Creighton University
Georgetown
Women’s Soccer Opens BIG EAST Play in Nation’s Capital Against Georgetown on Sunday
9/19/2024 10:34:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024 • 11:00 a.m. CT • Washington, D.C. • Shaw Field
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS | CU NOTES (PDF)
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Creighton (3-2-1, 0-0-0 BE) opens its 12th season in the BIG EAST Conference with a trip to the nation's capital to battle Georgetown (4-1-3), the BIG EAST Preseason favorites, on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 11 a.m. CT at Shaw Field in Washington, D.C.
Follow the Match
Sunday's match will feature both live video and live stats. Fans can watch all the action on FloSports with Monika Moore and Christian Taylor on the call, while live stats will be featured through Sidearm Stats.
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 (3-2-1)
Creighton is off to a 3-2-1 start this season after battling one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country, which featured three power-five conference opponents and a top-25 ranked team.
The Bluejays own a 2-1 win over Iowa State as well as a pair of shutout victories over Western Michigan and previously unbeaten Kansas City, while also earning a scoreless draw against then-No. 19 Saint Louis.
Offensively, Creighton led by senior Azumi Manriki with six points on three goals, while fellow classmate Ariana Mondiri follows closely behind with a pair of scores.
Anja Jestrovic, Tilly Thomas, Marissa LeVine and Kelis Brown have each added in a goal of their own, while fifth-year senior Lara Kazandjian paces the team with a pair of assists.
Junior Alyssa Zalac has been solid in goal for the Bluejays this season, recording a trio of shutouts and 21 saves while spending all 540 minutes in net. Last week Zalac earned a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll after collecting her second consecutive shutout and limiting Kansas City to a season-low one shot on goal.
The Bluejays bring back 15 letterwinners, including five returning starters who boast a wealth of experience from a season ago. Fifth-year seniors Lara Kazandjian and Stella Downing are expected to make significant impacts in the Bluejays offense this season, while seniors Maddie Radke and Alyssa Judkins anchor the Bluejays back line defensively.
Head coach Jimmy Walker is in his first season at the helm of the Bluejays and owns a 179-97-27 career record.
Scouting Georgetown (4-1-3)
Defensively sound, Georgetown is off to a 4-1-3 start this fall with shutout wins over Quinnipiac (5-0), Sacred Heart (2-0), Lafayette (6-0) and are coming off an impressive 1-0 win over Princeton.
The Hoyas lone loss this season came to the hands of Pepperdine on Sept. 5 but have since rebounds posting a pair of draws against nationally ranked Penn State and South Carolina.
Offensively, Georgetown has five women with at least two goals this season. Senior Maja Lardner leads the Hoyas and ranks fourth in the BIG EAST with 11 points on four goals and three assists.
Senior Eliza Turner has contributed three goals of her own, while juniors Esme Brayshaw and Shay Montgomery have each scored two goals and dished out an assist with freshman Jocelyn Lohmeyer adding in a pair of goals.
Graduate transfer Anna Karpenko has split time in goal with junior Cara Martin this season. Overall, the duo has allowed just four goals all season, recording a 0.50 goals against average with a total of 19 saves.
Martin has allowed just one goal this season and paces the BIG EAST with a 0.24 goals against average in 373 minutes of action, while Karpenko ranks fourth with a 0.82 goals against average and 12 saves in 328 minutes in goal.
Georgetown was picked to win the league for the ninth straight year as head coach Dave Nolan enters his 21st season at the helm of the Hoyas.
Series History Against The Hoyas
Creighton and Georgetown will meet for the 13th time in program history and the first time as both unranked opponents since 2015 on Sunday, Sept. 22 as the Bluejays travel to the nation's capital to open BIG EAST play.
The Hoyas have earned the better of the matchup, claiming victories in nine of the contests, while the other three battles ended in draws.
Last season, Georgetown defeated Creighton, 1-0 inside Morrison stadium, in a match in which the Bluejays outplayed the Hoyas for 80 minutes.
Georgetown holds a 3-0-2 advantage in matches played in Washington, D.C., but the Bluejays' level of competition with the BIG EAST's best team has been strong over the course of the series.
Creighton in BIG EAST Openers
Entering its 12th season in the BIG EAST, the Bluejays are 3-7-1 in BIG EAST openers. Sunday's match at Georgetown marks just the fifth time in 12 seasons that Creighton will begin BIG EAST play on the road.
