Creighton University
Seton Hall
Women’s Soccer Returns to East Coast to Face Seton Hall on Thursday Before Hosting Butler on Sunday
10/23/2024 9:36:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 • 5:00 p.m. CT • South Orange, N.J. • Owen T. Carroll Field
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS | CU NOTES (PDF)
Match #15: Butler Bulldogs (8-4-3, 3-2-2 BE) at Creighton Bluejays (7-5-1, 4-3-0 BE)
Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 • 1:00 p.m. • Omaha, Neb. • Morrison Stadium
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS | CU NOTES (PDF)
Up Next
Creighton (7-5-1, 4-3-0 BE) has won four of their last five matches and looks to carry momentum into the final stretch as Creighton pushes for a spot in the BIG EAST Tournament.
Creighton opened the week with a road trip to Seton Hall for a match at Owen T. Carroll Field on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 5 p.m. CT.
Creighton will then return home for their final home contest of the regular season when they play host to Butler on Sunday, Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. inside Morrison Stadium.
Follow the Match
Thursday and Sunday's matches will feature both live video and live stats.
Live stats for both contests will be featured through http://Creighton.StatBroadcast.com, while live video will be available on FloSports with Jon Schriner and Josh Peterson and on the call for Sunday's match against Butler.
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 also be provided during the match on Twitter (@CreightonWSoc).
Scouting Creighton (7-5-1, 4-3-0 BE)
Winners of four of their last five contests, Creighton enters this week's pivotal matches against Seton Hall and Butler with a 7-5-1 overall record. The Bluejays own a 4-3-0 record in BIG EAST play and currently sit in sole possession of third place in the BIG EAST standings.
Creighton started slow in conference play, dropping their first two matches to Georgetown (1-0) and Villanova (2-0), but have increased offensive production over the last few weeks, while posting wins in four of their last five matches over Marquette (1-0), UConn (2-1), Providence (1-0) and DePaul (3-1).
Offensively, Creighton has five different players who have found the back of the net at least twice this season, led by senior forward Ariana Mondiri. The Evry, France native paces the Bluejays with nine points on four goals and an assist, while senior Azumi Manriki follows closely behind with three goals.
Senior Stella Downing, sophomore Anja Jestrovic and freshman Anna Bragg have each added a pair of goals, while seniors Maddie Radke and Lara Kazandjian have each dished out a team-high tying two assists.
Creighton is anchored in net by senior goalkeeper, Alyssa Zalac. Zalac has been busy in between the post this season, recording 49 saves while logging a combined 1170 minutes in 12 starts in goal. Zalac's 49 saves are the fourth most in the BIG EAST this season, while her 1.15 goals against average is eighth best in league.
Head coach Jimmy Walker is in his first season at the helm of the Bluejays and owns a 183-100-27 career record.
Scouting Seton Hall (4-9-3, 1-4-2 BE)
Seton Hall enters Thursday's match with the Bluejays sporting a 4-9-3 overall record and a 1-4-2 mark in league play. Since posting a 1-0 win against Providence on Oct. 6, Seton Hall has dropped three consecutive matches falling into ninth in the overall BIG EAST standings.
Struggling to find rhythm on the road, the Pirates look to continue their success as they own a 3-3-1 record at Owen T. Carroll Field. Seton Hall has struggled to find the back of the net in recent contests, posting only one goal in the three-game losing streak while getting outscored 7-1.
Directing Seton Hall's offensive attack is 2023 BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year and 2024 BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Natalie Tavana. The senior midfielder has contributed a pair of goals and a team-high three assists to collect seven total points, while senior defender Chiara Pucci has notched three goals and played a team-high 1,440 minutes. Five additional Pirates trail Tavana and Pucci with one goal each.
Offensively as a team, Seton Hall ranks sixth in total shots (179), tied for ninth in assists (11),11th in total goals (10) and 11th in total points (31).
Between the posts, goalkeeping duties have been split between senior Anna Prawer and freshman Avery Strohecker. Prawer has started all 16 matches for the Pirates, recording 765 minutes in goal while grabbing 32 saves in route to a 1-6-2 mark. Strohecker meanwhile has played 675 minutes this season, while also collecting 34 saves and a 3-3-1 record.
