Women's Soccer Continues Season Opening Road Trip at Iowa State on Sunday

Match #2: Creighton Bluejays (0-1-0) at Iowa State Cyclones (1-0-0)
Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024 • 6:00 p.m. CT • Ames, Iowa • Cyclone Sports Complex
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS | CU NOTES (PDF)

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Creighton (0-1-0) closes out the opening weekend of the 2024 season as the Bluejays travel to Ames, Iowa to take on Iowa State (1-0-0) on Sunday, Aug. 18 at 6 p.m.

Follow the Match

Thursday's match will be broadcasted live on ESPN+ with Caleb Polking and Evan Wessling on the call, while live stats will also be available through StatBoardcast at http://Creighton.StatBroadcast.com.

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 (0-1-0)

The Bluejays opened the 2024 season with a 2-1 set back to Minnesota on Thursday night in the Twin Cities.

Senior Azumi Manriki scored Creighton's first goal of the season with a banger from 25-yards out, while junior goalkeeper Alyssa Zalac collected a career-high six saves in the loss.

The 2024 Creighton women's soccer team entered its 12th year in the BIG EAST with new coaches, renewed energy and new aspirations.

Entering his first season with the Bluejays, head coach Jimmy Walker looks to rebuild a Creighton squad that finished the 2023 season with a 4-9-5 overall record.

With five returning starters boasting a wealth of experience, a small core is in place for Walker's leadership to guide the Bluejays back to the postseason.

The Bluejays bring back 15 letterwinners from a season ago, led by preseason All-BIG EAST selection Manriki, and fifth-year senior Lara Kazandjian.

Manriki, Creighton's only returning All-BIG EAST selection, is back to lead the offensive attack for the Bluejays this season after scoring a pair of goals and dishing out one assist a year ago, while Kazandjian closed out 2023 with a goal and an assist.

Other threats to look out for are sophomore Anja Jestrovic and fifth-year seniors Ariana Mondiri and Stella Downing. Jestrovic contributed a team-high tying three goals and two assists in eight games a season ago, while Mondiri and Downing are expected to make immediate impacts after having missed last season.

Defensively, fifth-year senior Maddie Radke and senior Alyssa Judkins will anchor the Bluejays backline, while a key area of emphasis in 2024 will be on the goalkeepers. With the departure of five-year starter Keelan Terrell, the Bluejays will look for someone to step up to fill the void.

Sophomore Maddie Merrick is the only goalkeeper on the team with playing experience at the collegiate level, having logged 270 minutes of action in 2023.

With the job still up for grabs, junior Kailey Hall, redshirt freshman Caroline Blum and Zalac will all continue to battle to earn the starting position.

Scouting Iowa State (1-0-0)

The Cyclones opened the fall with a 3-0 win over Western Illinois at home under the lights on Thursday night.

Junior Magdalena Keck got Iowa State going early and often, netting the first goal of the season in the eighth minute of play. Senior Yira Yoggerst got in on the scoring with a goal in the 11th minute, while senior Morgan Furmaniak touched the back of the net in the 51st minute of play.

Sophomore goalkeeper Avery Gillahan was not tested very often, collecting the clean sheet while recording one save in the season opener.

Iowa State returned 19 players, including five starters from last season's squad that finished 6-11-1 overall. The Cyclones also welcomed in seven newcomers, including five transfers and Seulgia Lee (28-years old), the oldest active player in Division I.

The Cyclones were picked to finish 15th in the Big 12 Preseason Coaches' Poll, despite finishing 11th a season ago.

Head Coach Matt Fannon is in his fifth season at the helm and owns a 18-38-10 overall record at Iowa State.

Series History Against The Cyclone

Creighton and Iowa State have battled 10 times previously, with the Bluejays trailing 1-7-2 in the all-time series.

Sunday will be just the third time in 11 meetings that the two teams will play in Ames, with Iowa State holding a 2-0-0 lead in those contests.

The last meeting between the two squads came during the 2022 season, when the teams battled to a scoreless draw in Omaha.

The Bluejays lone win in the series came back on Sept. 6, 2019, when Skylar Heinrich delivered the game-winning goal for Creighton in the 88th minute.

Last Time Out

Despite a strong first half and an early goal from senior Azumi Manriki, the Creighton women's soccer team suffered a 2-1 loss at Minnesota on Thursday night in the 2024 season opener.

Creighton blitzed out to an early 1-0 lead in the fifth minute of play as Manriki blasted a shot from 25-yard out into the top left corner of the net, off a failed clear by the Golden Gophers for the Bluejays first goal of the season.

