Weekly roundup of women’s college soccer news you might have missed. Includes the past week’s crucial games, injury reports, news of note, upcoming games to watch, and general observations about the world of women’s college soccer.
So That Happened
Results of note from key games.
Kentucky 1 – 0 Washington
One of a few top 20 clashes on opening weekend, Kentucky versus Washington didn’t really open up until the final 15 minutes. The Wildcats earned a win that should be a buffer to their loss to San Diego State on Sunday, while the Huskies have some kinks to work out going forward.
Long Beach State 1 – 0 UCLA
UCLA stumbled out of the gates to start the season, posting its first regular season loss since 2013. The Bruins graduated a huge senior class last season, and will probably need some time to gel with new faces in new places.
West Virginia 1 – 2 Virginia Tech
The Hokies had a relatively disappointing end to the 2014 season, losing five straight games to ranked opponents. However, that streak won’t carry over into this season, as they notched a big win against West Virginia on Sunday.
William & Mary 3 – 0 Georgetown
One of the biggest upsets of opening weekend was the Tribe of William & Mary taking down then No. 25 Georgetown. They’ll have a chance to solidify a reputation as this season’s giant killers as they take on Duke this weekend.
Injury Report
Reported injuries from schools.
Hannah Wilkinson, Tennessee
Just before opening weekend senior forward Hannah Wilkinson tore her ACL and will miss the entire 2015 season. Wilkinson missed significant time last season due to injury, and had earned another year of eligibility from the NCAA.
Upcoming Games to Watch and Results
Penn State 0 vs. Duke 0
Penn State wasn’t really troubled with its two opening games, and will face its first real challenge of the season in Duke. The Blue Devils won both of their opening weekend games in blowout fashion, and the young team will want to notch a win against a big time contender.
Stanford vs. Boston College
The Cardinal only got one game in to open the season, a come-from-behind win against Hawai’i after trailing at the half. The Eagles won the Boston derby to open the year, and then defeated a relatively tame Colgate side. Both teams will be looking to make a statement with a win this Friday.
Florida vs. Florida State
The Gators will be looking to rebound after falling on the road to Ohio State, and a win against in state rival Florida State would go a long way to soothing the wound. Meanwhile the Seminoles are coming off a perfect opening weekend, complete with a win against USC.
UCLA vs. Wisconsin
UCLA barely rebounded from its opening day loss to Long Beach State, needing extra time to defeat San Diego. The Bruins don’t have much time to catch their breath, as a (potentially) undefeated Wisconsin side looms large for Sunday.
You Might Have Missed
Keeper Goals
Heading into the 2015 season there’s a lot of hype surrounding Texas senior Abby Smith. The Longhorn keeper is expected to be one of the top keepers in the upcoming NWSL draft, and she showed she can do more than just make saves this past weekend. Smith scored the game-winning goal against the Miami Hurricanes on Sunday. The goal, which you can see here, is actually the third of her career.
Rivalry Weekend
The previously mentioned Florida versus Florida State game is attracting the most attention, and with good reason. However, there are several other rivalry games this weekend that could have major impacts on teams’ tournament aspirations. Oklahoma State faces Oklahoma as the Cowboys try to recover from last season’s debacles, South Carolina faces Clemson in a game that could define Clemson’s season, and finally, North Dakota State takes on the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, who are looking to play spoiler in this year’s tournament.
Notre Dame Invitational
While not highlighted in the games to watch, this weekend’s Notre Dame Invitational in South Bend is absolutely worth mentioning. The Irish will face Santa Clara and Portland. Both the Broncos and the Pilots will be looking to improve after a less-than-inspiring opening weekend, while the hosts will want to maintain their perfect record. All the games will be streamed online for free.
Coach Pensky 100th Win
Despite the loss of Hannah Wilkinson for the season the Volunteers still had reason to celebrate in Knoxville during opening weekend. With the Volunteers’ 2-0 win against Georgia Southern this season, head coach Brian Pensky earned his 100th collegiate win. Congrats to Coach Pensky and the staff at Tennessee!
[divider]Contributors[/divider]
Rachael Caldwell will be graduating from the University of Arkansas in 2015 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and minors in Spanish and Business Management. Rachael played soccer from when she was three until her senior year of high school, where she was the captain of her state championship winning team. Rachael looks forward to writing more for Our Game Magazine and also writes about women’s soccer on her blog, rachaelfc.wordpress.com.
JJ Duke graduated from Rider University in New Jersey with a degree in Digital Media Studies. Although his playing days may have ended back in high school, he still prides himself on being a decent shot-stopper and an all-around fanatic of the beautiful game (fervent supporter of Manchester United and the founder of a Rider supporters group, the 206 Ultras).
Ruth Moore serves Our Game Magazine as a College Editor and the magazine’s Design Editor. She holds a degree in Professional Writing from Kutztown University, freelances in communication design, and loves coffee.