University of St. Thomas Athletics
Thursday, September 26
St. Paul, Minn.
TBA
vs
South Dakota
Women’s Soccer opens Summit League play with South Dakota and Oral Roberts
9/25/2024 12:37:00 PM | Women's Soccer
The Tommies begin conference play with back-to-back home games
ST. PAUL, Minn. – St. Thomas women's soccer (4-4-1 overall) came away from non-conference play with a .500 record for the third time in program history. The Tommies have won four of their last six but most recently suffered their first shutout of the season, on the road, against Marquette (3-6-2 overall). With eight games still to play, the Tommies have already surpassed their win total from the 2023 season.
The Purple came up short in Summit League play last season. They earned five points and were at the bottom of the table with a 1-5-2 conference record. Their lone conference win came on the road against Sunday's opponent, Oral Roberts. Sofia Caballero scored the game's only goal in the fifth minute while Olivia Rowe made six saves in goal.
St. Thomas' Thursday evening opponent, South Dakota (2-5-2 overall), have not won in their last five games and are 0-4-1 since their 3-2 victory on August 29 against Drake. The Coyotes are the lowest ranked team in the Summit League (337 RPI) after their non-conference schedule. Graduate student, Ashby Johnston leads the way with three goals and seven points while sophomore, Cambell Fischer has taken up most of the reps in goal with a 1.83 goals against average and 24 saves in six starts.
South Dakota is undefeated in three games against St. Thomas and have outscored the Tommies 9-2. The previously mentioned Ashby Johnston scored two goals (including the game winner) last season in Vermillion, S.D.. Johnston has three career goals against the Tommies.
The Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (5-5-1 overall) come into town for a 1 p.m. bout on Sunday. They are winners in three straight and four of their last five. The have outscored opponents 11-2 during their win streak that stretches back to September 12. Their .500 non-conference record has them ranked 133rd in the latest RPI poll. They are the fourth-highest ranked Summit League team, behind Denver (85), Kansas City (116), and Omaha (122). Oral Roberts has spread the love offensively with three players each leading the team with three goals apiece. Junior, Alexa Riefer, has started every game on the goal line and comes into Summit League play with a 1.71 goals against average and 53 saves.
The Tommies are 2-1 all-time against the Golden Eagles and have won each of their last two meetings. St. Thomas won, 2-1, back in 2022 at South Field with goals coming from McKenna Lehman and Mariah Nguyen.
Home Gameday Need to Know
The Tommies' game against the Marquette Golden Eagles can be view with a subscription to FloSports. Click HERE to watch.
Fans can also follow along via the live stats HERE.
All St. Thomas Women's Soccer home games and away Summit League contests can be viewed on the Summit League Network with a Midco Sports Plus subscription.
Live stats for all St. Thomas home games can be viewed on Tommiesports.com with links available on the Tommie Women's Soccer team's schedule page.
Off to a fast start
The Tommies have been scoring early and often to begin the 2024 season and it has led to a strong list of non-conference results. 12 of the Purple's 16 goals have come before the halftime whistle (they scored just 17 goals all of last season). They have allowed 18 goals this year, only six of those were given up in the first half.
When scoring first this season, the Purple are 4-0-1. They are 0-4-0 when conceding the game's first goal.
As previously mentioned, the Tommies scored just 17 goals in 15 games last season and were led by Mariah Nguyen who scored five while starting in every game. Lexi Huber has already scored five goals with nine games down and eight to play.
Five goals in one season is currently the St. Thomas Division I program record set by Nguyen in 2021, matched by Nguyen in 2022, and now matched by Huber in 2024.
The Tommies have scored 68 goals since making the move to Division I in 2021. Of those 68 goals, Mariah Nguyen (10) and Lexi Huber (12) have scored nearly 1/3 of them (32.3%).
Tommies' Summit League ranks
The Tommies were picked to finish eighth out of the nine teams in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll after their 1-5-2 conference record in 2023.
Last season's regular season conference champion Denver Pioneers were voted to the top of the poll edging out challenger South Dakota State by two points (61-59). The Purple finished with 15 votes, placing them between North Dakota State (24) and North Dakota (14).
Both Mariah Nguyen and Olivia Rowe were named Players to Watch by the conference office.
Nguyen led the Purple in goals (five), points (12), and shots on goal (13) last season while Olivia Rowe started every game between the posts in 2023 and earned five shutouts.
Nice to meet you
The Tommies head into the 2024 season with eight newcomers
The Tommie Women's Soccer coaching staff welcomed a new face into the fold during the offseason with the addition of Jean Viardin.
Viardin holds a US Soccer Senior A license and has over 20 years of coaching experience at youth clubs, high school teams, the WPSL, and the UPSL.
Coach McGill said of Viardin, "We are incredibly excited to welcome Jean to our team! He brings his experience and knowledge to the program and will make an immediate impact in our games and training. He has a positive yet straightforward mindset and will help our players to develop and succeed both individually and as a whole."
Viardin also served as the General Manager for the National Women's Soccer League's FC Kansas City from 2016-2018. His most recent experience came as the Executive Director & Director of Coaching/Player Development at Maplebrook SC, where he has been since 2011.
Follow Along
For any and all information pertaining to the St. Thomas Women's Soccer team, follow along on Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter) at @TommieWSoccer.
The Purple came up short in Summit League play last season. They earned five points and were at the bottom of the table with a 1-5-2 conference record. Their lone conference win came on the road against Sunday's opponent, Oral Roberts. Sofia Caballero scored the game's only goal in the fifth minute while Olivia Rowe made six saves in goal.
