Creighton University
Connecticut (Quarterfinals)
Women’s Soccer Set To Host UConn In BIG EAST Tournament Quarterfinals on Sunday
11/1/2024 1:41:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Match #17: #5 UConn Huskies (10-4-4, 4-3-3 BE) at No. 4 Creighton Bluejays (8-6-2, 5-4-1 BE)
Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024 • 1:00 p.m. CT • Omaha, Neb. • Morrison Stadium
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS | CU NOTES (PDF)
Up Next
Creighton (8-6-2, 5-4-1 BE) looks to follow up on its best BIG EAST regular season in program history, as the Bluejays are set to host the first round of the BIG EAST tournament for the first time in program history.
The fourth-seeded Bluejays will open the tournament with Sunday's 1 p.m. first round match against fifth-seeded UConn (10-4-4, 4-3-3 BE) inside the friendly confines of Morrison Stadium.
Promotional Schedule
Sunday's BIG EAST Tournament first round match against UConn will feature a few different promotional items. First, admission for the first-round match will be completely free of charge for all spectators.
In addition, the first 300 fans will receive a blue and white Creighton t-shirt, while 250 fans will receive a FREE popcorn voucher for the concession stands.
Follow the Match
Sunday's first round BIG EAST Tournament match against UConn 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 Josh Peterson and Avarie Howard on the call.
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 (8-6-2, 5-4-1 BE)
Creighton closed out the regular season with an 8-6-2 record and enters the BIG EAST Tournament as the No. 4 seed after posting a program record 5-4-1 mark in BIG EAST play.
Creighton enters Sunday's BIG EAST Quarterfinals match against UConn as arguably one of the hottest team in the BIG EAST having won four of their last six contests. The Bluejays, however, are coming off a 1-0 loss at St. John's on Thursday evening.
After starting slow in conference play, dropping their first two matches to Georgetown (1-0) and Villanova (2-0), the Bluejays have increased their offensive production over the last few weeks, while posting wins in five of their last eight matches over Marquette (1-0), UConn (2-1), Providence (1-0), DePaul (3-1) and Seton Hall (2-1) to secure home field advantage in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament.
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 11 points on five goals and an assist, including three game-winners, while senior Azumi Manriki follows closely behind with four goals.
Senior Stella Downing has added three goals and an assist of her own, while sophomore Anja Jestrovic and freshman Anna Bragg, the reigning BIG EAST Freshman of the Week, have each added a pair of goals. Senior Maddie Radke currently leads the team with a team-high three assists this season.
As a team, the Bluejays rank fifth in the BIG EAST in goals allowed (19), sixth in goals (21), seventh in points (58), seventh in saves (59) and eighth in assists (16).
Creighton is anchored in net by senior goalkeeper, Alyssa Zalac. Zalac has been busy in between the post this season, recording 56 saves while logging a combined 1440 minutes in 16 starts in goal. Zalac's 56 saves are the fifth-most in the BIG EAST this season, while her 1.19 goals against average is sixth best in league.
Head coach Jimmy Walker is in his first season at the helm of the Bluejays and owns a 184-101-28 career record.
Scouting UConn (10-4-4, 4-3-3 BE)
Coming off a bye and looking to avenge a loss in Omaha earlier this year, UConn enters the BIG EAST Tournament as the fifth seed after posting a 10-4-4 overall record.
The Huskies finished off BIG EAST play with a 4-3-3 mark in league play, earning key victories over Providence (1-0), Marquette (3-0), DePaul (3-1) and Seton Hall (1-0) to solidify a spot in the BIG EAST Championships.
UConn is 3-1-3 on the road this season, suffering their only loss away from home back on Oct. 6 in Omaha against Creighton.
Junior Chioma Okafor has been nothing short of spectacular this season as she paces the Huskies and ranks tied for third in the BIG EAST with 25 points on a league-leading 11 goals and a team-high tying three assists. She also owns a BIG EAST-best 78 shots this season, landing 39 of them on goal.