Seton Hall was picked eighth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' poll this season as head coach Josh Osit is in his third season with the Pirates.
Series History Against The Pirates
Creighton and Seton Hall will meet for the 11th time in program history on Thursday night, with the Bluejays holding an 8-0-2 edge in the all-time series.
Creighton has won seven of the last eight meetings, including the last five dating back to a 1-1 draw in 2017. The Bluejays are 4-0-1 in matches played at Owen T. Carroll Field in South Orange, N.J.
Creighton is one of just four teams in the BIG EAST that is unbeaten by Seton Hall since the conference realigned in 2013.
Last season the Bluejays delivered a 2-0 win in Omaha, behind goals from Lara Kazanajan and Anja Jestrovic.
Scouting Butler (8-4-3, 3-2-2 BE)
Butler enters Thursday night's contest against St. John's with a 8-4-3 overall record. The Bulldogs are coming off back-to-back victories over UConn (2-1) and Seton Hall (1-0) and own a 3-2-2 record in BIG EAST play.
The Bulldogs have thrived this season on the road, boasting a 5-2-1 record when playing away from home. On the road, Butler has paced its offense to 13 goals over eight contests, outscoring opponents 13-8.
Butler's backline has protected the net efficiently, allowing only six goals throughout BIG EAST play this season, while posting three shutouts against Marquette (W, 1-0), DePaul (T, 0-0), and Seton Hall (W, 1-0).
The Bulldogs' frontline is led by Preseason All-BIG EAST selection Talia Summer. The junior has dominated this season, racking up a team-high eight goals while dishing out three assists. Summer's eight goals currently rank fifth in the BIG EAST for goals, while her three assists combine to place her sixth in the conference in total points (19).
Graduate Abigail Isger has added three goals and team-high four assists while juniors Leila Lister and Amelie Darey have each contributed three goals this season.
Junior Anna Pierce has been a fixture between the posts for Butler this season, starting all 15 matches while playing a total of 1,350 minutes in goal. Pierce has snared 60 saves this season, ranking second in the BIG EAST. She currently owns a 0.93 goals against average which is sufficient for fifth among conference goalkeepers.
Butler was picked to finish fourth in this year's BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' poll. Co-Head coach Tari St. John is in her 19th season at the helm of the Butler program while Rob Alman has served as a co-head coach for the past 12th seasons.
Series History Against The Bulldogs
Creighton and Butler have met 17 times previously with the Bulldogs holding an 13-1-3 advantage in the all-time series.
Creighton has dropped nine of the last 11 matches against the Bulldogs but did post a pair of 1-1 draws, including a 6-5 shootout victory in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament in 2022.
Creighton is 1-5-1 all-time against Butler in matches played in Omaha, including a 0-5-1 mark at Morrison Stadium. The Bluejays lone win in the series came back in 1993 when the Jays defeated the Bulldogs 3-2 in overtime.
Success against Seton Hall
Creighton owns a 10-match unbeaten streak vs. Seton Hall, tied for the Bluejays third-longest unbeaten streak against any team in program history.
The Bluejays are one of four teams in the BIG EAST to have never lost to Seton Hall since the realignment in 2013 (Georgetown - 11-0-1; DePaul - 9-0-2; UConn - 5-0-0).
Creighton's longest unbeaten streak was 14 consecutive matches against Indiana State from 2000 to 2014.
Most Consecutive Matches W/out a Loss Over One Team
Matches Opponent Dates
14 Indiana State 2000-11
12 Western Illinois 1997-Present
10 Seton Hall 2013-Present
10 South Dakota 2007-16
10 South Dakota State 2004-14
Walking into Conference Success
Head coach Jimmy Walker has certainly enjoyed more than his fair share of success in conference play throughout his career. In his 17th season as a head coach, Walker owns a 112-36-13 overall record in conference play, including a 4-3-0 record in the BIG EAST this fall.