St. Thomas' Thursday evening opponent, South Dakota (2-5-2 overall), have not won in their last five games and are 0-4-1 since their 3-2 victory on August 29 against Drake. The Coyotes are the lowest ranked team in the Summit League (337 RPI) after their non-conference schedule. Graduate student, Ashby Johnston leads the way with three goals and seven points while sophomore, Cambell Fischer has taken up most of the reps in goal with a 1.83 goals against average and 24 saves in six starts.
South Dakota is undefeated in three games against St. Thomas and have outscored the Tommies 9-2. The previously mentioned Ashby Johnston scored two goals (including the game winner) last season in Vermillion, S.D.. Johnston has three career goals against the Tommies.
The Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (5-5-1 overall) come into town for a 1 p.m. bout on Sunday. They are winners in three straight and four of their last five. The have outscored opponents 11-2 during their win streak that stretches back to September 12. Their .500 non-conference record has them ranked 133rd in the latest RPI poll. They are the fourth-highest ranked Summit League team, behind Denver (85), Kansas City (116), and Omaha (122). Oral Roberts has spread the love offensively with three players each leading the team with three goals apiece. Junior, Alexa Riefer, has started every game on the goal line and comes into Summit League play with a 1.71 goals against average and 53 saves.
The Tommies are 2-1 all-time against the Golden Eagles and have won each of their last two meetings. St. Thomas won, 2-1, back in 2022 at South Field with goals coming from McKenna Lehman and Mariah Nguyen.
Home Gameday Need to Know
- Admission to Tommie Women's Soccer is free all season long.
- Visitor parking is available in the Anderson Parking Facility on South Campus.
- When navigating to the stadium from the Anderson Parking Facility please follow the posted signs directing you to the entrance.
- There will be no concessions available for the 2024 season.
The Tommies' game against the Marquette Golden Eagles can be view with a subscription to FloSports. Click HERE to watch.
Fans can also follow along via the live stats HERE.
All St. Thomas Women's Soccer home games and away Summit League contests can be viewed on the Summit League Network with a Midco Sports Plus subscription.
Live stats for all St. Thomas home games can be viewed on Tommiesports.com with links available on the Tommie Women's Soccer team's schedule page.
Off to a fast start
The Tommies have been scoring early and often to begin the 2024 season and it has led to a strong list of non-conference results. 12 of the Purple's 16 goals have come before the halftime whistle (they scored just 17 goals all of last season). They have allowed 18 goals this year, only six of those were given up in the first half.
When scoring first this season, the Purple are 4-0-1. They are 0-4-0 when conceding the game's first goal.
As previously mentioned, the Tommies scored just 17 goals in 15 games last season and were led by Mariah Nguyen who scored five while starting in every game. Lexi Huber has already scored five goals with nine games down and eight to play.
Five goals in one season is currently the St. Thomas Division I program record set by Nguyen in 2021, matched by Nguyen in 2022, and now matched by Huber in 2024.
The Tommies have scored 68 goals since making the move to Division I in 2021. Of those 68 goals, Mariah Nguyen (10) and Lexi Huber (12) have scored nearly 1/3 of them (32.3%).
Tommies' Summit League ranks
- Lexi Huber – 1st in goals – 5
- Lexi Huber – T-9th in shots - 19
- Molly Knoblauch – T-5th in assists – 3
- Lexi Huber – T-1st in game-winning goals – 3
- Lexi Huber – T-1st in points – 11
- Olivia Rowe – 3rd in shutouts per game - .333
- Olivia Rowe – T-2nd in shutouts - 3
- Olivia Rowe - 4th in saves per game – 3.56
The Tommies were picked to finish eighth out of the nine teams in the Summit League Preseason Coaches' Poll after their 1-5-2 conference record in 2023.
Last season's regular season conference champion Denver Pioneers were voted to the top of the poll edging out challenger South Dakota State by two points (61-59). The Purple finished with 15 votes, placing them between North Dakota State (24) and North Dakota (14).
Both Mariah Nguyen and Olivia Rowe were named Players to Watch by the conference office.
Nguyen led the Purple in goals (five), points (12), and shots on goal (13) last season while Olivia Rowe started every game between the posts in 2023 and earned five shutouts.
Nice to meet you
The Tommies head into the 2024 season with eight newcomers
- #3 – Melina Knowles – Freshman – Plymouth, Wis.
- #4 – Kayden Scrima – Freshman – Waukesha, Wis.
- #6 – Juliet Carlson – Freshman – Minnetonka, Minn.
- #14 – Alexandra Amini – Freshman – Pewaukee, Wis.
- #19 – Brooke Nygaard – Freshman – Eagan, Minn.
- #20 – Sophia Barjesteh – Junior – Woodbury, Minn.
- #27 – Annie Mulcahy – Freshman – Saint Paul, Minn.
- #29 – Izzy McEwan – Freshman – Minneapolis, Minn.
The Tommie Women's Soccer coaching staff welcomed a new face into the fold during the offseason with the addition of Jean Viardin.
Viardin holds a US Soccer Senior A license and has over 20 years of coaching experience at youth clubs, high school teams, the WPSL, and the UPSL.
Coach McGill said of Viardin, "We are incredibly excited to welcome Jean to our team! He brings his experience and knowledge to the program and will make an immediate impact in our games and training. He has a positive yet straightforward mindset and will help our players to develop and succeed both individually and as a whole."
Viardin also served as the General Manager for the National Women's Soccer League's FC Kansas City from 2016-2018. His most recent experience came as the Executive Director & Director of Coaching/Player Development at Maplebrook SC, where he has been since 2011.
Follow Along
For any and all information pertaining to the St. Thomas Women's Soccer team, follow along on Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter) at @TommieWSoccer.
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