MORAGA, Calif. — Saint Mary's added another win to their record after their big victory over 16th ranked Georgetown, closing out their non-conference schedule with an impressive 5-1-1 record.. The victory marked a number of historic events for the Gaels, as it was their first time recording five consecutive shutouts since 2001 and their first five-game win streak since 2011. Saint Mary's will look to carry that momentum into the week as they begin conference play against Gonzaga and San Francisco. 

GAME COVERAGE AND INFORMATION

WSOC | Saint Mary's vs. Gonzaga | Saint Mary's Stadium 
Moraga, Calif. | September 24th | 4:00 PM
Live Stats | ESPN+ | Tickets 

WSOC| Saint Mary's at San Francisco | Negoesco Stadium
San Francisco, Calif. | September 27th | 4:30 PM 
Live Stats | ESPN+ | Tickets 

GAELS OUTLOOK 

Upset Win over 16th Ranked Hoyas…

Saint Mary's continued their winning streak after traveling east and defeating Georgetown with an impressive 2-0 win over the 16th ranked team in the country. After withstanding some early pressure from the Hoyas, the Gaels would get on the scoreboard first in the 24th minute when Georgetown put the ball into their own net off a dangerous cross from forward Sydney Middaugh. Middaugh doubled the Gaels lead when she scored her third goal of the season in the 74th minute off a long punt from keeper Kate Plachy, acting as the nail in the coffin for the upset victory.

The Gaels ranked victory was their first since defeating 13th ranked Washington State back in 2023, capping off a stellar non-conference campaign with a record of 5-1-1. This marks the program's best start through seven games since going 5-0-2 to start the 2021 season. 

Historic Start; Five Consecutive Wins, Five Consecutive Shutouts…

After upsetting 16th ranked Georgetown to end their non-conference schedule, Saint Mary's extends their win streak to five games for the first time since 2011. On top of that, all five wins have come via the shutout marking the first time the Gaels have recorded five consecutive shutouts since 2001. Their five wins have come against San Jose State, Boston, UC Davis, Hawaii and 16th ranked Georgetown.  

A 5-1-1 record is their best start through seven games since 2021 (5-0-2) and their two-goal victory over the Hoyas was their first win over a ranked opponent since defeating no. 13 Washington State back in 2023.  The Gaels easily roll into conference play as the hottest team in the WCC, with the next best team in Seattle U who enter the week at 4-0-4. 

Kate Plachy Named to Top Drawer Team of the Week…

For the first time since 2012, Saint Mary's earned a spot on the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week with redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Kate Plachy being named to the team after her fifth consecutive shutout in a 2-0 win over 16th ranked Georgetown. Plachy has contributed to a historic streak for the Gaels as they have won five straight games for the first time since 2011 and with all five games in the form of a shutout for the first time since 2001. 

Plachy now ranks 15th in all of Division I with five shutouts this season and moved into sixth place all-time with eleven shutouts over her two seasons as a Gael. Adding to a stellar week, Plachy also recorded her first collegiate assist with a booming punt down the field that found the feet of Sydney Middaugh who slotted the shot to seal the two-goal victory. She finished with six saves in the match and brings her season total to 23. 

Series History… 

Last season, Saint Mary's and Gonzaga battled to a 1-1 draw in Spokane. The year prior, the Gaels hosted the Bulldogs and snapped a five match losing streak to Gonzaga with a 1-0 victory. While Gonzaga has had the upper hand in the series over the past decade, Saint Mary's will look to carry their momentum after going unbeaten in their past two meetings.

Saint Mary's earned a 2-0 victory over San Francisco in their most recent matchup last season. The Gaels have won three of their last five meetings against the Dons and are seeking their first road win in San Francisco since 2020. USF has the edge over their last ten meetings with a 6-3-1 record dating back to 2016.    

ABOUT THE BULLDOGS (2-6, 0-0)

After going 2-1 over their first three games to start the season, Gonzaga has since struggled as they've lost five consecutive games heading into the WCC opener with Saint Mary's on Wednesday. Bulldogs forward Katelyn Rigg currently leads the team in goals scored on the season with three. Not far behind her is sophomore midfielder Amelia Severn with two, one in their match against Simon Fraser and one against University of Illinois Chicago, both of which resulted in wins for Gonzaga. Along with this, junior Makayla Werner, who was named to the WCC Preseason team, anchors the lineup after a standout performance in 2024. 

Katie Benz is in her second full year as the head coach for the Bulldogs but has been on staff with the program since 2020. Before her promotion in 2024, Benz helped Gonzaga to a 14-win season and their first WCC title in program history. They would qualify for the NCAA Tournament for just the second time and add some more history with their first ever NCAA Tournament win after defeating Idaho in the first round. The team's historic season would end in the second round after a two-goal defeat to UC Irvine. In her first full season as head coach, Benz led Gonzaga to a 10-win season and a 6-3-1 conference record good for third place in the WCC standings.  

ABOUT THE DONS (1-4-2, 0-0)

The Dons have kicked off their season with a current record of 1-4-2. Kaitlyn Sasadeusz leads the Dons' attack, tallying up three goals on the season, including one in their game against Cal and both goals in a 2-0 shutout victory over Texas Tech. Following her is senior Lindsey Chau, who has two goals on the season and earned All-WCC Honorable Mention honors in 2024 for the second time in her career. 

Head coach Pinder Nijjar is entering his second season leading the Dons. Throughout his time in San Francisco, Nijjar has gone from a volunteer assistant to assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, landing his current role as the head coach in the summer of 2024. San Francisco was picked to finish eleventh out of twelve teams in this year's WCC preseason poll. 

Saint Mary's will host Gonzaga in their conference opener on Wednesday, September 24th at 4:00 PM. The Gaels will then travel across the Bay to face San Francisco on Saturday, September 27th at 4:30 PM. Both matches will be streamed live on ESPN+ and tickets can be purchased online at smcgaels.com/tickets.  

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