Creighton University
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Western Michigan
Women’s Soccer Closes August With Road Trips to Western Michigan and #3 Duke
8/27/2025 10:02:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Game #4: Creighton Bluejays (1-2-0) at Western Michigan Broncos (0-2-0)
Thursday, August 28, 2025 • 3 p.m. • Kalamazoo, Mich. • WMU Soccer Complex
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS | CU NOTES (PDF)
Game #5: Creighton Bluejays (1-2-0) at #3 Duke Blue Devils (2-0-0)
Sunday, August 31, 2025 • 4 p.m. CT • Durham, N.C. • Koskinen Stadium
LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS | CU NOTES (PDF)
Up Next
Creighton (1-2-0) returns to the road, closing out the month of August with a pair of road matches at Western Michigan and No. 3 Duke.
The Bluejays kick off the week against Western Michigan (0-2-0) on Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m. CT in Kalamazoo, Mich., before traveling to Durham, N.C. to take on No. 3 Duke (2-0-0) on Sunday at 4 p.m. CT.
Follow the Match
Thursday's match against Western Michigan will be broadcasted live on the WMU YouTube channel, while live stats will be available through StatBroadcast at http://Creighton.StatBroadcast.com.
Sunday's match at Duke will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra with Dean Linke on the call, while live stats will be made available through Sidearm Stats.
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 (1-2-0)
The Bluejays are off to a 1-2-0 start this season, with its lone win coming on the road at Kansas City (2-1, Aug. 17). CU, however, is looking to rebound from their home-opening loss to Iowa State last week.
Brynn Gardner, Ariana Mondiri and Ella Luna lead the way offensively with one goal apiece, while Mallory Connealy and Tori Gillis have been focal pieces in the Bluejays frontline attack early on this season.
Senior goalkeeper Alyssa Zalac has been solid in goal, collecting 11 saves on 27 shots faced in 270 minutes in net.
Coming off the program's most successful season in over a decade, the expectations are higher than ever as the 2025 Creighton Bluejays enter the second season under head coach Jimmy Walker.
The Bluejays return eight players who started at least four matches, including co-captions Ella Offer and Savanna Solomon, from last season's 8-7-2 squad that finished fourth in the BIG EAST and hosted a postseason match for the first time since joining the league in 2013.
It is with that foundation set and 13 letterwinners returning, that the 2025 version of Creighton women's soccer aims to become the first to reach the NCAA postseason since 2010.
Creighton was picked to finish fifth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' poll as Jimmy Walker is in his 18th season with a 185-104-28 career record.
Scouting Western Michigan (0-2-0)
Western Michigan is 0-2-0 after two weeks of play against a grueling schedule that featured road matches at No. 2 Notre Dame (L, 2-1) and No. 7 Iowa (L, 0-2).
Senior Abby Werthman recorded the Broncos lone goal of the season in the opener against Notre Dame and has proven to be one of the best Broncos in program history over the course of her career, recording 18 goals and 14 assists.
One of the biggest questions for WMU this season was who would man the net for the Broncos after the departure of Lauren Boafo. Freshman Reagan Sulaver has displayed a strong presence in goal thus far, owning a 2.00 goals against average with 13 total saves.
Western Michigan returns 16 players, including six starters from last year's team that finished 13-2-6 and won its second consecutive MAC championship. The Broncos also welcomed in 13 newcomers, including 10 true freshmen.
WMU was picked to win the Mid-American Conference for the second straight season, while head coach Lewis Robinson enters his fourth season with an 30-17-14 overall record at Western Michigan.
Series History Against the Broncos
Creighton and Western Michigan have met three times previously with CU holding a 2-0-1 advantage in the all-time series.
All three of the previous meetings have taken place in Omaha with the Jays holding the Broncos scoreless throughout all 290 minutes of action.
The first even meeting between the two schools in 2003, just happened to be the Bluejays first ever game played inside the newly constructed Morrison Stadium.
Last season, Creighton claimed a 3-0 victory behind goals from Ariana Mondiri, Marissa LeVine and Azumi Manriki.