Minnesota gained its offensive footing in the second half, leveling the match at 1-1 in the 66th minute on a goal by Caroline Birdsall.

Less than eight minutes later, the Golden Gophers took a 2-1 lead as Birdsall netted her second goal of the contest.

Minnesota closed the match with a 12-5 edge in shots and a 3-1 advantage in corner kicks to secure the victory.

Walker-Fannon Connection

Creighton head coach Jimmy Walker and Iowa State head coach Matt Fannon go way back, as the two good friends both hail from England.

In addition, Walker took over as the head coach at Bowling Green State in 2020 after Fannon's departure to become the head coach at Iowa State.

A'ZOOM'I Gets Bluejays Off To Quick Start

Senior Azumi Manriki kicked off the 2024 season with a bang, netting the first goal of the season just four minutes into the match against Minnesota on Thursday night.

The Hiroshima, Japan native gave the Bluejays a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute of play, blasting home a laser from 25-yards out off a failed clear by the Golden Gophers back line.

Manriki's fifth minute goal was the Bluejays first goal in the first half of a season-opener since Taryn Jakubowski converted a penalty kick in the 45th minute against Kansas State in the 2019 lid-lifter.

In addition, Manriki's goal on Thursday night was the fastest goal scored by a Bluejay to open a season since Kristina Schoeck scored 1:31 into a contest against Oklahoma on Aug. 31, 1996.

Scoring First Yields Success

Despite finishing the 2023 season with a 2-1-2 record and dropping the season opener to Minnesota after score scoring first, Creighton has had incredible success when netting a goal first since joining the BIG EAST in 2013.

Since the start of the 2013 season, the Bluejays own a 61-12-12 record when finding the back of the net first, but a 18-76-8 when their opponent scores first and 0-0-7 in scoreless draws.

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 272-22-12 all-time record when scoring two or more goals in a match. On the flip side, the Bluejays are 46-248-52 when being held to fewer than two goals.

Additionally, the Bluejays are 65-7-3 when scoring two or more goals, but 14-81-24 when netting fewer than two goals since joining the BIG EAST in 2013.

Bluejay History in First Road Match of Season

Creighton hit the road for the first time this season on Thursday, traveling to Minnesota to take on the Golden Gophers. Despite a fast start and a strong first half, the Bluejays suffered a 2-1 loss in the season opener.

The Bluejays have not had the greatest success in its first road match of the season, falling to a 14-19-2 mark all-time in road openers.

With the loss on Thursday, Creighton has not won its road opener since posting a 2-1 win at Kansas City in 2019 and has not won a season opener on the road since downing South Dakota State, 3-2, in 2014.

Jays Tough Slate

Ranked as one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country, Creighton will face two opponents ranked in the Top-15 of the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top-25 poll.

In addition, the Bluejays will battle three power 5 opponents, including Iowa State and Nebraska all on the road.

The Bluejays being the month of September with a trip down I-80 to battle #6 preseason ranked Nebraska on Sept. 1, before returning home on Sept. 6 to face United Soccer Coaches Preseason #12 and perennial Atlantic 10 powerhouse Saint Louis in the Jays annual Soccertoberfest match on Sept. 6.

Season-Opener History

Despite a strong showing in the season-opener against Minnesota on Aug. 15, Creighton dropped a 2-1 decision to the Golden Gophers, moving to 17-15-4 all-time in lid-lifters.

Additionally, Creighton is 5-5-2 in season-openers since joining the BIG EAST in 2013.

The Bluejays, however, have outscored foes by an average of 1.50 (54 Goals) to 1.36 (49 Goals) goals per game in the Jays' 36 season-openers.

Head coach Jimmy Walker is 8-8-1 all-time in season-openers, including a 3-5-1 mark at the Division I level.

Date School Opponent Result

9/10/97 Tiffin at Ashland L, 0-4

8/29/98 Tiffin Houghton College L, 0-8

9/2/99 Tiffin Trine W, 8-0

8/30/00 Tiffin Saginaw Valley W, 2-1 (ot)

8/28/01 Tiffin at Notre Dame College W, 8-0

9/7/02 Tiffin at Milligan L, 2-4

8/29/03 Duquesne vs. Howard W, 2-1

8/27/04 Duquesne at Bowling Green L, 3-7

8/28/05 Duquesne vs. Jacksonville W, 5-2

8/25/06 Duquesne at Vermont T, 1-1

8/30/18 Findlay Urbana W, 1-0

9/8/19 Findlay Northwood W, 2-1

3/4/21 BGSU at Akron W, 3-0

8/19/21 BGSU at Notre Dame L, 1-3

8/18/22 BGSU Michigan State L, 0-2

8/20/23 BGSU at #17 Michigan State L, 1-3

8/15/24 CU at Minnesota L, 1-2

Leading the Ship

Seniors Stella Downing, Alyssa Judkins, Maddie Radke and Abigail Santana were chosen by the players as captains for the 2024 season.

