SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – We are down to the final two weeks of the Summit League women’s soccer regular season! With each program having three games left, a lot is still left to be decided on the pitch.
 
This year, the Summit League introduces a new seeding format as all eight programs are put into two different pods. Pod A is composed of North Dakota, North Dakota State, South Dakota and South Dakota State while Pod B includes Kansas City, Omaha, Oral Roberts and St. Thomas. The Championship shall be a six-team, single-elimination tournament held over two weekends. The top three teams in each pod will automatically qualify, with the runner-up from each pod hosting the quarterfinals against the opposite pod’s third-place team. The semifinals and championship will be hosted by the higher overall regular-season point total winner and designated No. 1 overall seed. Please make sure to check out our Championship page for more information once the bracket is set!
 
In the latest United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer West Region rankings, Oral Roberts is No. 3.
 
In the latest NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer RPI rankings, three Summit League programs rank in the top 161. Oral Roberts comes in at No. 72, South Dakota State No. 158 and South Dakota comes in at No. 161.
 
The Summit League continues to rank highly among all NCAA Division I conferences, being third in goals allowed (141) and third in save percentage (0.781).
 
South Dakota State as a team continues to rank among the best in NCAA Division I in multiple statistics, ranking fourth in assists per game (3.40), 11th in goal differential (25), eighth in points per game (8.33), 16th in goals per game (2.47), third in total assists (51), 11th in total goals (37) and fifth in total points (125).
 
South Dakota State goalkeeper Mallorie Benhart ranks 12th among all active Division I student-athletes in career saves (264), 23rd in career saves per game (4.55) and 26th in career shutouts (20).
 
This season, Jackrabbits’ Mia Bosch is 28th in the nation in assists per game (0.53) and 12th in total assists (8).
 
Oral Roberts also ranks highly among the country’s best in several categories, ranking 11th in goal differential (25), 11th in goals-against average (0.500), 30th in save percentage (0.846), 30th in shutout percentage (0.563) and 29th in total goals (33).
 
Golden Eagles’ Cameron Silva is 32nd in Division I in assists per game (0.50) and 12th in total assists (8). Forward Brianna Castleberry is sixth in game-winning goals (5), 14th in goals per game (0.81), 20th in points per game (1.81), eighth in total goals (13) and ninth in total points (29). Goalkeeper Alyson Sebban ranks 21st in goals-against average (0.519) and 20th in total shutouts (7).
 
Kansas City’s Anika Patton ranks 32nd in the country in saves per match (5.57) and 21st in total saves (78).
 
North Dakota’s Hannah Langstaff is 23rd in Division I with seven total assists.
 
To start off Thursday’s action, history was made in Minnesota. St. Thomas defeated South Dakota State, 1-0, for the Tommies’ first win against the Jackrabbits in the Division I era. St. Thomas scored the one and only goal in the contest in the 49th minute after a scoreless first half. Becca Smith was able to rattle the back of the net to give St. Thomas the lead. Freshman goalkeeper Sophia Alvarez recorded four saves en route to her first collegiate clean sheet.  
 
The victory for St. Thomas also marked the first time the program recorded three League victories since joining the Summit League.
 
On Sunday, the Tommies hosted South Dakota in a match that saw the Coyotes score three first-half goals. USD was quick to get on the scoreboard, scoring the first goal in the 15th minute for the Kinsley Pesicka goal. Brooke Conway added another less than a minute later before Brooklynn Pollmiller added the third and final goal of the contest in the 23rd minute. Elsie Odney assisted on two of the three goals while Cambell Fischer tallied the one save clean sheet for her sixth of the season. The six shutouts ties Fischer for second in program history.
 
The win was also South Dakota’s fifth-straight unbeaten match. This is the longest streak for the Coyotes since 2021 and just the third time obtaining such a streak during League play since joining the Summit League.  
 
On Thursday, the Coyotes once again won in shutout fashion, defeating Omaha on the road, 1-0. Sadie Strait scored the lone goal of the match while Cambell Fischer picked up the five save shutout.
 
