SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Summit League women’s soccer officially starts League play on Thursday. After all eight programs spent the last six weeks competing in non-League play, the field is ready to see who will be crowned Summit League champions. Four programs were on the pitch this past week as records fell.
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 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 moves up to No. 2 while South Dakota State remains ranked at No. 8.
In the latest NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer RPI rankings, Oral Roberts comes in at No. 45.
The Summit League continues to be fourth among all NCAA Division I conferences in goals allowed (83) and fifth in save percentage (0.768).
North Dakota played in the final match of the week last Sunday as they faced North Dakota State College of Science. The Fighting Hawks ended up winning the game, 16-0. The 16-goal victory is the most goals scored in a match for a Summit League member since 2010, when then-member Oakland defeated Rochester College, 16-0, in 2010. The 66 shots in the game also broke the Summit League record of 56 from the same Oakland game and when North Dakota in a match last year versus Jamestown. 10 total Fighting Hawks found the back of the net.
The first two hat tricks for any Summit League student-athletes came in the North Dakota victory, as Payton McKnight and Julia Goncalves both secured three goals. Goncalves’ third goal was also the final goal of the match to give the Fighting Hawks the tie on the record. Jojo Muelhaupt and Linnea Peltonen also dished out three assists apiece, tying the Summit League record with several players. UND’s Charlie Basinet also secured five assists in a match earlier this year against Prairie View. Rylee Lawrence and Linnea Peltonen added braces each to the scoring.
Earlier last week, St. Thomas battled Lindenwood to a 3-2 loss on the road. In the match, Tommies’ Ella O’Keefe scored her first collegiate goal on an unassisted shot to tie the match 1-1 in the 29th minute. The Lions answered before UST’s Georgiana McNeil converted a penalty kick at the 44:43 mark to send the match in a 2-2 draw at half. Lindenwood scored the only goal of the second half to earn the 3-2 win.
Omaha battled Creighton for 90 minutes last Wednesday in a tight 1-0 loss. After a scoreless first half, the Bluejays were able to break through for a goal in the 46th minute. Mavericks’ goalkeeper Cadence Fagan picked up three saves in the match, bringing her to 30 on the season and fourth in the League.
North Dakota State holds the current longest-active unbeaten streak in the Summit League. With two more, the Bison could tie Oral Roberts for the longest unbeaten stretch of the season. The Golden Eagles started the year unbeaten through their first eight games, tied for third in Summit League history.
South Dakota State continues to rank atop the nation in multiple statistical categories. The Jackrabbits are first in Division I in assists per game (4.75), second in total assists (38), tied for seventh in goal differential (21), 10th in total goals (29), second in points per game (12.0), sixth in total points (96) and sixth in goals per game (3.63). SDSU’s Mia Bosch is tied for 19th in the country in assists per game (0.63) and tied for 22nd in total assists (5).
Oral Roberts is 20th in the country in goal differential with 17. ORU’s Cameron Silva is tied for 14th in the nation in assists per game (0.67) and tied for 10th in total assists (6). Brianna Castleberry is tied for 16th in goals per game (0.89) and tied for 11th in total goals (8). She is also tied for 23rd in points per game (1.89).
Kansas City ranks 24th in the country in saves per game (6.25). KC’s goalkeeper Anika Patton is tied for 21st in saves per game (6.0). Patton continues to lead the Summit League in saves with 42.
Lots of action will be on display for the first week of Summit League action. On Thursday, North Dakota State travels to North Dakota to get things started on the day. South Dakota State heads to South Dakota, followed by St. Thomas at Omaha before Oral Roberts travels to Kansas City to cap the night against the Roos. On Sunday, where all games are at 1:00 p.m., South Dakota is at North Dakota State, Kansas City travels to St. Thomas, Omaha heads to Oral Roberts and South Dakota State hosts North Dakota.
All home matches can be found on the Summit League Network.
This Week In The Summit League (All Times in Central Time)
Thursday, Sept. 24 | TV/Stream | Time
North Dakota State at North Dakota | SLN | 3 p.m.
South Dakota State at South Dakota | SLN | 6 p.m.
St. Thomas at Omaha | SLN | 6:30 p.m.
Oral Roberts at Kansas City | SLN | 7 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 27 | TV/Stream | Time
South Dakota at North Dakota State | SLN | 1 p.m.
Kansas City at St. Thomas | SLN | 1 p.m.
Omaha at Oral Roberts | SLN | 1 p.m.
North Dakota at South Dakota State | SLN | 1 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 moves up to No. 2 while South Dakota State remains ranked at No. 8.
• In the latest NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer RPI rankings, Oral Roberts comes in at No. 45.
• The Summit League continues to be fourth among all NCAA Division I conferences in goals allowed (83) and fifth in save percentage (0.768).
• North Dakota defeated North Dakota State College of Science, 16-0 last Sunday. The 16 goals are the highest for any Summit League program since 2010. UND’s 66 shots in the game also broke the Summit League record that was previously 56. 10 total Fighting Hawks found the back of the net.
• UND also saw the first hat tricks for any Summit League student-athletes on the season as Payton McKnight and Julia Goncalves both secured three goals.
• St. Thomas’ Ella O’Keefe scored her first collegiate goal in the 3-2 loss to Lindenwood.
• Omaha battled Creighton to a 1-0 loss last week. Mavericks’ goalkeeper Cadence Fagan tallied three saves in the match, good for 30 on the year and fourth in the Summit League.
• North Dakota State holds the current longest-active unbeaten streak in the Summit League. With two more, the Bison could tie Oral Roberts for the longest unbeaten stretch of the season. The Golden Eagles started the year unbeaten through their first eight games, tied for third in Summit League history.
• South Dakota State continues to rank atop the nation in multiple statistical categories. The Jackrabbits are first in Division I in assists per game (4.75), second in total assists (38), tied for seventh in goal differential (21), 10th in total goals (29), second in points per game (12.0), sixth in total points (96) and sixth in goals per game (3.63). SDSU’s Mia Bosch is tied for 19th in the country in assists per game (0.63) and tied for 22nd in total assists (5).
• Oral Roberts is 20th in the country in goal differential with 17. ORU’s Cameron Silva is tied for 14th in the nation in assists per game (0.67) and tied for 10th in total assists (6). Brianna Castleberry is tied for 16th in goals per game (0.89) and tied for 11th in total goals (8). She is also tied for 23rd in points per game (1.89).
• Kansas City ranks 24th in the country in saves per game (6.25). KC’s goalkeeper Anika Patton is tied for 21st in saves per game (6.0). Patton continues to lead the Summit League in saves with 42.
• Thursday, North Dakota State travels to North Dakota for a 3:00 p.m. showing to get things started. South Dakota State heads to South Dakota, followed by St. Thomas at Omaha before Oral Roberts travels to Kansas City to cap the night against the Roos. On Sunday, where all games are at 1:00 p.m., South Dakota is at North Dakota State, Kansas City travels to St. Thomas, Omaha heads to Oral Roberts and South Dakota State hosts North Dakota.
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