Head coach Jimmy Walker has had incredible success in conference openers, logging an 11-1-3 overall record in league lid-lifters. With a win on Sunday, Walker will become the first Bluejay head coach to win his conference opener since Bruce Erickson captured a 6-0 victory over Arkansas-Little Rock in 1999.
Creighton BIG EAST History
Year Opener (Result) Final Record (Place)
2013 Marquette (L, 1-2) 2-6-1 (9th)
2014 at Marquette (L, 2-7) 2-5-2 (8th)
2015 at Marquette (L, 1-5) 2-7-0 (8th)
2016 Marquette (W 2OT, 3-2) 4-5-0 (7th)
2017 at Xavier (L, 1-2) 2-5-2 (8th)
2018 Xavier (W, 1-0) 3-5-1 (7th)
2019 DePaul (W, 2-0) 2-4-3 (8th)
2020 Xavier (L, 0-1) 4-4-0 (3rd MW)
2021 #25 Georgetown (T, 1-1) 1-8-1 (9th)
2022 Connecticut (L, 1-2) 4-3-3 (T-4th)
2023 at Connecticut (L, 0-2) 2-7-1 (10th)
League Opener History
Creighton owns a 13-11-3 record all-time in conference openers, including a 3-7-1 mark since joining the BIG EAST in 2013.
The Bluejays are just 2-7-1 when opening conference play on the road but own an 11-4-2 record when opening conference play at home, including a 7-3-3 mark since moving into Morrison Stadium.
In league road openers, Creighton is 8-16-2 overall, but 0-10-1 in the BIG EAST. In conference home openers, Creighton is 15-9-3 overall and 3-7-1 since entering the BIG EAST in 2013.
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. During the Bluejays' 11 seasons in the BIG EAST, Creighton has a combined road record of 11-31-9 in
conference play. 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
First Official RPI Rankings Released
The first official RPI Rankings were released by the NCAA on Monday.
The Bluejays are listed at No. 43 in the initial release. Creighton is one of five BIG EAST teams listed inside the top 50.
BIG EAST in the RPI (Sept. 16 edition)
25. Georgetown
29. Xavier
40. UConn
43. Creighton
50. Butler
115. St. John's
171. Villanova
181. Providence
190. Marquette
192. DePaul
201. Seton Hall
Judkins Earns BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week
Creighton senior defender Alyssa Judkins collected BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week honors, as announced by the league office on Monday, Sept. 16.
Judkins secured her first BIG EAST weekly honor of her Bluejay career, while earning the Bluejays first BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week award since Hannah Luke snagged the honor on Sept. 5, 2022.
The Omaha native guided the Bluejays back line to an impressive showing this weekend, helping post a 1-0 shutout win over previously unbeaten Kansas City. The senior co-captain, played all 90 minutes in the match, limiting the Roos' offense to just one shot on goal.
Zalac Named to BE Weekly Honor Roll
Junior goalkeeper Alyssa Zalac earned a spot on the BIG EAST Honor Roll for the second time this fall after recording her second consecutive shutout and her third clean sheet of the season, collecting one save in the Bluejays victory over Kansas City on Sunday.
The Montreal, Canada native is the first Bluejay goalkeeper to record back-to-back shutouts since Keelan Terrell posted a pair of clean sheets over Marquette and Providence in 2022.
Logging Major Minutes and Shutouts
After not appearing in a single game in her first three years of collegiate soccer, junior goalkeeper Alyssa Zalac is making quite the impression on coaches and players in her first season with the Bluejays.
The Montreal, Canada native leads the team with 540 minutes played, having spent every minute of the six matches this season in between the posts.
Zalac has recorded three clean sheets this season, including shutouts in each of the last two contests. She is just the fifth Bluejay goalkeeper since joining the BIG EAST in 2013 to record back-to-back shutouts.
Name Cons. Shutouts Year
Alyssa Zalac 2 (9/6-15) 2024
Keelan Terrell 2 (9/29-10/2 2022
Keelan Terrell 5 (8/29-9/12) 2021
McKenzie Meola 2 (10/6-9) 2016
Erin Scott 2 (8/30-9/4) 2015
Erin Scott 3 (9/13-20) 2015
Danielle Rice 3 (8/24-9/5) 2014
Danielle Rice 2 (9/10-13) 2013
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.