Omaha also hosted South Dakota State, with the Jackrabbits earning the shutout in a 2-0 victory. Both scores came in the first half, with SDSU’s Ellie Gusman scoring the first in the seventh minute of the match for her first goal of the season. Cade Makynlie added to the lead in the 41st minute to give the Jackrabbits a 2-0 lead going into the half. Goalkeeper Mallorie Benhart picked up her sixth shutout of the season while collecting two saves.
 
Kansas City hosted both North Dakota programs last week, starting the week with a 1-0 defeat to the Fighting Hawks. UND goalkeeper Thale Ruether shone in the match, collecting an 11-save outing to help North Dakota with the close battle. She became the first Fighting Hawk goalkeeper since Madi Livingston to face 20 shots and record a shutout. The 11 saves are also the most by any goalkeeper in the Summit League during League play. It’s also the first time since 2018 that a North Dakota goalie recorded double-digit saves in three separate games during a single season.
 
Cora Ellermann scored the lone goal of the match for her seventh of the season in the 38th minute.
 
In Kansas City’s next match, the Roos saw back-and-forth action against North Dakota State on Sunday. KC’s Ashley Koch scored her second goal of the season in the 55th minute to give the Roos the lead early into the second half. Minutes later, Amber Smith scored her first career goal in the 62nd minute to draw things up. Not even two minutes later, NDSU’s Sidney Strong also scored her first career goal in the 64th minute off a goalkeeper deflection to give the Bison a 2-1 lead. After Amaya Garrett sinks in the penalty kick in the 86th minute for the 3-1 victory.
 
Oral Roberts also hosted both North Dakota schools last week, coming away with 1-0 victories in both. Forward Brianna Castleberry scored on a penalty kick in both contests to earn two game-winning goals on the week. The two goals brought Castleberry to 13 on the season, tied for 12th in Summit League history. In the match against the Bison on Thursday, Golden Eagles’ head coach Austin Risenhoover garnered his 50th career victory. Goalkeeper Sienna Hamilton-Grein also made a career-high six saves in the shutout performance.
 
After the 1-0 win over North Dakota on Sunday, ORU moved to 11-1-4 on the season and 5-0-2 in Summit League play. The seven games to start a League season unbeaten is currently tied for eighth in Summit League history, with the Golden Eagles matching last year’s start.
 
A lighter week of action is coming up, with each program competing in just a single game. The fun begins on Thursday with South Dakota heading to South Dakota State for a key matchup. Saturday will have several more impactful matchups with many seeding implications as Omaha travels to St. Thomas, North Dakota State hosts North Dakota and Kansas City heads to Tulsa to take on Oral Roberts.

All home matches can be found on the Summit League Network.
 
This Week In The Summit League (All Times in Central Time)
Thursday, Oct. 22 | TV/Stream | Time    
South Dakota at South Dakota State | SLN | 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 24 | TV/Stream | Time    
Omaha at St. Thomas | SLN | 3:00 p.m.
North Dakota at North Dakota State | SLN | 6:00 p.m.
Kansas City at Oral Roberts | SLN | 7:00 p.m.

All Times Local in Central Time
Key: SLN (Summit League Network)