Santana was voted as a captain for the second straight season, while Downing, Judkins and Radke are each earning the honor for the first time in their Bluejay careers.

International Flavor

Creighton finds players from all over the globe to come to Omaha, Nebraska to play soccer and this year's roster features a more robust team with players from nine different countries.

Creighton head coach Jimmy Walker has gathered a group of 12 players from eight different international countries, while the remaining 18 players hail from the United States.

Canada: (4) Stella Downing, Lara Kazandjian, Tejia Murray-Powell, Alyssa Zalac

England: (2) Millie Thistleton, Tilly Thomas

France: (1) Ariana Mondiri

Germany: (1) Caroline Blum

Japan: (1) Azumi Manriki

Norway: (1) Andrine Westlie

Puerto Rico: (1) Jess Torres

Serbia: (1) Anja Jestrovic

United State: (18)

Production Returns

Creighton returns just five players who started nine or more matches from last fall's team that finished 4-9-5 and 2-7-1 in the BIG EAST Conference.

All told, CU returns 54.5 percent of its starts, 56.0 percent of its minutes, 80.0 percent of its goals, 56.3 percent of its assists, 73.2 percent of its points, 83.0 percent of its shots and 22.1 percent of its saves off of last year's squad.

Below is a breakdown of the production that is back:

Stat Returners Departures

Starts 108 (54.5%) 90 (45.5%)

Minutes 9,973 (56.0%) 7,847 (44.0%)

Goals 16 (80.0%) 4 (20.0%)

Assists 9 (56.3%) 7 (43.7%)

Points 41 (73.2%) 15 (26.8%)

Shots 176 (83.0%) 36 (17.0%)

Saves 18 (23.4%) 59 (76.6%)

Creighton Picked Seventh In BIG EAST Preseason Poll

The Bluejays were picked to finish seventh in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll, the league announced on Aug. 13.

earned 44 points in the preseason coaches' poll to place seventh overall. The Jays' went just 2-7-1 during BIG EAST play last season, but with five returning starters boasting a wealth of experience and 15 total returning letterwinners, first-year head coach Jimmy Walker has the tools to lead the Bluejay back to the postseason.

Defending BIG EAST regular-season and tournament champion Georgetown claimed the top spot with 100 points, including the maximum 10 first-place votes. UConn tallied one first-place vote and a total of 91 points to place second, while Xavier beating out Butler (70) by two points for third with 72 points. Providence (66) and St. John's (57) closed out the top six, while Seton Hall (43), Marquette (22), Villanova (22) and DePaul (19) rounded out the bottom half of the poll.

The top six teams in the final league standings will qualify for the 2024 BIG EAST Championship Presented by JEEP. The first-round matchups will be hosted by the higher seed on Nov. 3 (3 vs. 6 and 4 vs. 5), while the semifinals on Nov. 7 (1 vs. winner of 4/5 and 2 vs. winner of 3/6) and final match on Nov. 10 will be played in Boyds, Md.

Manriki Tabbed To Preseason All-BIG EAST Team

Senior midfielder Azumi Manriki earned individual recognition as the BIG EAST Preseason honors and poll were released on Thursday, Aug. 13.

Manriki, a Hiroshima, Japan native, was a Second Team All-BIG EAST selection last fall after pacing the Bluejays and ranking sixth in the BIG EAST with 46 total shots. She contributed two goals and dished out an assist while logging 1,570 minutes of action over 18 contests. Manriki is one of just five players returning to the squad this season after starting at least nine matches during the 2023 season.

Preseason BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year

Natalie Tavana, Seton Hall, Sr., F

Preseason BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year

Natalie Bain, Xavier, Jr., D

Preseason BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year

Kaitlyn Mahoney, UConn, Gr., GK

Preseason All-BIG EAST Team

Abigail Isger, Butler, Gr., F

Caitlin O'Malley, Butler, Gr., D

Talia Sommer, Butler, Jr., M/F

Azumi Manriki, Creighton, Sr., M

Natalie Means, Georgetown, Jr., F

Eliza Turner, Georgetown, Sr., M

Kayla Briggs, Providence, So., F

Natalie Tavana, Seton Hall, Sr., F

Lucy Cappadona, UConn, Gr., D

Kaitlyn Mahoney, UConn, Gr., GK

Chioma Okafor, UConn, Jr., F

Natalie Bain, Xavier, Jr., D

Maria Galley, Xavier, Jr., GK

Season Outlook

Creighton heads into the 2024 season with a new coaching staff and 13 players who have yet to appear in a Bluejay uniform, but aspirations of a return trip to the postseason still remains as the program's biggest goal.