Walker's four wins in BIG EAST play this year are the most wins in conference play by a first-year head coach at Creighton in program history, are tied for the third-most in a single conference season in program history.
Former Bluejay head coach Ross Paule and Bruce Erickson each recorded two conference wins during their first year as a head coach at Creighton, while Ira Philson collected only one during his first season on the Creighton sideline.
Conference Wins by Creighton Head Coach in First Season
Head Coach Record Year
Jimmy Walker 4-3-0 (BIG EAST) 2024
Ross Paule 2-7-0 (BIG EAST) 2015
Bruce Erickson 2-3-0 (MVC) 1999
Ira Philson 1-4-0 (MVC) 1997
Brace Yourself
Seniors Stella Downing and Ariana Mondiri have each recorded braces, two goals, for Creighton this season during BIG EAST play, becoming the fourth and fifth Bluejays since joining the BIG EAST in 2013 to score two goals in a league match.
Downing netted the first goal of her collegiate career in the 13th minute against UConn on Oct. 6 and added in a game-winning goal in the 85th minute to record the first brace of her career. Scoring her two goals against UConn on Oct. 6, Downing became the first Bluejay to score twice in a match since Abigail Santana logged two goals against North Dakota State on Sept. 10, 2023.
Mondiri then delivered the second brace of her Bluejay career, but the first against a BIG EAST opponent on Oct. 20 in a 3-1 win over DePaul. The Evry, France native gave the Bluejays a 1-0 lead with a goal in the 11th minute, before delivering the game-winning goal in the 48th minute against the Blue Demons.
No current play has recorded a hat trick yet this season. The last Creighton hat trick came on Sept. 8, 2019, when Skylar Heinrich scored four goals against Eastern Michigan.
Braces in BIG EAST Play (Since 2013)
Player Opponent Date
Lauren Sullivan Villanova 10/4/15
Lauren Sullivan Providence 10/17/15
Lauren Sullivan Marquette 9/25/16
Taryn Jakubowski Xavier 10/23/16
Taryn Jakubowski Providence 10/26/17
Skylar Heinrich Marquette 3/21/21
Stella Downing UConn 10/6/24
Ariana Mondiri DePaul 10/20/24
Matching Best BIG EAST Season
Owning a 4-3-0 record in BIG EAST play this season, Creighton has matched its most wins during a BIG EAST Conference season since the Bluejays joining the league in 2013.
The Bluejays also recorded four wins during league play in the 2022, 2020 and 2016 BIG EAST seasons.
Creighton's 2002 Missouri Valley Conference team owns the most conference wins in one season, as they delivered a 6-0-1 league record in route to a MVC regular season title.
Most Conference Wins in Single Season
Year Conference Record
2002 MVC 6-0-1
2010 MVC 5-1-0
2024 BIG EAST 4-3-0
2022 BIG EAST 4-3-3
2020 BIG EAST 4-4-0
2016 BIG EAST 4-5-0
Gone Streaking
Creighton has won three consecutive BIG EAST matches, marking just the second time since joining the league in 2013 that CU has won three straight BIG EAST contests.
The only other time Creighton has won three consecutive games in BIG EAST play was during the 2020 CoVID season when the Jays won four consecutive matches from March 21 to April 4.
The longest conference winning streak in program history came during the 2002 MVC season when the Bluejays won five consecutive league matches from Oct. 4 to Oct. 18.
Most Consecutive Conference Wins, Creighton History
Wins Dates Snapped By
5 Oct. 4 - Oct. 18, 2002 Missouri State , T, 0-0
4 March 21 - April 4, 2021 at Butler, 2-1
4 Sept. 26 - Oct. 14, 2010 at Missouri State, 2-1 (ot)
3 Oct. 6, 2024 - Present TBD
3 Oct. 9 - Oct. 14, 2005 at Drake, 3-0
Bluejay Defense is the Key
Thirteen matches into the season, a pattern has developed for the Bluejays. When Creighton's defense holds its opponents to one goal or less the Bluejays are 7-1-1 with five shutouts. If the defense allows two goals or more, Creighton is 0-4-0.