In addition, 13 other Huskies have found the back of the net this season with Abbey Jones and Maddie Fried leading the way with four goals apiece.
In total, UConn has outscored their opponents 34-18 this fall and ranks third as a team in shots (274), points (96) and goals (34), while ranking fourth in total assists (28) and goals allowed (18).
Graduate Kaitlyn Mahoney has been a fixture in net for UConn this season, playing a total 1,406 minutes in between the posts. She ranks fifth in the BIG EAST with a 1.02 goals against average, while snaring 43 saves and earning six shutout victories this fall.
Connecticut was picked to finish second in this year's BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' poll with head coach Margaret Rodriguez wrapping up her seventh season at the helm of the Huskies.
Series History Against The Huskies
Creighton and UConn will meet for the first in the postseason on Sunday afternoon in the first round of the BIG EAST tournament. The Bluejays and Huskies have met just four times previously, with UConn holding a 3-1-0 edge in the overall series.
Creighton has dropped the first three matches in the overall series, before picking up its first win over the Huskies and sparking a four-match winning streak as senior Stella Downing recorded the first brace of her Bluejay career, guiding the Jays to a 2-1 victory earlier this season.
Creighton is 1-1 all-time against UConn in matches played in Omaha but has never faced the Huskies in the postseason.
A BIG EAST First
Locked into No. 4 seed for the BIG EAST Tournament, Creighton will host the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament at Morrison Stadium on Sunday afternoon for the FIRST TIME in program history.
It will be the 12th time in school history and the first since 2012 that the Bluejays will host a conference tournament match at home, although the first 11 times came while the Jays were members of the Missouri Valley Conference.
Creighton in the BIG EAST Tourney
The Bluejays will make their third appearance in the BIG EAST Tournament on Sunday against UConn. In addition, the Bluejays will be hosting the opening round of the tournament for the first time since joining the league in 2013 and for the first time since hosting the MVC Tournament in 2012.
In both of the two previous appearances, the Bluejays reached the semifinals before bowing out to Georgetown.
Creighton is 0-2-1 in the BIG EAST Tournament, earning a 1-1 draw and advancing on PK's 6-5 at Butler in 2022, before suffering a 1-0 setback to Georgetown in the semifinals. They Bluejays also suffered a 2-1 overtime loss to #10 Georgetown in 2021.
Complete results and Creighton BIG EAST Tournament record can be found on pages 21-23 of the notes packet.
Conference Tournament History
Creighton will be making their 20th conference tournament appearance on Sunday against UConn.
The Bluejays are a combined 19-11-6 in conference tournament matches, advancing to the NCAA Tournament five times.
The Bluejays are seeking their first conference championship and NCAA Tournament appearance since former head coach Bruce Erickson and All-MVC First Team selection Brittney Neumann guided the Bluejays to the Big Dance in 2010.
Head coach Jimmy Walker is 9-4-2 in conference tournament play, including a 4-2-1 record as a Division I head coach. He guided Bowling Green State University to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2020 and 2021.
Creighton Athletics in the BIG EAST Tournament
Creighton owns 11 BIG EAST Tournament titles in 11 years as a league member. Baseball (2019) and Men's Soccer (2022) both have won one, while Volleyball (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023) has nine titles and is Creighton's only women's program to win a BIG EAST Tournament.
Impact of Overtime
Prior to the 2022 season, the NCAA eliminated overtime during the regular season, but with postseason play in full swing, overtime in back in play with some additional rules. Teams will play two 10-minute periods with golden goals back in play, before heading to a shootout if the score remains tied after the overtime periods.
Since joining the BIG EAST in 2013, Creighton has played 36 overtime matches with the Bluejays going 8-14-14 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 128 overtime matches with the Bluejays holding a 35-42-51 mark in those contests.
Shootout Notes
With postseason play in full swing, a shootout is likely to play a factor in the result of a match if it's tied after 90 minutes of regulation and two 10-minute overtime periods.
Including Creighton's 6-5 shootout win over Butler in the opening round of the 2022 BIG EAST Tournament, the Bluejays own a 3-3 all-time record in conference tournament records, which includes a 3-1 mark away from home.
