W-League Feature
Thursday, September 26, 2013
TAMPA, Fla. – No. 1-ranked Virginia faces off against No. 18 Duke on Thursday night, with W-League alumni on both sides in a key ACC clash that highlights the weekend’s NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer schedule available online and on national television.
The game, which will air on the ACC Digital Network at 7 p.m. ET, will feature the Pali Blues’ Makenzy Doniak, who leads the Cavaliers with 21 points and eight goals this season. Doniak is backed by the Washington Spirit Reserves’ Molly Menchel, who has four goals this fall as Virginia sits on top of the standings with a 9-0-0 record.
The Blue Devils haven’t fared as well, going 4-4-2 overall and just 1-2-1 in conference play. They have been led, though, by the Long Island Rough Riders’ Kim DeCesare, who has three goals and an assist, while former Cary Clarets standout Mollie Pathman has two goals and two assists.
The SEC and Florida freshman standout Savannah Jordan take center stage on Sunday afternoon as the Gators visit Missouri on ESPNU at 2 p.m. ET. Jordan, who was an All-League selection this summer for the Atlanta Silverbacks, has 10 goals in nine games this fall at UF, and is looking to add to that total as the Gators aim to remain undefeated in conference play.
The Tigers, meanwhile, have had an up-and-down season, but are hoping for a good performance from former LA Strikers midfielder Dominique Richardson. The senior has scored two goals and added three assists this fall, helping Missouri sit just above .500 overall.
Elsewhere, key conference contests are featured across a number of networks, with Thursday night seeing former Long Island Rough Riders standout Crystal Dunn leading North Carolina as it visits Pittsburgh on ESPN3 at 7 p.m. ET in pursuit of another victory in ACC play. Dunn has scored nine goals in nine games for the Tar Heels this season, while Satara Murray, who helped the Pali Blues claim the W-League Championship this summer, has played almost 700 minutes in 10 appearances, including six starts.
Also on Thursday night, LA Strikers All-Western Conference selection Rachel Daly leads St. John’s as it hosts Xavier on ESPN3 at 7 p.m. ET. Daly leads the Red Storm with 11 goals in eight games, and will play a crucial role as her side looks to start conference play with a victory. To do so, she’ll have to get past former Dayton Dutch Lions goalkeeper Katie Marksbery, who has five shutouts and a 0.74 goals-against average in eight starts this season.
The Pac-12 Network features Washington State’s visit to Oregon on Thursday night at 10 p.m. ET, with the Cougars having received strong performances so far this fall by former Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Nicole Setterlund. The junior sits second on the team with three goals and one assist, while fellow former Whitecap Gurveen Clair has posted 0.34 goals-against average with six shutouts in nine appearances.
Sunday afternoon sees games from the ACC on the air, including Virginia hosting Maryland in its second big contest of the weekend on NSCAATV.com at 2 p.m. ET. The Terrapins have received solid production from Washington Spirit Reserves midfielder Ashley Spivey, who has four goals and two assists, while her Spirit Reserves teammate Shannon Collins leads the team with five assists.
Also on Sunday, Florida State and reigning College Soccer News Player of the Week Kelsey Wys travel to take on Clemson, also on ESPN3 at 1 p.m. ET. Wys, who previously played for the Colorado Rush, has recorded a 0.29 goals-against average and seven shutouts for the Seminoles this fall, but could be tested by a Clemson side led by the Carolina Elite Cobras’ Tabitha Padgett, who has three assists while leading the Tigers to a 5-2-2 record.
Michigan and Laval Comets standout Nkem Ezurike also feature on Sunday afternoon as the Wolverines host Minnesota on the Big Ten Network at 1 p.m. ET. Ezurike leads the Wolverines with six goals and six assists, having recorded a goal and an assist in a 2-1 win against Iowa in their last outing.
Meanwhile, out west, the Pac-12 Network has three games available, with Washington and Seattle Sounders Women players Isabel Farrell and Lindsey Elston visiting Oregon State and Sounders Women teammate Jenna Richardson at 5 p.m. ET.
UCLA’s game with Arizona is also available at 5 p.m. ET, with the Bruins currently being led in assists by the Pali Blues’ Sarah Killion, who has five. Fellow Blues standout Abby Dahlkemper leads the Bruins in minutes with 740, having led a defense that has conceded only three goals in nine games.
Killion and Dahlkemper’s teammate with the Blues this summer, Elizabeth Eddy, will feature in the second game of the Pac-12 Network’s doubleheader as Southern Cal visits Arizona State at 7 p.m. ET. Eddy leads the Trojans with five goals this fall, while former LA Strikers goalkeeper Caroline Stanley has posted a 0.88 goals-against average.