Previewing the Week

South Dakota State returns to Brookings this weekend to wrap up the home portion of its 2018 regular season schedule, hosting Omaha and Oral Roberts in a pair of Summit League contests with postseason implications.

The Jackrabbits and Mavericks face off Friday at 6 p.m. from Fishback Soccer Park, and Sunday’s Senior Day matchup with ORU is set for 1 p.m.

Thank You, Seniors

SDSU seniors Kyli Nelson, Kelsi Wipf, Madison Chapman, Hannah Evans, Annie Williams and Bianca Madonia will be honored pregame for their contributions as part of the Jackrabbit soccer program.

The group owns a 42-23-11 record over the last four years, including a 22-5-2 mark in Summit League play with two tournament championships, one regular season title and a pair of trips to the NCAA Tournament thus far.

Scouting the Mavericks

Omaha (5-9-2, 2-2-1) knocked off USD last Sunday on the road, 1-0, and drew 1-1 with North Dakota last Friday.

Omaha enters the week trailing in goals against opponents this year, 22-11, and is averaging 11.2 shots per contest compared to opponents’ 12.5 attempts per game.

Bailey Cascio (two assists) and Emily Romero (one assists) each have three goals for the Omaha offense, as Cascio leads the team with eight points and Romero has seven. Andrea Daves (six points) has assisted on a team-high four goals and is one of five Mavericks to have one goal.

Ina Gudjonsdottir and Erin Bunker have each started eight games at keeper for Omaha and allowed 11 goals apiece.

South Dakota State is 4-6-1 all-time against Omaha but has a 4-2 mark in Division I play. At home against the Mavericks, SDSU is 3-2-1.

Scouting the Golden Eagles

Oral Roberts (8-9) picked up a win in its lone action last weekend, topping Western Illinois at home, 3-1. The Golden Eagles went 1-1 the week prior with a loss at South Dakota (3-1) and a win over Purdue Fort Wayne (1-0).

ORU has been outscored by opponents this season, 28-19, but in league play has flipped the script and holds a 7-5 advantage in goals through five Summit League contests. The Golden Eagles are averaging 10.8 shots per game and allowing 13.6 shots per game from their opponents.

Jordan Langebartels (18 points) has carried the offense with seven goals and four assists in 2018, while Sierra Beall (four goals, one assist), McKenzie Edwards (three goals) and Drishana Pillay (two goals, one assist) have found the net on multiple occasions for ORU.

Between the pipes, Ryliegh Bohnenstiehl has started 13 games and played 900 minutes, allowing 12 goals with 43 saves for a 1.20 goals against average. Regan Richins (four starts) has allowed 16 goals in 639 minutes, stopping 39 shots for a 2.25 GAA.

South Dakota State is 9-1-1 all-time against ORU and is 5-0 at Fishback Soccer Park against the Golden Eagles. The Jacks have won three of the last four matchups (with a scoreless tie in 2016), last claiming a 2-0 road victory last year in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Scouting the Jackrabbits

SDSU (9-5-1, 4-1) saw its six-match unbeaten streak come to an end last Sunday at North Dakota State, snapping an 11-match winning streak in Summit League games. The Jackrabbits took down rival South Dakota, 1-0, in last Friday’s match behind a 104th minute goal from Abigail Kastens.

SDSU has outscored its opponents 21-10 on the year and has eight shutouts as a team. The Jackrabbits are averaging 15.1 shots per game, putting 91 of their 226 total attempts on goal.

Karlee Manding leads the Jackrabbits with 12 points on the year, netting five goals with two assists. Leah Manuleleua is close behind with 10 points, tallying four scores and a pair of assists, and Abigail Kastens has three goals. Marisa Schulz and Stephanie Dashiell have each found the back of the net twice in 2018.

Carina McLennan (six points) leads all Jacks with four assists, while seven others have one assist each. In total, 13 Jackrabbits have recorded a point this season.

Defensively, Evans, Annie Williams, Alexa Hepner and Kaitlin Zabel have started all 15 games for a Jackrabbit back line that has allowed just 10 goals this season. Hepner leads the team with 1,319 minutes played, just ahead of Zabel’s 1,304 and Williams’ 1,290 minutes.

Maggie Smither has started every game at goalkeeper for SDSU and holds a 0.66 goals against average. She has allowed just two goals in Summit League play and for the season has played over 1,368 minutes with eight shutouts.

Jackrabbits Honored by The

Summit League

South Dakota State has earned three Summit League Player of the Week honors this season.

Leah Manuleleua was named the Summit League’s Offensive Player of the Week Aug. 27. It was the third time in her career she’s earned the league’s weekly honor. She helped the Jacks to a perfect 2-0 record at home last weekend, thanks in part to a seven-point showing against Wayne State Friday that included the ninth hat trick in the program’s history. Manuleleua became the first to score three or more goals in a game for SDSU since Diana Potterveld did it in 2012.

Maggie Smither was named the Summit League’s Defensive Player of the Week Sept. 17. Smither started all three games at goalkeeper for the Jackrabbits last week and posted a 1-1-1 record with a pair of shutouts. She tallied 21 saves overall and finished the week with an 0.62 goals against average while facing 50 total shots.

Smither picked up her second weekly award Oct. 8. Smither started and played all available minutes in a 1-0 shutout victory over Denver, recording six saves in a hotly contested slugfest that went to double overtime.

Jackrabbit Quick Hits

South Dakota State’s 11-match league winning streak from Sept. 29, 2017 to Oct. 11, 2018 was the longest in the Summit League’s history. The previous record was also held by SDSU, set between the 2012 and 2013 seasons.