Omaha, South Dakota Iowa State and Colorado College outscoring the opposition 19-6 in those matches.

The Bluejays first Socctoberfest victory came on Sept. 5, 2014, when Creighton defeated New Mexico State, 6-0. The Bluejays picked up a 2-1 win against Colorado College during the 2022 Socctoberfest at Morrison Stadium.

The Bluejay women's squad did not play during the 2013 or 2021 Socctoberfest due to schedule issues.

Bluejay Women's Soccer at Socctoberfest (6-1-2)

Date Opponent Result Atten.

10/20/12 Evansville L, 0-1 557

9/5/14 New Mexico State W, 6-0 509

9/4/15 Omaha W, 4-0 1058

9/9/16 South Dakota W, 2-1 1444

9/8/17 Kansas City T, 2-2 958

9/6/18 South Dakota W, 2-1 (ot) 1248

9/6/19 Iowa State W, 1-0 1246

9/9/22 Colorado College W, 2-1 896

9/8/23 Minnesota T, 0-0 1072

Largest Crowds in Bluejay History

Creighton is expecting a large crowd for Friday's match against South Dakota State.

Six of the top-11 largest crowds have come under the direction of head coach Ross. The largest crowd to witness a Creighton women's soccer game happed when Creighton claimed a 3-1 victory over Omaha in front of 2,308 fans on Sept. 16, 2017.

Earlier this season Creighton hosted the third largest crowd in school history, as 1,834 fans saw the Bluejays deliver a pair of equalizing goals in the second half to earn a 2-2 draw against Nebraska in the season opener on Aug. 17.

Top-11 Creighton Women's Soccer Home Crowds

1. 2,308 vs. Nebraska-Omaha, Sept. 16. 2017 (W, 3-1)

2. 2,023 vs. Kansas State, Aug. 23, 2019 (W, 3-2)

3. 1,834 vs. Nebraska, Aug. 17, 2023 (T, 2-2)

4. 1,678 vs. Nebraska-Omaha, Sept. 20, 2013 (W, 3-2)

5. 1,547 vs. Iowa, Sept. 21, 2007 (L, 0-1)

*6. 1,444 vs. South Dakota, Sept. 9, 2016 (W, 2-1)

7. 1,289 vs. Northern Iowa, Sept. 23, 2011 (W, 1-0)

8. 1,277 vs. Arizona State, Sept. 18, 2009 (L, 1-2)

9. 1,251 vs. Kansas, Sept. 29, 2006 (W, 1-0)

*10. 1,248 vs. South Dakota, Sept. 7, 2018 (W, 2-1 OT)

*11. 1,246 vs. Iowa State, Sept. 6, 2019 (W, 1-0)

* - Socctoberfest Matches

The Non-Conference Gauntlet

This season head coach Ross Paule arguably put together the toughest non-conference schedule in program history.

Creighton opened the season with a match-up against Nebraska, who is ranked in the United Soccer Coaches Top-25, before battling Power 5 opponent Missouri. Creighton then traveled to defending A10 conference champion Saint Louis, who is also receiving votes in the polls before once again facing off against another Power 5 conference opponent in Kansas State. Creighton then hosted Minnesota in the Bluejays annual socctoberfest on Sept. 8

All told, five of Creighton's eight non-conference opponents owned eight or more wins last season, while the eight opponents combined for a 73-53-29 record last fall.

Home Sweet Home

Creighton is 0-1-2 in home matches this season, including a 2-2 draw against Nebraska in the season-opener on Aug. 17, and a scoreless draw against Minnesota on Sept. 8. Creighton is now 111-57-27 all-time at Morrison Stadium (opened in 2003), which includes a 12-5-4 mark in home-openers.

Last season, Creighton finished the year 6-1-3 in Morrison Stadium. Creighton's six home wins last fall were tied for the second most home wins since joining the BIG EAST in 2013 and the tied for the seventh most home wins since moving into Morrison Stadium in 2003.

Creighton holds a 49-32-12 mark at Morrison Stadium since the start of 2013, when the program joined the BIG EAST and a 16-25-5 mark during home league matches.

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

Steffen's Logging Serious Minutes

Since arriving on campus in the fall of 2020 senior Peighton Steffen has been a staple in the Bluejays starting lineup. The heart of Creighton's backline, Steffen has played 5,118 minutes in her career, 99.4 percent of the 5,148 possible minutes she could have played.

Dating back to last season, Steffen has played 2,000 consecutive minutes along the Creighton backline. Her 2,000 consecutive minutes played is the longest stretch by a Bluejay player since Keelan Terrell played 2,193 consecutive minutes in goal between the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Terrell's Logging Major Minutes

A fixture in goal for Creighton over the last four seasons has graduate goalkeeper Keelan Terrell climbing the Creighton ranks for career goalkeeper minutes.

