HILLSBORO, Ore. – Following a 2020-21 athletic season and academic year like no other, women’s soccer returns to the Northwest Conference (NWC) beginning Wednesday, September 1. All nine teams are set to return to the pitch in 2021 after the official NWC women’s soccer season was cancelled for the Fall of 2020.
Pacific Lutheran has been selected as the Northwest Conference frontrunner for the 2021 season, as voted on by conference head coaches. The Lutes earned 59 points and one first-place vote. At a close second, Puget Sound earned 56 points and one first place vote.
Linfield takes the third spot on the list with 51 points (4 first-place votes), while Whitworth received 39 points to rank fourth. Willamette earned 36 points to rank fifth followed by Lewis & Clark’s 30 points to land them at sixth. George Fox (27 pts.), Pacific (Ore.) (16 pts.) and Whitman (10 pts) round out the poll.
George Fox will host Lewis & Clark on Wednesday, September 15 to get conference play off and running.
Below are key returners and players to watch from each team as well as statistical highlights and NWC accolades from 2019.
KEY RETURNERS/PLAYERS TO WATCH
George Fox
Daria Brandt | SR | D/M | 2019: Played and started in all 19 games as a junior… Helped the Bruins record six shutout on the back line |
2019 Second-Team All-NWC
Madison Burch | SR | F | 2019: Played in 19 games as a sophomore, including 13 starts… Scored four goals and put 18 shots on goal… Scored the game-winning goal at Pacific (Ore.) on Oct. 12
Claire Wright | JR | M/F | 2019: Appeared in 16 games as a freshman with seven starts… Scored three goals and put nine shots on goal… Scored game-winners against Calvin (Mich.) and Multnomah University
Lewis & Clark
Brecklyn Beighle | JR | M | 2019: Played in all 20 games this season, starting in 18… Finished the season with three goals, three assists and eight shots on goal… Scored first goal against Pacific on Oct. 20, 2020... Had career start against Benedictine on Aug. 31.
Sara Klott | SR | F | 2019: Played in 19 games, starting in six… Made first season appearance against Benedictine (Ill.) on Aug. 31… Finished the season with seven shots and one goal… Made first career goal in 3-0 victory over Pacific on Oct. 20… Took a season high two shots in 1-0 victory over Caltech on Sept. 7
Becca McCullough | SR | M | 2019: Started in all 20 games played this season … Finished the season with one goal and 19 shots… Logged first career goal in Sept. 7 win against Caltech… Played in back-to-back defensive shutouts of George Fox and Pacific Lutheran on Sept. 21 and 22… Logged a career-high three shots in one game in 0-0 draw against George Fox on Oct. 19… Contributed three shots over four-game win streak between Oct. 27 and Nov. 9
Linfield
Laney Green | JR | F | 2019: Appeared in all 20 games, starting eight… Totaled one goal and three assists… Recorded season-best one goal against Chapman… Recorded season-best two assists at Pacific
Ashley Guldager | SR | D | 2019: Appeared in all 20 games, starting 18… Totaled one goal and one assist… Recorded season-best one goal against Lewis & Clark
*Jill Leroux | SO | M | 2019: N/A
Pacific
Elizabeth Blair | SR | M | 2019: Started in all 15 games
… One assist against Whitman on 10/6
… Recorded 1 shot this season
Emma Gusman | SR | M | 2019: Played in 15 games, started in 14
… Scored 3 goals this season… Recorded 10 shots with 8 on frame
… Leads the Boxer Women's soccer team in most goals in 2019… Scored the game winning goal against Cal Tech on 9/5
… Recorded one assist against Linfield on 10/16
Peyton Seals | JR | M | 2019: Played in 15 games, started in 10… Recorded 1 shot this season… One assist against Cal Tech on 9/5
Pacific Lutheran
Alyssa Jordan | SR | M | 2019: Appeared in all 21 games for the Lutes making three starts throughout the season… Scored one goal against Pacific and had two assists
Meghan Michels | JR | F | 2019: Played in 19 games for the Lutes and started in 11 of them… Scored a team leading 12 goals and tacked on five assists as well |
2019 First-Team All-NWC, 2019 Offensive Player of the Year, 2019 Freshman of the Year
Kimber Thomas | SR | M/F | 2019: Appeared in all 21 games for the Lutes
Puget Sound
Tess Carden | SR | D |
2019 Second-Team All-NWC
Ava Cholakian | JR | F | 2019: Puget Sound’s second-leading scorer in of her first two seasons |
2019 All-NWC Honorable Mention
Kylee Roath | SR | D | 2019: Former NWC Freshman of the Year |
2019 First-Team All-NWC
Chaylea Tome | JR | GK |
2019 All-NWC Honorable Mention
Whitman
Holly Chan | SR | M | 2019: Saw action in nine games with one start... Saw action in two games including Whitman's 4-3 OT win vs. Whitworth
Klaudi Kyjovska | JR | D | Saw action in 13 games with six starts as a defensive midfielder… Registered one shot on goal against Puget Sound
Kate Prudent | SR | F | Saw action in eight games with one start in offense… Overall challenged the opponent with six shots on frame
Whitworth
Gabriella Coprivnicar | SR | F | 2019: Played in all 20 matches as a sophomore, including five starts… Scored two goals and added an assist
Camryn Gardner | JR | M/D | 2019: A fixture on the Pirate defense in her first season, playing in 19 matches with 17 starts… Had one assist and finished second on the team in minutes played
Kendall Sharp | JR | F | 2019: Played in 19 matches during her first year at Whitworth and finished with two goals and three assists
Willamette
Emma Blackburn | SR | F | 2019: Scored five goals and one assist for 11 total points while playing in all 20 games in 2019... Made 18 starts... Led the Bearcats with 40 total shots
Isabel Duxbury | SR | D | 2019: Saw action in all 20 games with 16 starts in 2019... Competed in 19 games as a sophomore and provided two assists in addition to solid defensive play
Sydney Wilson | SR | M | 2019: Scored two goals for Willamette in 2019 while participating in 15 games with 11 starts... Produced the game-winning goal in the Bearcats' 1-0 overtime victory at Whitworth on Oct. 12, 2019
(Points awarded on an 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches could not vote for their own teams; numbers in parentheses indicate first place votes)
| Team |
Pts. |
2019 NWC Finish |
| PLU (4) |
59 |
1st |
| Puget Sound (1) |
56 |
2nd |
| Linfield (4) |
51 |
5th |
| Whitworth |
39 |
6th |
| Willamette |
36 |
3rd |
| Lewis & Clark |
30 |
4th |
| George Fox |
27 |
8th |
| Pacific |
16 |
9th |
| Whitman |
10 |
7th |
For the complete 2021 NWC women's soccer schedule, click
here.
*Newcomer to the NWC. Did not compete in 2019.