Head coach Jimmy Walker is 2-0-2 against Western Michigan as a head coach, including a 1-0-0 mark at Creighton and a 1-0-2 mark while serving as head coach at Bowling Green State.
Scouting #3 Duke (2-0-0)
A 2024 College Cup semifinalist, Duke is ranked third nationally after starting the season 2-0-0. The Blue Devils own wins over No. 11 Penn State (3-2) and Northwestern (3-0) but have another tough test on Thursday as they travel to take on No. 8 Arkansas.
Junior's Mia Minestrella and Kat Rader lead the Blue Devils potent offense with two goals and two assists each, while freshman Avery Oder has made an immediate impact with two goals of her own.
Junior Mia Oliaro has directed the Duke offense early on with a pair of assists with senior Devin Travers and freshman Jocelyn Bodensteiner dishing out one assist.
Sophomore goalkeeper Caroline Dysart is one of the nation's top goalkeepers, owning a 0.00 goals against average with two saves in 135 minutes in goal this season.
Duke returns seven starters from a season ago, including three of its top four scorers. The Blue Devils, meanwhile, brought in the No. 3 ranked recruiting class in the country as they look to return to the College Cup for the sixth time in program history.
Duke was picked to finish fourth in the ACC Preseason Coaches' Poll, with head coach Kieran Hall entering his first season at the helm of the Blue Devils.
Series History Against The Blue Devils
Creighton and Duke have never met on the soccer pitch.
Jimmy Walker has never coached against Duke and/or Kieran Hall.
Walker's MAC Reunion
Head coach Jimmy Walker has plenty of experience coaching against teams from the Mid-American Conference.
Coming from MAC powerhouse Bowling Green, Walker posted an incredible 26-6-6 overall record during four seasons of conference play, claiming a pair of MAC regular season and tournament championships.
Western Michigan was Bowling Green's rival during Walker's time with the Falcons. In 2023, WMU and BGSU battled to a scoreless draw in the regular season, but the Broncos earned the regular season title with a 8-0-3 league record.
Creighton has had its own success against the MAC, currently owning a 10-4-2 all-time record against current members of the Mid-American Conference.
CU Record Against MAC Opponents
Team Overall Record
Akron 1-0-0
Ball State Have not played
Bowling Green Have not played
Buffalo 0-1-0
Central Michigan 1-0-0
Eastern Michigan 1-1-0
Kent State Have not played
Massachusetts Have not played
Miami (OH) Have not played
Northern Illinois 5-2-1
Ohio 1-0-0
Toledo Have not played
Western Michigan 2-0-1
Bluejays All-Time vs. Top 25 Competition
Facing off against No. 3 Duke on Sunday, Creighton will be seeking its first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 12 Wisconsin, 1-0, back on Sept. 3, 1994.
Including a scoreless draw with No. 19 Saint Louis last season, the Bluejays have faced 27 ranked opponents and hold a 1-21-5 overall record.
Head coach Jimmy Walker is 0-5-3 all-time against ranked opponents at the Division I level, with seven of the eight 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
Creighton vs. Top-10 Opponents
Creighton is 0-11-1 all-time when playing against United Soccer Coaches Top-10 ranked opponents. The Jays have struggled against top ranked team, being outscored 44-12 in the 12 matches.
CU's lone result against a top-10 team came in 2019 when the Bluejays battled #10 Georgetown to a 2-2 draw in the nation's capital.
Some Loyal Fans
Since Jimmy Walker took over prior to the 2024 season, Creighton has seen its attendance numbers climb to new heights.
In the Bluejays home-opener on Aug. 21, CU hosted 2,006 fans, recording the fourth largest home crowd in program history.
Despite only playing one home match this season, the Bluejays currently rank 11th nationally in average home attendance (2,006) and 36th in total home attendance (2,006).
Last fall, Creighton averaged 1,024 fans per match, it's highest average home attendance in a single season in program history.
The Bluejays attracted 9,218 spectators into Morrison Stadium in 2024, a mark that ranked second most in school history and trailed only the 9,308 fans in attendance during 10 matches in 2019.