Mondiri Earns Spot on BIG EAST Honor Roll
Senior Ariana Mondiri earned a spot on the BIG EAST Honor Roll for the first time this year and third time in her career on Oct. 21, after she notched a pair of goals in a 3-1 win over DePaul on Oct. 20.
The Evry, France native recorded the second brace of her Bluejays career while became the second Bluejay this season and just the fifth Bluejay since joining the league in 2013 to score two goals in a BIG EAST match.
Home Sweet Home
Creighton owns a 118-62-28 (.635) all-time record at home since moving into Morrison Stadium prior to the 2003 season. This year the Bluejays are an impressive 5-1-1 in home matches with wins over Western Michigan (3-0), previously unbeaten Kansas City (1-0), UConn (2-1), Providence (1-0) and DePaul (3-1) as well as a scoreless shutout over then #19 Saint Louis.
Including this year's win over the Broncos, the Bluejays are now 22-9-5 all-time in home-openers, which includes an 13-5-4 mark during home-openers at Morrison Stadium.
In addition to Creighton owning a 118-62-28 overall record at home, the Bluejays also hold a 56-37-13 mark at Morrison Stadium since joining the BIG EAST in 2013 and a 20-30-5 record 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
- 2024 5 5-1-1
Official RPI Rankings Updated
The fifth official RPI Rankings were released by the NCAA on Monday, Oct. 14. The Bluejays were listed at No. 43 in the initial release on Sept. 16 but fell to as low as on 90 on Sept. 30, before knocking off UConn, Providence, and DePaul to climb to 58 in this week's rankings. Creighton is one of five BIG EAST teams listed inside the top 100 of the RPI rankings.
BIG EAST in the RPI (Oct. 21 edition)
22. Georgetown
24. Xavier
58. Creighton
63. UConn
71. Butler
116. Providence
128. DePaul
145. Villanova
163. St. John's
181. Marquette
217. Seton Hall
Bluejays Don Pink Uniforms Against Seton Hall
Creighton wore its alternate pink uniforms on Oct. 20 as the Bluejays host its 10th annual Pink Out match. Fans were encouraged to wear pink to promote breast cancer awareness as Creighton delivered a 3-1 victory over DePaul to move into sole possession of third in the BIG EAST Standings.
Since its creation in 2012 by former head coach Bruce Erickson, the Bluejays are 4-6-0 in Pink Out games and are now 1-0-0 in Pink Out contests under head coach Jimmy Walker.
Date Opponent Result
10/11/12 Drake L, 2-3
10/12/13 DePaul L, 1-2 (ot)
10/16/14 Villanova L, 0-2
10/4/15 Villanova W, 3-1
10/5/16 Seton Hall W, 4-0
10/19/17 Butler L, 0-3
10/4/18 Georgetown L, 1-7
10/10/19 Butler L, 0-1 (ot)
10/12/23 Seton Hall W, 2-0
PK Knowledge
Coming at a rarity, Creighton has earned a pair of penalty kicks this season on fouls inside the 18-yard box, including one in the Bluejays 1-0 win over Providence on Oct. 13.
Sophomore Anja Jestrovic has been pure on both PK attempts this season, delivering the game-winner in each of the Bluejays 1-0 victories over Kansas City (Sept. 15) and Providence (Oct. 13).
Including postseason shootout PK attempts in 2022, current members of the Bluejays squad are 7-9 on penalty kick attempts.
Creighton - Penalty Kick Conversions
Name '24 '23 '22 '21 Total
Anja Jestrovic 2-2 0-1 - - 2-3
Abigail Santana - - 0-1 1-1 1-2
Ariana Mondiri - - 1-1 - 1-1
Lara Kazandjian - - 1-1 - 1-1
Maddie Radke - - 1-1 - 1-1
Azumi Manriki - - 1-1 - 1-1
Zalac's Keeping it Clean
Junior goalkeeper Alyssa Zalac has been impressive this season, recording five shutouts over the course of the first 13 matches of her Bluejay career.
Her five clean sheets are tied for the fourth most by a Bluejay goalkeeper in their first year with the program. Star netminder Denise Zaver earned a program record 10 shutouts during her first season as a Bluejays back in 1990.
