Sunday, August 30
Los Angeles, CA
2:00 PM
Saint Mary's College of California
at
USC
Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
WSOC | Gaels Head Back to SoCal, Take On USC For First Time Since 2015
8/26/2026 1:32:00 PM | Women's Soccer
MORAGA, Calif. -Saint Mary's looks to continue its strong start to 2026 against the USC Trojans, heading back to Southern California after opening the season at Long Beach State in a 0-0 draw. This will mark the first time Saint Mary's has matched up against a team competing in the Big Ten since 2011, when the Gaels took down Northwestern in Moraga 3-2 with goals off the bench from Sara Ives and Briana Campos.
Sunday's match will be streamed live on Big Ten Plus and tickets can be bought online at smcgaels.com.
GAME COVERAGE AND INFORMATION
WSOC | Saint Mary's at USC | Rawlinson Stadium
Los Angeles, Calif. | August 30 | 2:00 p.m.
Live Stats | BIG10+ | Tickets
GAELS OUTLOOK
A Homestand To Remember…
Saint Mary's made easy work of its first two home matches of 2026, cruising to victories over Fresno State and UC Davis with a combined seven goals in two matches, their highest combined total in back-to-back matches since 2023, when they took down Eastern Washington and Sacramento State with a combined ten goals. The Gaels also drew 0-0 versus No. 14 Georgetown, extending their season-opening shutout streak to four, a new program record to open a season.
The Gaels opened their home campaign in Moraga with production from both experienced and newly brought-in members of the squad. Graduate student Savannah Schwarze wasted no time in her return to Saint Mary's, with a hat trick of assists in the Gaels' 4-0 victory over Fresno State. Freshman Brianna Jurasek also bagged a brace off the bench in the match, becoming the first true freshman to record a brace since Sydney Middaugh scored two goals in a 2-0 win over Pacific during her freshman season back in 2023.
Thursday's match saw two new names light up the scoresheet when third-year members of the squad, Brooke Fairbanks and Zoe Maikai, both scored their first collegiate goals in a 3-0 victory over UC Davis. Redshirt junior Lexi Chatterton also collected her first assist as a Gael and second of her collegiate career.
Shutout Streak Continues…
Sunday's 0-0 draw versus No.14 Georgetown extended the season-opening shutout streak for the Gaels to a program record four games, with goalkeeper Soraya Souvanaphong recording a career-high three saves in the match to continue her stellar start to the season. The Gaels also extended their home unbeaten streak to 17 matches, and moved to ten straight contests unbeaten both dating back to the 2025 campaign. The ten unbeaten streak currently sits as the third-longest streak in program history. Saint Mary's is the only West Coast Conference team to have not surrendered a goal thus far this season and is one of 19 teams in the country to remain in that category through two weeks of the 2026 season.
Souvanaphong Earns First Career WCC Defensive Player of the Week Award…
Redshirt freshman Soraya Souvanaphong earned her first career WCC Defensive Player of the Week award after back-to-back shutouts and a key performance against No.14 Georgetown, becoming the first Gael to win the award since Kate Plachy took home the honors five times a season ago. The San Diego native has led the Gaels to their longest shutout streak since last season, when they went six games without allowing a goal, a stretch that featured a historic 2-0 victory at No.16 Georgetown and was highlighted by goalkeeper Kate Plachy notching the only assist of her career.
Series History…
The Gaels are searching for their first-ever victory against USC, coming into Sunday's match 0-4-1 all-time against the Trojans. The Gaels last took on the Trojans in 2015, when they hosted USC and fell 2-0 in the match. The Trojans last hosted the Gaels in 2012, taking down Saint Mary's 4-1 with a late goal from SMC forward Celina Minissian.
ABOUT THE TROJANS (0-2-1, 0-0-0 BIG TEN)
Competing in their 3rd season of Big Ten play, the Trojans are in search of their first win of 2026 after a difficult schedule to open non-conference play. The Trojans fell to both No. 3 Duke and No. 9 BYU by two-goal margins, and drew with WCC and local rival Pepperdine 1-1. USC is led by graduate midfielder and Georgetown transfer Mary Cochran, who was one of three Trojans to be named to the 2026 Big Ten Women's Soccer Players to Watch List.