The Bluejays finished the season rank 36th nationally in average home attendance (1,024) and 43rd in total home attendance (9,218).
The Bluejay faithful showed up in a big way as Creighton hosted a program record crowd of 3,670 for its 10th annual Socctoberfest match against #19 Saint Louis on Sept. 6, 2024.
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 9 9,218 1,024
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
- 2025 1 2,006 2,006
Packed House
Creighton hosted the fourth largest crowd in program history on Thursday, Aug. 21, when Iowa State traveled across I-80 for the Bluejays 2025 home-opener. The crowd of 2,006 saw the Bluejays battle for 90 minutes, before falling 1-0 to the Cyclones.
Last Thursday's crowd was the largest crowd to witness a Creighton women's soccer match since a program record 3,670 fans saw the Bluejays battle #19 Saint Louis to a scoreless draw in CU's 10th annual Socctoberfest match last season.
Top 13 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. 2,006 vs. Iowa State, Aug. 21, 2025 (L, 0-1)
5. 1,834 vs. Nebraska, Aug. 17, 2023 (T, 2-2)
6. 1,678 vs. Nebraska-Omaha, Sept. 20, 2013 (W, 3-2)
7. 1,547 vs. Iowa, Sept. 21, 2007 (L, 0-1)
*8. 1,444 vs. South Dakota, Sept. 9, 2016 (W, 2-1)
9. 1,413 vs. South Dakota State, Sept. 15, 2023 (W, 1-0)
10. 1,289 vs. Northern Iowa, Sept. 23, 2011 (W, 1-0)
11. 1,277 vs. Arizona State, Sept. 18, 2009 (L, 1-2)
12. 1,251 vs. Kansas, Sept. 29, 2006 (W, 1-0)
*13. 1,248 vs. South Dakota, Sept. 7, 2018 (W, 2-1 OT)
* - Socctoberfest Matches
Marcy (Gans) Parker Get Hall of Fame Call
Bluejay women's soccer alumni Marcy (Gans) Parker was recently announced as an inductee into the Creighton Athletic Hall of Fame as part of the 56th class in school history.
The Creighton women's soccer record holder in goals (38) and points (91), Gans joins the Creighton Athletics Hall of Fame after starring for the Bluejays from 2005-08. Gans also remains the Morrison Stadium leader in goals (23), shots (156), shots on goal (69) and points (54).
The first two-time Missouri Valley Conference Women's Soccer Tournament MVP in league history (2005, 2007), Gans assisted the game-winning goal in the 2005 final and compiled a hat trick vs. Evansville in the 2007 semifinals. In the 2007 final against Illinois State, she assisted on an equalizer in the 87th minute, then scored in a shootout to help CU to the league tournament title.
She was a First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference pick in 2007 and 2008 after earning Third Team All-Valley accolades her first two seasons, making her one of five players in program history to earn All-Conference honors four times.
Gans was a First Team Academic All-District selection in 2007 and a Third Team NSCAA Scholar All-American in both 2007 and 2008.
Gans graduated from Creighton in 2009 with an Exercise Science degree. She played professionally for the Boston Renegades in the USL W-League, then served as an assistant coach at Kansas City and Avila. She is currently the Director of Results Administration and Operations with Horseracing Integrity & Welfare Unite. Marcy and her husband Bradley Parker, a former Creighton men's soccer goalkeeper, live in Stilwell, Kan., with their three kids.
Bluejay Defense is the Key
Finishing last season with an 8-7-2 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, but if the defense allowed two goals or more goals, CU went 0-5-1.
Over the course of the first three matches this season, Creighton is 1-1-0 when holding its opponent to one goal or less, but 0-1-0 when allowing more than two goals.
Since joining the BIG EAST in 2013, Creighton owns an impressive 76-25-24 record when holding its opponents to one goal or less, collecting 52 shutouts in the process. CU, however, is 12-71-5 when allowing two or more goals in a match.
Creighton's Record When Allowing...