This season, Creighton has earned a pair of penalty kicks this season on fouls inside the 18-yard box with sophomore Anja Jestrovic converting both opportunities. She has delivered the game-winner in each of the Bluejays' 1-0 victories over Kansas City (Sept. 15) and Providence (Oct. 13) on penalty kick attempts.
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
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 113-37-14 overall record in conference play, including closing out his first year with the Bluejays with a 5-4-1 record in the BIG EAST play.
Walker's five 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 and are tied for the second-most in a single conference season in school 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
HeadCoach Record Year
Jimmy Walker 5-4-1 (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
Best BIG EAST Season EVER
Creighton closed out the regular season with a 5-4-1 record in BIG EAST play this season, the programs best mark in a single BIG EAST season since joining the league in 2013.
The Bluejays five league wins are most in a BIG EAST season in ever and are tied for the second-most in a single season in program history.
CU also recorded five wins during league play in the 2010 Missouri Valley Conference season.
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
2024 BIG EAST 5-3-1
2010 MVC 5-1-0
2022 BIG EAST 4-3-3
2020 BIG EAST 4-4-0
2016 BIG EAST 4-5-0
Some Loyal Fans
Creighton's average home crowd of 1,043 this season ranks as the highest average home attendance in a single season in program history.
In total the Bluejays have attracted 8,346 spectators into Morrison Stadium this season, a mark that trails only the 9,308 fans in attendance during 10 matches in 2019.
With Creighton hosting the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament on Sunday, Nov. 3, the Bluejays will need to have more than 654 total fans in attendance to average more than 1,000 fans per game for an entire season for the first time in program history.
The Bluejays currently rank tied for 31st nationally in average home attendance (1,043) and 44th in total home attendance (8,346).
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 8 8,346 1,043
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
Just Score More Than The Other Team
Creighton has outscored opponents 21-19 this season, including 12-9 advantage in the last eight matches, in which the Bluejays went 5-2-1.
This season, Creighton is ironically 5-1-1 when scoring at least two goals and is 8-2-1 when holding opponents to one goal or less this season.
In addition, Creighton is 5-2-1 when outshooting it opponents this fall but is 2-4-1 when being outshot by its opponents this year.
Stat Record
Creighton Scores 1 Goal 3-2-0
Creighton Scores 2 Goals 3-1-1
Creighton Scores 3+ Goals 2-0-0
Opponent Scores 1 Goal 4-2-0
Opponent Scores 2 Goals 0-3-1
Opponent Scores 3+ Goals 0-1-0
Creighton has more shots 5-2-1
Opponent has more shots 2-4-1
Shots are tied 1-0-0
Must be in the Fall Air
After notching just nine goals in the first eight matches of the season, the Jays broke free netting 12 goals since the changing of the seasons (Summer to Autumn).
Since opening BIG EAST play by being shutout by Georgetown and Villanova, as well as the season changing to Autumn, Creighton has won five of their last eight contests (5-2-1) while scoring 12 goals in the process.
Below is the number of goals scored each month by Creighton this season.
Month Goals Record
August 6 2-1-0
September 4 2-3-1
October 11 4-2-1
Home Sweet Home
Creighton owns a 118-62-29 (.634) all-time record at home since moving into Morrison Stadium prior to the 2003 season. This year the Bluejays are an impressive 5-1-2 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 draws over then #19 Saint Louis (0-0) and Butler (2-2).
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 118-62-29 overall record at home, the Bluejays also hold a 56-37-14 mark at Morrison Stadium since joining the BIG EAST in 2013 and a 20-30-6 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 5-1-2
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 7-2-1 this year when scoring first, but 1-4-0 when the opponent finds the net first. The Bluejays are also 0-0-1 in draws.
Additionally, CU is 4-1-1 when leading at the break, 1-2-0 when trailing at halftime and 3-3-1 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.
Creighton has had incredible success when netting the first goal of the match since joining the BIG EAST in 2013. In the first 12 years in the league, the Bluejays are 68-13-13 when finding the back of the net first, but a 19-80-8 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.