Creighton 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
Bluejays Rank Among Top in Attendance
Despire Creighton only playing three games at home this season, the Bluejays currently rank eighth nationally in average home attendance (1,765) and 24th in total home attendance (5,296).
The Bluejay faithful has shown up in a big way this season, with Creighton hosting 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 average attendance leaders during the 2024 season (as of Sept. 10).
Rk. Team Games Total Avg
1. South Carolina 4 21,103 5,276
2. BYU 4 13,822 3,456
3. Texas A&M 4 10,345 2,586
4. North Carolina 6 15,187 2,531
5. Saint Louis 3 6,265 2,088
6. Michigan State 6 12,105 2,018
7. Arkansas 5 9,721 1,944
8. Creighton 3 5,296 1,765
9. Stanford 3 5,145 1,715
10. Nebraska 4 6,417 1,604
Largest Crowds in Bluejay History
Hosting the Bluejays 10th annual Socctoberfest celebration, Creighton drew a crowd of 3,670, which was the largest single-game attendance in program history on Sept. 6.
It also marked the seventh highest attended game at the time this fall across all Division I Women's Soccer.
Three of the top-11 largest crowds have been during Socctoberfest matches. The 2016 Socctoberfest match against South Dakota was the largest attended Socctoberfest match before last the Jays attracted 3,670 fans last Friday night.
In addition, eight of the top-12 largest crowds have come since the Bluejays made the move to the BIG EAST in 2013, including opening last season with the third largest crowd in program history (1,834, vs. Nebraska)
During the 2023 season, Creighton ranked second in the BIG EAST and 69th nationally in average home attendance with an average of 719 fans per home match.
Top-12 Creighton Women's Soccer Home Crowds
*1. 3,670 vs. #19 Saint Louis, Sept. 6, 2024 (T, 0-0)
2. 2,308 vs. Nebraska-Omaha, Sept. 16. 2017 (W, 3-1)
3. 2,023 vs. Kansas State, Aug. 23, 2019 (W, 3-2)
4. 1,834 vs. Nebraska, Aug. 17, 2023 (T, 2-2)
5. 1,678 vs. Nebraska-Omaha, Sept. 20, 2013 (W, 3-2)
6. 1,547 vs. Iowa, Sept. 21, 2007 (L, 0-1)
*7. 1,444 vs. South Dakota, Sept. 9, 2016 (W, 2-1)
8. 1,413 vs. South Dakota State, Sept. 15, 2023 (W, 1-0)
9. 1,289 vs. Northern Iowa, Sept. 23, 2011 (W, 1-0)
10. 1,277 vs. Arizona State, Sept. 18, 2009 (L, 1-2)
11. 1,251 vs. Kansas, Sept. 29, 2006 (W, 1-0)
*12. 1,248 vs. South Dakota, Sept. 7, 2018 (W, 2-1 OT)
* - Socctoberfest Matches
Bluejays All-Time vs. Top 25 Competition
Battling #19 Saint Louis to a scoreless draw on Friday, Sept. 6, Creighton posted its first result over a non-conference top-25 opponents since 1994, when the Bluejays recorded a 1-0 win over #12 Wisconsin for its lone top-25 victory.
Including setbacks to #17 Georgetown (1-0) and #20 Xavier (1-0) last season and the scoreless draw against #19 Saint Louis on Sept. 6, the Bluejays have faced a ranked opposition 27 times and hold a 1-21-5 overall record. Head coach Jimmy Walker also moved to 0-5-3 all-time against ranked opponents at the Division I level, with seven matches taking place while at Bowling Green State.