Year 1 or less goals 2 or more goals
2013 7-1-1 2-7-0
2014 8-2-2 2-4-0
2015 8-1-0 2-9-0
2016 6-1-2 3-5-0
2017 4-3-2 0-8-1
2018 6-1-1 0-9-0
2019 6-4-2 2-3-1
2020 4-2-0 0-4-0
2021 7-4-2 0-6-0
2022 8-1-8 0-3-0
2023 3-2-3 1-7-2
2024 8-2-1 0-5-1
2025 1-1-0 0-1-0
Totals 76-25-24 12-71-5
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 three matches this season, Creighton has racked up 49 fouls and a total of three yellow cards. The Bluejays 16.33 fouls per game are tied for the third-most in the country.
During the Bluejays' 2-1 win over Kansas City on Aug. 17, Creighton was called for 26 fouls over the course of the match. The Bluejays 26 fouls were its most in a single match since being called for 27 fouls at Iowa State last season.
In 17 matches last fall, Creighton's racked up 258 fouls, leading the country with 15.18 fouls per match. In addition, the Bluejays were cautioned with 29 yellow cards, tied for the 12th most nationally.
Creighton's 29 yellow cards last season were the most in a single season since at least the 2000 season. Just four years ago, the Bluejays were booked for six yellow cards, ranking 301st out of 335 teams in Division I.
Year FPG Yellow Cards
2025 16.33 (T-3rd) 3 (T-92nd)
2024 15.18 (1st) 29 (T-12th)
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 First Yields Success
Scoring first in soccer has its advantages and that has proved to be the difference for the Bluejays this season. Through the first three matches of the season, Creighton is 1-0-0 when scoring first, but 0-2-0 when the opponent finds the back of the net first.
Last season Creighton had tremendous success when scoring the first goal of the match. The Bluejays went 7-2-1 when scoring first, but 1-5-0 when the opponent found the back of the net first. The Bluejays were also 0-0-1 in scoreless draws.
Additionally, CU was 4-1-1 when leading at the break, 1-3-0 when trailing at halftime and 3-3-1 when tied at the break in 2024.
Since joining the BIG EAST in 2013, Creighton owns a 69-13-13 when finding the back of the net first. However, the Bluejays are 19-83-8 when the opponent scores first and 0-0-8 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 278-23-13 all-time record when scoring two or more goals in a match, including its 2-1 win over Kansas City on Aug. 17. On the flip side, the Bluejays are 47-255-52 when being held to fewer than two goals.
Additionally, the Bluejays are 71-8-4 when scoring two or more goals and 15-88-24 when netting fewer than two goals since joining the BIG EAST in 2013.
Home Opener History
Creighton opened the home portion of their schedule last Thursday against Iowa State in the second edition of the Tea Cup game.
Despite a 1-0 setback to the Cyclones, the Bluejays still own a 22-10-5 mark in home openers, including a 1-1-0 record under Jimmy Walker.
In addition, the Bluejays are now 13-6-4 all-time in its first home match of the season at Morrison Stadium since it opened in 2003 and have won nine of its 13 home openers since joining the BIG EAST in 2013.
Creighton Home-Openers at Morrison Stadium
Date Opponent Result
9/5/03 Western Michigan T, 0-0 (2ot)
9/4/04 South Dakota State W, 2-0
8/26/05 #25 Wisconsin L, 0-2
8/30/06 South Dakota State W, 2-0
8/31/07 Northern Colorado W, 2-1
8/24/08 South Dakota State W, 3-2 (2ot)
8/21/09 Iowa State T, 0-0 (2ot)
8/20/10 South Dakota State T, 0-0 (2ot)
9/2/11 #5 Oklahoma State L, 0-1
8/19/12 Iowa State L, 0-1 (ot)
8/30/13 North Dakota W, 6-0
8/24/14 Incarnate Word W, 2-0
8/21/15 South Dakota W, 1-0
8/19/16 Iowa W, 5-3
9/3/17 South Dakota State L, 2-3 (ot)
9/7/18 South Dakota W, 2-1 (ot)
8/23/19 Kansas State W, 3-2
3/7/21 Xavier L, 0-1
8/19/21 Montana W, 2-1 (2ot)
8/25/22 Kansas City W, 2-1
8/17/23 Nebraska T, 2-2
8/29/24 Western Michigan W, 3-0
8/21/25 Iowa State L, 0-1
Home Sweet Home
Creighton is in its 23rd season of playing home matches inside the friendly confines of Morrison Stadium.