Shutouts by Bluejay Goalkeeper in First Year
Rk. Name Shutouts Year
1. Denise Zaver 10 1990
2. Lori Kwapiszeski 8 1989
3. Erin Scott 6 2015
4. Alyssa Zalac 5 2024
Katie Sullivan 5 2018
Zalac Earns Spot on BIG EAST Honor Roll
Junior goalkeeper Alyssa Zalac earned a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll for the third time this season after helping guide the Bluejays to a 1-0 shutout over Providence on Oct. 13.
The Montreal, Canada native registered her fifth shutout of the season, collecting six saves as the Bluejays defense held Providence scoreless for the third consecutive match and the sixth time this season.
Zalac has impressed throughout her first season as a Bluejay and currently ranks fourth in the BIG EAST with five shutouts, 49 saves and 3.77 saves per game, while ranking eighth with a 1.15 goals against average.
Some Loyal Fans
Creighton's average home crowd of 1,132 this season ranks as the highest average home attendance in a single season in program history.
In total the Bluejays have attracted 7,923 spectators into Morrison Stadium this season, a mark that trails only the 9,308 fans in attendance during 10 matches in 2019.
Should Creighton have more than 77 fans in attendance during their final home regular season contests on Sunday against Butler, it will be the first time in program history that the Jays average more than 1,000 fans per game in a single season.
The Bluejays currently rank 20th nationally in average home attendance (1,132) and 40th in total home attendance (7,926).
The Bluejay faithful has shown up in a big way this season as Creighton hosted a program record crowd of 3,670 for its annual Socctoberfest match against #19 Saint Louis on Sept. 6.
Below is a list of the largest home single season attendance marks in program history.
Creighton's Single Season Home Attendance Totals
Rk. Year Games Total Avg.
1. 2019 10 9,308 931
2. 2024 7 7,926 1,132
3. 2006 11 7,603 691
4. 2009 12 7,371 614
5. 2004 10 7,281 728
6. 2005 10 7,195 720
7. 2023 9 6,473 719
8. 2016 10 6,399 640
9. 2007 10 6,324 632
10. 2017 8 6,166 771
It's Getting Hot In Here
Creighton went 0-2 in its first two BIG EAST matches of the season, falling in shutout fashion to open league play.
The Bluejays, however, have turned it up a notch since then, recording wins in four of their last five contests while scoring a combined eight goals.
Creighton's seven goals allowed through the first seven matches this season are the least goals allowed for a Bluejay squad since joining the BIG EAST in 2013. The Bluejays previous low was eight goals allowed through the first seven matches during the 2022 BIG EAST season.
The Bluejays have averaged 9.6 goals per conference season (1.05 per match) since joining the league in 2013. The most goals Creighton has scored in BIG EAST play was 18 during the 2016 season.
Creighton Through First Three Matches of BIG EAST Play
Year Goals Scored Goals Allowed
2013 4 (6) 4 (15)
2014 4 (7) 9 (16)
2015 4 (11) 10 (27)
2016 6 (18) 9 (16)
2017 1 (6) 5 (14)
2018 3 (9) 4 (16)
2019 4 (9) 4 (11)
2020 1 (10) 7 (11)
2021 1 (7) 3 (18)
2022 3 (13) 6 (12)
2023 1 (10) 6 (18)
2024 1 (8) 3 (7)
(#) - Indicates final conference goal totals
Scoring First Yields Success
Over the course of the season, Creighton has had tremendous success when scoring the first goal of the match. The Bluejays are 6-2-0 this year when scoring first, but 1-3-0 when the opponent finds the net first. The Bluejays are also 0-0-1 in draws.
Additionally, CU is 3-1-0 when leading at the break, 1-2-0 when trailing at halftime and 3-2-1 when tied at the break.
Last season Creighton finished the season with 2-1-2 record with scoring first, but 2-8-1 when the opponent scores first.
Despite starting this season 2-1-0, Creighton has had incredible success when netting the first goal of the match since joining the BIG EAST in 2013.