Date Opponent Result
10/27/90 at #20 Central Florida T, 1-1 (ot)
9/28/91 #1 North Carolina L, 1-9
10/2/92 #1 North Carolina L, 0-4
9/3/94 #12 Wisconsin W, 1-0
10/30/94 #7 at Cincinnati L, 4-5 (ot)
11/15/02 % at #6 Santa Clara L, 1-5
11/12/04 % at #8 Kansas L, 1-3
8/26/05 #25 Wisconsin L, 0-2
11/16/07 % vs. #9 USC L, 0-3
9/2/11 #5 Oklahoma State L, 0-1
8/26/12 at #4 Oklahoma State L, 1-4
10/20/13 * at #15 Georgetown L, 0-4
10/11/14 * at #13 DePaul L, 0-2
10/19/14 * #25 Georgetown L, 0-1
10/28/16 * #10 Georgetown L, 0-3
10/5/17 * at #12 Georgetown T, 1-1 (2ot)
10/19/17 * #22 Butler L, 0-3
9/14/18 #20 Oklahoma State L, 0-2
10/4/18 * #5 Georgetown L, 1-7
10/13/19 * at #10 Georgetown T, 2-2 (2ot)
4/16/21 & vs. #10 Georgetown L, 1-2 (ot)
9/23/21 * #25 Georgetown T, 1-1 (2ot)
9/25/22 * at #23 Georgetown L, 0-4
11/3/22 & vs. 18 Georgetown L, 0-1
9/24/23 * #17 Georgetown L, 0-1
10/22/23 * #20 Xavier L, 0-1
9/6/24 #19 Saint Louis T, 0-0
* BIG EAST regular-season match
& BIG EAST Tournament match
% NCAA Tournament
Home matches in bold
Home Sweet Home
Creighton is 2-0-1 this season in home matches, including a 3-0 win over Western Michigan, a scoreless draw against #19 Saint Louis and a 1-0 shutout win over Kansas City. With this season's results Creighton now owns a 115-61-28 (.632) all-time record at Morrison Stadium.
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 115-61-28 overall record at home, the Bluejays also hold a 53-36-13 mark at Morrison Stadium since joining the BIG EAST in 2013 and a 17-29-5 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
Azumi Scoring at a Fast Pace
Senior Azumi Manriki has been nothing short of fantastic through the first four matches of the season. The Hiroshima, Japan native paces the Bluejays with three goals this season, scoring in each of the Jays first three matches.
Manriki became the first Bluejay since Toch Ihemelu in 2006 to score in each of the first three matches of a season.
In Manriki's three seasons with the Bluejays, she has scored seven goals, including a pair of game-winners against Villanova (10/9/22) and Iowa State (8/18/24).
Scoring First Yields Success
Through six non-conference matches this season, Creighton is 2-1-0 when scoring first, but also 1-1-0 when the opponent scores first. They Bluejays are also 0-0-1 in draws. Additionally, CU is 1-1-0 when leading at the break, 1-1-0 when trailing at halftime and 1-0-1 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 63-12-12 record when finding the back of the net first, but a 19-77-8 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 the first six matches this season, Creighton has racked up 113 fouls and a total of 16 yellow cards. The Bluejays 18.83 fouls per game currently leads the country, while the 16 yellow cards are also tied for the most nationally.
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 Fouls Per Game National Rank
2024 19.83 1st
2023 11.28 33rd
2022 9.85 118th
2021 9.17 169th
2020 10.70 48th
2019 11.56 39th
2018 8.94 171st
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 274-23-12 all-time record when scoring two or more goals in a match, including a 2-1-0 record this season. On the flip side, the Bluejays are 46-248-52 when being held to fewer than two goals.
Additionally, the Bluejays are 67-8-3 when scoring two or more goals, but 14-81-24 when netting fewer than two goals since joining the BIG EAST in 2013.
Battled Tested Bluejays
Ranked as one of the toughest schedules in the country, Creighton has had its work cut out for them this season as they have faced a grueling slate.
CU opened the season with a pair of matches against Power 5 opponents in Minnesota and Iowa State, before battling Western Michigan, Nebraska, then No. 19 Saint Louis and Kansas City in the recent weeks. Combined, the six opponents Creighton has played this season are 23-8-11 against opponents that are not Creighton.
With a 3-2-1 record this season, Creighton still has a tough road to navigate as their future opponents have a combined record of 40-27-15 through five weeks of play.
Team (RPI Rank, 9/16) W-L-T (9/13) CU's Result
Minnesota (27) 7-0-1 L, 1-2
Iowa State (214) 3-4-2 W, 2-1
Western Michigan (117) 3-1-3 W, 3-0
Nebraska (67) 3-4-0 L, 2-5
Saint Louis (47) 4-1-3 T, 0-0
Kansas City (126) 5-1-3 W, 1-0
Georgetown (25) 4-1-3 -
Villanova (171) 3-4-1 -
Marquette (190) 2-5-2 -
Xavier (29) 7-1-1 -
UConn (40) 6-1-1 -
Providence (181) 3-3-1 -
DePaul (192) 2-4-2 -
Seton Hall (201) 3-5-1 -
Butler (50) 5-2-1 -
St. John's (115) 5-1-2 -