Since opening in 2003, Creighton owns a 118-64-28 (.629) record at Morrison Stadium, including a 56-39-14 mark at home since joining the BIG EAST in 2013 and a 20-30-5 record in home league matches.
Last season, the Bluejays finished with a 5-2-2 record at home, while hosting the opening round of the BIG EAST Tournament for the first time in program history.
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
12. 2024 5 5-2-2
SHE'S BACK
A staple for the Bluejays on the frontline since stepping foot on campus in 2020, co-captain Abigail Santana made her return to the pitch for the first time in 658 days, logging 56 minutes in the Jays' season opener at Oklahoma.
The sixth-year graduate student tore her ACL and MCL during the second preseason practice last fall and missed the entire 2024 season rehabbing the injury.
A valuable piece of Creighton's offense, Santana has scored 14 goals and dished out eight assists, while logging more than 4,900 minutes of action in her Bluejay career.
Late Match Dramatics
Creighton picked up its first win of the season in dramatic fashion as graduate student Ariana Mondiri buried the game-winning goal on a penalty kick in the 90th minute (89:07) of the Bluejays 2-1 win at Kansas City on Aug. 17.
Mondiri's game-winner marked Creighton's 18th game-winning goal with less than 10 minutes remaining in regulation time and/or in overtime since joining the BIG EAST in 2013.
Including Mondiri's game-winner on Sunday, Creighton has now scored a game-winning goal during the final 10 minutes of regulation 10 times and a game-winner in golden goal overtime eight times. This also marks the 13th consecutive season that Creighton has scored a game-winning goal in the final 10 minutes of regulation and/or in overtime.
Hailey Rothwell continues to own the most dramatic game-winner in recent seasons, scoring in the 110th minute (109:14) of a double-overtime 2-1 win over Montana in the 2021 season opener.
Creighton Game-Winning Goals During
Final 10 Minutes/Overtime since 2013
Date Opponent GW Goal Time (Scorer)
9/15/13 Montana 93:48 (Kirstyn Corder)
8/22/14 at SDSU 82:27 (Kirstyn Corder)
9/7/14 Drake 85:49 (Addison Nokels)
9/21/14 at Omaha 101:57 (Lauren Sullivan)
10/2/14 Providence 106:25 (Addison Nokels)
10/8/15 at Seton Hall 98:26 (Alyssa Jara)
9/25/16 Marquette 107:32 (Lauren Sullivan)
10/15/17 Villanova 88:35 (Kaira Houser)
9/7/18 South Dakota 95:55 (Keelie Fothergill)
9/23/18 Xavier 85:12 (Taryn Jakubowski)
9/6/19 Iowa State 87:50 (Skylar Heinrich)
9/17/19 at Kansas City 85:06 (Kylin Grubb)
4/1/21 at Marquette 91:02 (Ansley Atkinson)
8/19/21 Montana 109:14 (Hailey Rothwell)
10/13/22 at Seton Hall 85:50 (Ariana Mondiri)
9/10/23 at NDSU 83:39 (Hitomi Yamaue)
10/6/24 UConn 84:44 (Stella Downing)
8/17/25 at Kansas City 89:07 (Ariana Mondir)
SHE'S BACK Part 2
Battling injuries throughout her first two seasons as a Bluejay, sophomore Kendal Radke was finally able to lace up the cleats and record her first minutes as a Bluejay in the season opener at Oklahoma (Aug. 14).
Radke redshirted her first year on campus after suffering a leg injury over the summer prior to her freshman season. She then missed the entire 2024 season after breaking her leg in a practice prior to the Bluejays 2-1 victory over Iowa State.