New head coach Jimmy Walker, who led Bowling Green State to two NCAA Tournament appearances in four years, was hired in late November after the departure of former Bluejay great Ross Paule. Walker comes to Creighton with a lofty résumé which includes nearly three decades worth of coaching experiences.

With five returning starters boasting a wealth of experience, a small core is in place for Walker's leadership to guide the Bluejays back to the postseason.

The Bluejays bring back 15 letterwinners from a season ago, led by All-BIG EAST Second Team selection Azumi Manriki, and by graduate student and co-captain, Abigail Santana.

Midfielders/Forwards

Returning the nucleus of an offense that scored 20 goals a season ago will pay dividends as the Bluejays are equipped to make another postseason appearance.

Manriki, Creighton's only returning All-BIG EAST selection, is back to lead the offensive attack for the Bluejays this season after scoring a pair of goals and dishing out one assist a year ago, while Santana is expected to by a key contributor along the front line after leading the team with three goals and four assists in 2023.

Other threats to look out for are senior Lara Kazandjian and sophomore Anja Jestrovic. Kazandjian, a 2022 All-BIG EAST selection, closed out 2023 with a goal and an assist, while Jestrovic contributed a team-high tying three goals and two assists in eight games.

Fellow seniors Ariana Mondiri and Stella Downing are also expected to make immediate impacts to the Creighton attack with their return to the pitch after having missed last season.

Other threats to play along the Bluejays front line include transfers Marissa LeVine (UC Irvine), Ella Luna (Ole Miss), Kelis Brown (Oklahoma) and Mallory Connealy (Xavier).

Defense

Defensively the Bluejays have a large hole to fill after the departure of All-BIG EAST honoree Peighton Steffen, 2023 graduate Gabby Grimaldi and freshman Maia Sirota.

Although Steffen, Grimaldi and Sirota have departed, Walker has added depth to the Bluejays backline with the addition of Ella Offer (Xavier), Reese Carpenter (Xavier) and freshman Samantha Lee.

In addition, Creighton will look to graduate student Maddie Radke to play a more significant role along the Bluejays back line this fall. A traditional defender, Radke only saw action in 13 games before suffering a season-ending foot injury last season.

Goalkeepers

Another key area of emphasis in 2024 will be on the goalkeepers. With the departure of five-year starter Keelan Terrell, the Bluejays will look for someone to step up to fill the void.

Sophomore Maddie Merrick is the only goalkeeper on the team with playing experience at the collegiate level, having logged 270 minutes of action in 2023.

With the job still up for grabs, junior Kailey Hall, redshirt freshman Caroline Blum and Louisville transfer Alyssa Zalac will all continue to battle to earn the starting position.

Women's Soccer Continues Season Opening Road Trip at Iowa State on Sunday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Caroline Blum

Kelis Brown

Reese Carpenter

Mallory Connealy

Stella Downing

Gabby Grimaldi

Kailey Hall

Anja Jestrovic

Alyssa Judkins

Lara Kazandjian

Samantha Lee

Marissa LeVine

Ella Luna

Azumi Manriki

Maddie Merrick

Ariana Mondiri

Tejia Murray-Powell

Ella Offer

Maddie Radke

Abigail Santana

Maia Sirota

Peighton Steffen

Keelan Terrell

Millie Thistleton

Tilly Thomas

Jess Torres

Andrine Westlie

Alyssa Zalac

Women's Soccer Continues Season Opening Road Trip at Iowa State on Sunday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Caroline Blum

Kelis Brown

Reese Carpenter

Mallory Connealy

Stella Downing

Gabby Grimaldi

Kailey Hall

Anja Jestrovic

Alyssa Judkins

Lara Kazandjian

Samantha Lee

Marissa LeVine

Ella Luna

Azumi Manriki

Maddie Merrick

Ariana Mondiri

Tejia Murray-Powell

Ella Offer

Maddie Radke

Abigail Santana

Maia Sirota

Peighton Steffen

Keelan Terrell

Millie Thistleton

Tilly Thomas

Jess Torres

Andrine Westlie

Alyssa Zalac

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