Jane Alukonis enters her 5th season as head coach of the Trojans and brings in quite the resume from both the player and personnel side. Alukonis led the Trojans to back-to-back seasons of double-digit wins her first two seasons, following that up with the best winning percentage (.870) in program history in 2024 and leading USC to its first-ever No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Gaels will take on the Trojans on Sunday, August 30. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m., and the game can be streamed live on BIG10+, with tickets available for purchase at smcgaels.com.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
Sunday's match will be streamed live on Big Ten Plus and tickets can be bought online at smcgaels.com.
GAME COVERAGE AND INFORMATION
WSOC | Saint Mary's at USC | Rawlinson Stadium
Los Angeles, Calif. | August 30 | 2:00 p.m.
Live Stats | BIG10+ | Tickets
GAELS OUTLOOK
A Homestand To Remember…
Saint Mary's made easy work of its first two home matches of 2026, cruising to victories over Fresno State and UC Davis with a combined seven goals in two matches, their highest combined total in back-to-back matches since 2023, when they took down Eastern Washington and Sacramento State with a combined ten goals. The Gaels also drew 0-0 versus No. 14 Georgetown, extending their season-opening shutout streak to four, a new program record to open a season.
The Gaels opened their home campaign in Moraga with production from both experienced and newly brought-in members of the squad. Graduate student Savannah Schwarze wasted no time in her return to Saint Mary's, with a hat trick of assists in the Gaels' 4-0 victory over Fresno State. Freshman Brianna Jurasek also bagged a brace off the bench in the match, becoming the first true freshman to record a brace since Sydney Middaugh scored two goals in a 2-0 win over Pacific during her freshman season back in 2023.
Thursday's match saw two new names light up the scoresheet when third-year members of the squad, Brooke Fairbanks and Zoe Maikai, both scored their first collegiate goals in a 3-0 victory over UC Davis. Redshirt junior Lexi Chatterton also collected her first assist as a Gael and second of her collegiate career.
Shutout Streak Continues…
Sunday's 0-0 draw versus No.14 Georgetown extended the season-opening shutout streak for the Gaels to a program record four games, with goalkeeper Soraya Souvanaphong recording a career-high three saves in the match to continue her stellar start to the season. The Gaels also extended their home unbeaten streak to 17 matches, and moved to ten straight contests unbeaten both dating back to the 2025 campaign. The ten unbeaten streak currently sits as the third-longest streak in program history. Saint Mary's is the only West Coast Conference team to have not surrendered a goal thus far this season and is one of 19 teams in the country to remain in that category through two weeks of the 2026 season.
Souvanaphong Earns First Career WCC Defensive Player of the Week Award…
Redshirt freshman Soraya Souvanaphong earned her first career WCC Defensive Player of the Week award after back-to-back shutouts and a key performance against No.14 Georgetown, becoming the first Gael to win the award since Kate Plachy took home the honors five times a season ago. The San Diego native has led the Gaels to their longest shutout streak since last season, when they went six games without allowing a goal, a stretch that featured a historic 2-0 victory at No.16 Georgetown and was highlighted by goalkeeper Kate Plachy notching the only assist of her career.
Series History…
The Gaels are searching for their first-ever victory against USC, coming into Sunday's match 0-4-1 all-time against the Trojans. The Gaels last took on the Trojans in 2015, when they hosted USC and fell 2-0 in the match. The Trojans last hosted the Gaels in 2012, taking down Saint Mary's 4-1 with a late goal from SMC forward Celina Minissian.
ABOUT THE TROJANS (0-2-1, 0-0-0 BIG TEN)
Competing in their 3rd season of Big Ten play, the Trojans are in search of their first win of 2026 after a difficult schedule to open non-conference play. The Trojans fell to both No. 3 Duke and No. 9 BYU by two-goal margins, and drew with WCC and local rival Pepperdine 1-1. USC is led by graduate midfielder and Georgetown transfer Mary Cochran, who was one of three Trojans to be named to the 2026 Big Ten Women's Soccer Players to Watch List.
Jane Alukonis enters her 5th season as head coach of the Trojans and brings in quite the resume from both the player and personnel side. Alukonis led the Trojans to back-to-back seasons of double-digit wins her first two seasons, following that up with the best winning percentage (.870) in program history in 2024 and leading USC to its first-ever No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Gaels will take on the Trojans on Sunday, August 30. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m., and the game can be streamed live on BIG10+, with tickets available for purchase at smcgaels.com.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's SoccerF
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/ Women's SoccerMF
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/ Women's SoccerMF
/ Women's SoccerGK
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