In total, Radke went more than 750 days without playing in a competitive soccer match before playing the final 15 minutes against Oklahoma last Thursday.
Queen B
Just two matches into the season, senior forward and Bowling Green transfer Brynn Gardner has already made an immediate impact in her short time with the Bluejays.
The Whitehouse, Ohio native inserted herself into a starting role right away and delivered her first goal as a Bluejay with a strike from distance in the Jays' 2-1 win over Kansas City on Aug. 17.
Over the course of her career, Gardner has been an offensive weapon, netting 15 goals and passed out 14 assists, while logging more than 3,700 minutes of action in 57 contests. In 2023, Gardner earned First Team All-MAC and OCSA All-Ohio Second Team honors, while claiming MAC All-Freshman Team honors after scoring six goals and dishing out seven assists in 2022.
Production Returns
Creighton returns eight players who started four or more matches from last fall's team that finished 8-7-2 and finished fourth in the BIG EAST with a 5-4-1 league record.
All told, CU returns 51.9 percent of its starts, 53.8 percent of its minutes, 38.1 percent of its goals, 43.8 percent of its assists, 39.7 percent of its points, 35.7 percent of its shots and 100 percent of its saves off of last year's squad.
Below is a breakdown of the production that is back:
Stat Returners Departures
Starts 97 (51.9%) 90 (48.1%)
Minutes 9,056 (53.8%) 7,774 (46.2%)
Goals 8 (38.1%) 13 (61.9%)
Assists 7 (43.8%) 9 (56.2%)
Points 23 (39.7%) 35 (60.3%)
Shots 66 (35.7%) 119 (64.3%)
Saves 61 (100%) 0 (0.0%)
Season-Opener History
Despite a strong 80 minutes in the season opener at Oklahoma on Aug. 14, Creighton dropped a 4-1 decision to the Sooners, moving to 17-16-4 all-time in lid-lifters.
Since joining the BIG EAST in 2013, Creighton is now 5-6-2 in season-openers, including an 0-2-0 mark under head coach Jimmy Walker.
The Bluejays, however, have outscored foes by an average of 1.49 (55 Goals) to 1.43 (53 Goals) goals per game in the Jays' 37 season-openers.
Jimmy Walker is 8-9-1 all-time in season-openers, including a 3-6-1 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
8/14/25 CU at Oklahoma L, 1-4
Bluejay History in First Road Match of Season
Creighton hit the road for the first time this season last Thursday, traveling to Oklahoma to take on the season. Despite a strong 80 minutes of play, a few defensive miscues in a 10-minute stretch in the second half costed the Bluejays as they fell to the Sooners, 4-1.
The Bluejays have not had the greatest success in its first road match of the season, falling to 14-20-2 all-time in road openers.
Of note, with the loss to Oklahoma on Aug. 14, 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.
Some Fab Freshmen
Creighton freshmen Josie Holt and Olivia Sides both got the starting nod in last Thursday's season opening, becoming just the 25th and 26th different true freshmen to start the season opener since joining the BIG EAST in 2013.
Since joining the league prior to the 2013 season, the only true freshmen to start CU's season-opener have been Emily Roll (2013), Ylenia Sachau (2013), Danielle Rice (2013), McKynzie Dickman (2014), Emma Braasch (2015), Erin Scott (2015), Taryn Jakubowski (2016), Caeley Lordemann (2016), Jaylin Bosak (2016), Keelie Fothergill (2017), Ansley Atkinson (2018), Michaela Weist (2018), Aline Reinkober (2018), Skylar Heinrich (2019), Lea Høiness (2019), Daphne Nierop (2019), Anna Grassinger (2019), Abigail Santana (2020), Peighton Steffen (2020), Nicole Tiller (2020), Maddie Radke (2020), Greta Betz (2021), Shani Sirota (2023), Maia Sirota (2023), Holt (2025) and Sides (2025) with Rice and Scott being the only freshmen to start at goalkeeper in the season-opener.