Since the start of the 2013 season, the Bluejays own a 67-13-12 record when finding the back of the net first, but a 19-79-8 mark when the opponent scores first and a 0-0-8 in scoreless draws.
Bringing the Physicality
Over the course of the last few years there is one portion of the game that Creighton is not shy to bring, and that is the physicality.
Through 13 matches this season, Creighton has racked up 212 fouls and a total of 26 yellow cards. The Bluejays currently lead the country in fouls per game with 16.31 and is tied for eighth in yellow cards with 26.
Creighton's 26 yellow cards this season are the most in a single season since at least the 2000 season.
In 2023, the Bluejays were called for 11.28 fouls pre match, ranking 33rd in the nation. Creighton was also only booked for a total of 12 yellow cards all of last season.
During the Bluejays' 2-1 win over Iowa State on Aug. 18, Creighton was called for 27 fouls over the course of the match. The Bluejays 27 fouls were its most in a single match since being called for 30 fouls during a match against Illinois State on Nov. 9, 2003.
Year FPG Yellow Cards
2024 16.83 (1st) 25 (6th)
2023 11.28 (33rd) 12 (209th)
2022 9.85 (118th) 9 (278th)
2021 9.17 (169th) 6 (301st)
2020 10.70 (48th) 4 (215th)
2019 11.56 (39th) 17 (41st)
2018 8.94 (171st) 10 (155th)
Scoring Two Works Almost Everytime
It would stand to reason that scoring goals increases a team's chances of winning. For the Bluejays, that is most certainly the case.
Since the program began in 1989, Creighton owns a 276-23-12 all-time record when scoring two or more goals in a match, including a 4-1-0 record this season. On the flip side, the Bluejays are 47-251-52 when being held to fewer than two goals.
Additionally, the Bluejays are 69-8-3 when scoring two or more goals, but 15-84-24 when netting fewer than two goals since joining the BIG EAST in 2013.
Battled Tested Bluejays
Ranked as one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country, Creighton has had its work cut out for them this season as they have faced a grueling slate.
CU has battled three Power 5 conference opponents this season, while also playing perennial powers in then No. 19 Saint Louis and Georgetown as well as previously unbeaten Kansas City. Combined, the 12 opponents Creighton has played this season are 89-61-46 against opponents that are not Creighton.
Team (RPI Rank, 10/21) W-L-T (10/21) CU's Result
Minnesota (35) 11-3-3 L, 1-2
Iowa State (201) 3-9-5 W, 2-1
Western Michigan (37) 8-1-6 W, 3-0
Nebraska (101) 5-10-1 L, 2-5
Saint Louis (34) 10-1-5 T, 0-0
Kansas City (180) 6-7-3 W, 1-0
Georgetown (22) 10-2-4 L, 0-1
Villanova (145) 5-5-5 L, 0-2
Marquette (181) 4-10-3 W, 1-0
Xavier (24) 13-2-2 L, 1-2
UConn (63) 8-4-4 W, 2-1
Providence (116) 6-8-1 W, 1-0
DePaul (128) 4-6-5 W, 3-1
Seton Hall (217) 4-9-3 -
Butler (71) 8-4-3 -
St. John's (163) 5-5-5 -
Return to the BIG EAST Tournament Will Be Paved on the Road
To reach the Bluejays' goal of a return trip to the BIG EAST Tournament (top six teams), Creighton will need to find results on the road. In the Bluejays' 12th season in the BIG EAST, Creighton has a combined road record of 12-33-9 in conference play, including a 1-2-0 record this season in BIG EAST road contests. The Bluejays success on the road in 2022 helped propel themselves into the BIG EAST Tournament and eventually the BIG EAST Tournament Semifinals.
Creighton's BIG EAST Record on the road
2013: 2-2-1
2014: 1-2-1
2015: 1-4-0
2016: 0-4-0
2017: 0-3-2
2018: 1-3-0
2019: 1-1-3
2020: 2-2-0
2021: 0-5-0
2022: 2-2-1
2023: 1-3-1
2024: 1-2-0