In 16 regular season matches this season, Creighton's racked up 240 fouls and a total of 29 yellow cards. The Bluejays enter the postseason currently leading the country in fouls per game with 15.00 and is tied for eighth nationally in yellow cards with 29.
Creighton's 29 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 15.00 (1st) 29 (T-8th)
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 277-23-13 all-time record when scoring two or more goals in a match, including a 5-1-1 record this season. On the flip side, the Bluejays are 47-252-52 when being held to fewer than two goals.
Additionally, the Bluejays are 70-8-4 when scoring two or more goals, but 15-85-24 when netting fewer than two goals since joining the BIG EAST in 2013.
Anna Bragg Named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week
Freshman Anna Bragg earned some well-deserved recognition on Monday, Oct. 28 as the Bluejay forward was named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week.
Bragg guided the Bluejays to a 1-0-1 record this past week, notching two points on a pair assists, including a helper on the game-winning goal in the Bluejays' 2-1 win at Seton Hall on Thursday, Oct. 24. The talented rookie then connected with sophomore Mallory Connealy in the 45th minute on Sunday against Butler after sparking a counterattack by stealing a ball from a Bulldog attacker in the midfield and sending a pass over the top to Connealy, who hammer home her first goal of the season to give Creighton the lead at the break, 1-0.
With assists in each of the Bluejays two contests this past week, Bragg becomes the second Bluejay freshman in the past two years to score at least one point in three consecutive matches. Overall, the Omaha native ranks fourth on the team with six points, with two goals and two assists all coming during BIG EAST play.
First-Timer
Bluejay sophomore Mallory Connealy recorded her first collegiate goal in the Bluejays 2-2 draw against Butler on Sunday, Oct. 27. The Omaha native receiving a pass over the top from freshman Anna Bragg from the midfield and found herself with a one-on-one opportunity with the Bulldogs goalkeeper, where she buried the ball in the back of the net to give Creighton a 1-0 lead at the break.
In 14 games this season, Connealy has scored one goal and dished out an assist while recording eight total shots in 553 minutes of action.
A Bluejay Goalkeeper Assist
Junior goalkeeper Alyssa Zalac recorded one of the rarest stats for a goalkeeper to record on Thursday, Oct. 24 against Seton Hall.
The Montreal, Canada native collected the first assist of her career when she delivered a free kick to Stella Downing, who finished off the play with a strike to net her third goal of the season.
Earning the first assist of her collegiate career, Zalac became the first Bluejay goalkeeper to record an assist since Katie Jo Swanson notched a similar style helper in a win over CSU Bakersfield on Oct. 16, 2010.
Gone Streaking
Creighton had won four consecutive BIG EAST matches from Oct. 6 to Oct. 24. The streak was tied for the second-longest winning streak in program history, trailing only a 5-match streak from Oct. 4 to Oct. 18 in 2002.
Creighton's four straight league wins were also tied for the program's longest winning streak in BIG EAST play since joining the league in 2013.
The only other time Creighton had won four consecutive contests in BIG EAST play was during the 2020 CoVID season, when the Jays won four consecutive matches from March 21 to April 4.
Most Consecutive Conference Wins, Creighton History
Wins Dates Snapped By
5 Oct. 4 - Oct. 18, 2002 Missouri State , T, 0-0
4 Oct. 6 - Oct. 27, 2024 vs. Butler, T, 2-2
4 March 21 - April 4, 2021 at Butler, 2-1
4 Sept. 26 - Oct. 14, 2010 at Missouri State, 2-1 (ot)
3 Oct. 9 - Oct. 14, 2005 at Drake, 3-0
Bluejay Defense is the Key
Finishing off the regular season with an 8-6-2 overall record, there was one pattern that had developed for the Bluejays over the course of the season. When Creighton's defense holds its opponents to one goal or less the Bluejays were 8-2-1 with five shutouts. If the defense allows two goals or more, Creighton went 0-4-1.