Four of those women (Jakubowski, Atkinson, Heinrich and Radke) went on to land a spot on the BIG EAST's All-Freshman Team, with Heinrich claimed Second Team All-BIG EAST in 2019.
The Gauntlet
Head Coach Jimmy Walker has once again puttogether an ambitious schedule with his non-conference slate ranking amongst the toughest in the country. The Bluejays open the 2025 season on the road at Oklahoma and Kansas City before returning home for the second annual "Tea Cup" match against Iowa State.
A match at Western Michigan predates a monster matchup against 2024 national semifinalist Duke in Durham, before home contests against Arkansas, Omaha and South Dakota close out non-conference play.
In total, the Bluejays will play eight regular season matches at home, including conference contests against league frontrunners Georgetown and Xavier.
Leading the Ship
Seniors Ella Offer and Abigail Santana, as well as junior Savanna Solomon were chosen by the players as captains for the 2025 season.
Santana was voted as a captain for the third straight season, while Offer and Solomon are each earning the honor for the first time in their Bluejay careers.
Coast to Coast
Creighton travels land and sea to 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 13 different US states.
Creighton head coach Jimmy Walker has gathered a group of six players from four different international countries, while the remaining 22 players hail from the United States.
Colorado (1): Clara Kulick
Illinois (2): Addison Dea, Olivia Duray
Kansas (2): Kendal Radke, Addie Wilkie
Michigan (1): Ella Offer
Minnesota (1): Sarah Hyde
Nebraska (4): Anna Bragg, Mallory Connealy, Kennedy Moore, Savanna Solomon
New Hampshire (1): Kailey Hall
Ohio (3): Reese Carpenter, Brynn Gardner, Whitney Scott
Tennessee (1): Josie Holt
Texas (3): Jalen Chaney, Abigail Santana, Allison Williams
Virginia (1): Tori Gillis
Washington (1): Olivia Sides
Wisconsin (1): Ella Luna
International (6):
Canada (3): Madison London, Tejia Murray-Powell, Alyssa Zalac
France (1): Ariana Mondiri
England (1): Millie Thistleton
Puerto Rico (1): Jess Torres
Creighton Picked Seventh In BIG EAST Preseason Poll
Building upon its best finish in the BIG EAST last season, the Creighton women's soccer team was picked to finish fifth in the 2025 BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' poll on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
Creighton's preseason prognosis of fifth place matches its highest preseason pick since joining the BIG EAST prior to the 2013 season. In the previous 12 seasons in the league, Creighton has improved its preseason ranking five times, been ranked correctly five times, and dropped from preseason expectations just twice.
The Bluejays return eight players who started at least four matches from a team that went 5-4-1 and finished fourth in the BIG EAST last season. Led by Second Team All-BIG EAST selection Ariana Mondiri and captains Ella Offer, Abigail Santana and Savanna Solomon, the Bluejays have plenty of experience to guide CU back to the postseason in Jimmy Walker's second season at the helm.
Defending BIG EAST regular-season champion Georgetown claimed the top spot with 100 points, including the maximum 10 first-place votes. Xavier tallied one first-place and a total of 87 points to place second, while UConn came in right behind with 86 points. Butler followed closely behind with 72 points and a fourth-place finish, while Creighton (64) and Providence (53) closed out the top six. DePaul (39), Villanova (33), Marquette (28), St. John's (25) and Seton Hall (18) rounded out the bottom half of the poll in 2025.
The top four teams in the final league standings will qualify for the 2025 BIG EAST Championship Presented by JEEP. The semifinals on Nov. 6 (1 vs. 4 and 2 vs. 3) and title match on Nov. 9 will be played at the Maryland Soccer Complex in Boyds, Md.
Year Preseason Pick Finish Move
2013 9th 9th - -
2014 8th 7th Up 1
2015 8th 8th - -
2016 7th 7th - -
2017 8th 8th - -
2018 7th 7th - -
2019 9th 6th Up 3
2020 5th 3th Up 2
2021 5th 9th Down 4
2022 7th T-4th Up 3
2023 5th 10th Down 5
2024 7th 4th Up 3
2025 5th ?? ??
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