Over the course of her career with the Bluejays, the Olathe, Kans. native has seen action in 59 matches, making 58 starts and logging 5,342 total minutes in between the posts, ranking second on Creighton's all-time goalkeeper minutes played list.

Her 5,342 total minutes in goal currently ranks 22nd among active goalkeepers in Division I.

This season, Terrell has played all 630 minutes in goal for the Bluejays, posting a pair of shutouts against Kansas State and Minnesota.

Goalkeeper Minutes Played

1. Jaimie Thompson 6,815 2000-03

2. Keelan Terrell 5,342 2019-present

3. Denise Zaver 5,287 1990-93

4. Kristen Casey 5,180 2005-08

5. Maggie Phelan 5,058 1997-00

6. Mary Libert 4,883 1993-96

7. Katie Jo Swanson 3,329 2009-12

8. Danielle Rice 3,303 2013-14

9. Valerie Zimmerer 3,012 2003-06

10. McKenzie Meola 2,869 2016-17

Terrell's Chasing History

Graduate Keelan Terrell has proven time and time again over her first four years as a Bluejay that she is one of the greatest goalkeepers to ever wear a Creighton uniform.

Terrell is one of just five players in Creighton history to rank in the top-10 of every career goalkeeper category. She currently sits second in goalkeeper minutes (5,342), sixth in goals against average (1.23), seventh in shutouts (15), seventh in total saves (194) and ninth in goalkeeper victories (18).

Goalkeeping Victories Total Years

1. Jaimie Thompson 41 2000-03

2. Denise Zaver 35 1990-93

3. Alicia Montgomery 30 2008-11

4. Kristen Casey 29 2005-08

Mary Libert 29 1993-96

6. Maggie Phelan 26 1997-00

7. Danielle Rice 19 2013-14

Valerie Zimmerer 19 2003-06

9. Keelan Terrell 18 2019-present

10. Katie Sullivan 13 2018-20

Saves Total Years

1. Denise Zaver 355 1990-93

2. Jaimie Thompson 345 2000-03

3. Kristen Casey 259 2005-08

4. Mary Libert 256 1993-96

5. Alicia Montgomery 226 2008-11

6. Danielle Rice 199 2013-14

7. Keelan Terrell 194 2019-present

8. Maggie Phelan 193 1997-00

9. Katie Jo Swanson 173 2009-12

10. McKenzie Meola 160 2016-17

Goals Against Average Total Years
(Minimum 1,000 Minutes Played)

1. Alicia Montgomery 0.81 2008-11

2. Valerie Zimmerer 0.96 2004-06

3. Denise Zaver 1.14 1990-93

4. Jaimie Thompson 1.15 2000-03

5. Kristen Casey 1.18 2005-08

6. Keelan Terrell 1.23 2019-present

7. Katie Jo Swanson 1.24 2009-12

8. Danielle Rice 1.36 2013-14

9. Lori Kwapiszeski 1.37 1989-90

10. Mary Libert 1.38 1993-96

Shutouts (indicates shared shutouts)

1. Jaimie Thompson 24 (2) 2000-03

Denise Zaver 24 (8) 1990-93

3. Alicia Montgomery 22 (0) 2008-11

4. Kristen Casey 18 (0) 2005-08

Mary Libert 18 (6) 1993-96

6. Maggie Phelan 17 (6) 1997-00

7. Keelan Terrell 15 (0) 2019-present

8. Valerie Zimmerer 10 (3) 2003-06

Lori Kwapiszeski 10 (8) 1989-90

10. Katie Sullivan 9 (0) 2018-20

Meghan Coleman 9 (6) 1994-97

Scoring First Yields Success

Through the first seven matches this season, Creighton is 0-1-1 when scoring first and 1-1-1 when the opponents score first. The Bluejays have also battled to a pair of 0-0 draws.

Additionally, the Bluejays are currently 1-2-1 this season when trailing at the break and 0-0-2 when the score is tied at halftime.

Last season, Creighton finished 8-0-2 when scoring first, but 0-4-4 when its opponent scores first. The Bluejays were also a perfect 6-0-0 when leading at the half, but 0-3-3 when trailing after 45 minutes and 2-1-5 when the score was tied at halftime.

Overall, Creighton is 46-11-10 when scoring first, but 11-55-7 when the opponent scores first and 0-0-6 in scoreless draws under head coach Ross Paule.

Prior to Creighton's 3-2 come-from-behind win over North Dakota State on Sept. 10., Creighton's last come-from-behind victory and last victory when trailing at the half came during the 2020 season, when Aida Kardovic and Lea Høiness each netted goals in the second half for a 2-1 win against DePaul (April 4).

Women's Soccer Closes Out Non-Conference Play Versus South Dakota State On Friday

Players Mentioned

Aida Kardovic

Lara Kazandjian

Hannah Luke

Azumi Manriki

Maddie Radke

Hailey Rothwell

Abigail Santana

Shani Sirota

Peighton Steffen

Keelan Terrell

Andrine Westlie

Hitomi Yamaue

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