Around The League
• In the latest United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer West Region rankings, Oral Roberts is No. 3.
•  In the latest NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer RPI rankings, three Summit League programs rank in the top 161. Oral Roberts comes in at No. 72, South Dakota State No. 158 and South Dakota comes in at No. 161.
• The Summit League continues to rank highly among all NCAA Division I conferences, being third in goals allowed (141) and third in save percentage (0.781).
• South Dakota State as a team continues to rank among the best in NCAA Division I in multiple statistics, ranking fourth in assists per game (3.40), 11th in goal differential (25), eighth in points per game (8.33), 16th in goals per game (2.47), third in total assists (51), 11th in total goals (37) and fifth in total points (125). South Dakota State goalkeeper Mallorie Benhart ranks 12th among all active Division I student-athletes in career saves (264), 23rd in career saves per game (4.55) and 26th in career shutouts (20). This season, Jackrabbits’ Mia Bosch is 28th in the nation in assists per game (0.53) and 12th in total assists (8).
•  Oral Roberts also ranks highly among the country’s best in several categories, ranking 11th in goal differential (25), 11th in goals-against average (0.500), 30th in save percentage (0.846), 30th in shutout percentage (0.563) and 29th in total goals (33).Golden Eagles’ Cameron Silva is 32nd in Division I in assists per game (0.50) and 12th in total assists (8). Forward Brianna Castleberry is sixth in game-winning goals (5), 14th in goals per game (0.81), 20th in points per game (1.81), eighth in total goals (13) and ninth in total points (29). Goalkeeper Alyson Sebban ranks 21st in goals-against average (0.519) and 20th in total shutouts (7).
• Kansas City’s Anika Patton ranks 32nd in the country in saves per match (5.57) and 21st in total saves (78).
•  North Dakota’s Hannah Langstaff is 23rd in Division I with seven total assists.
• To start off Thursday’s action, history was made in Minnesota. St. Thomas defeated South Dakota State, 1-0, for the Tommies’ first win against the Jackrabbits in the Division I era. St. Thomas scored the one and only goal in the contest in the 49th minute after a scoreless first half. Becca Smith was able to rattle the back of the net to give St. Thomas the lead. Freshman goalkeeper Sophia Alvarez recorded four saves en route to her first collegiate clean sheet.  The victory for St. Thomas also marked the first time the program recorded three League victories since joining the Summit League.
• On Sunday, the Tommies hosted South Dakota in a match that saw the Coyotes score three first-half goals. USD was quick to get on the scoreboard, scoring the first goal in the 15th minute for the Kinsley Pesicka goal. Brooke Conway added another less than a minute later before Brooklynn Pollmiller added the third and final goal of the contest in the 23rd minute. Elsie Odney assisted on two of the three goals while Cambell Fischer tallied the one save clean sheet for her sixth of the season. The six shutouts ties Fischer for second in program history. The win was also South Dakota’s fifth-straight unbeaten match. This is the longest streak for the Coyotes since 2021 and just the third time obtaining such a streak during League play since joining the Summit League. 
• Kansas City hosted both North Dakota programs last week, starting the week with a 1-0 defeat to the Fighting Hawks. UND goalkeeper Thale Ruether shone in the match, collecting an 11-save outing to help North Dakota with the close battle. She became the first Fighting Hawk goalkeeper since Madi Livingston to face 20 shots and record a shutout. The 11 saves are also the most by any goalkeeper in the Summit League during League play. It’s also the first time since 2018 that a North Dakota goalie recorded double-digit saves in three separate games during a single season. Cora Ellermann scored the lone goal of the match for her seventh of the season in the 38th minute.
• In Kansas City’s next match, the Roos saw back-and-forth action against North Dakota State on Sunday. KC’s Ashley Koch scored her second goal of the season in the 55th minute to give the Roos the lead early into the second half. Minutes later, Amber Smith scored her first career goal in the 62nd minute to draw things up. Not even two minutes later, NDSU’s Sidney Strong also scored her first career goal in the 64th minute off a goalkeeper deflection to give the Bison a 2-1 lead. After Amaya Garrett sinks in the penalty kick in the 86th minute for the 3-1 victory.
• Oral Roberts also hosted both North Dakota schools last week, coming away with 1-0 victories in both. Forward Brianna Castleberry scored on a penalty kick in both contests to earn two game-winning goals on the week. The two goals brought Castleberry to 13 on the season, tied for 12th in Summit League history. In the match against the Bison on Thursday, Golden Eagles’ head coach Austin Risenhoover garnered his 50th career victory. Goalkeeper Sienna Hamilton-Grein also made a career-high six saves in the shutout performance.
• After the 1-0 win over North Dakota on Sunday, ORU moved to 11-1-4 on the season and 5-0-2 in Summit League play. The seven games to start a League season unbeaten is currently tied for eighth in Summit League history, with the Golden Eagles matching last year’s start.
 
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