Friday, October 2
Moraga, CA
4:00 PM
Saint Mary's College of California
vs
San Francisco
Photo by: Tod Fierner
WSOC | Gaels Set For WCC Home Opener Friday, Take On San Francisco Dons
9/30/2026 1:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
MORAGA, Calif. -The Saint Mary's women's soccer team returns to Moraga after a four-game road trip for its West Coast Conference home opener versus the San Francisco Dons. The Gaels are seeking their first WCC win of the season and enter Friday's matchup with a program-record 19-match unbeaten streak at Saint Mary's Stadium. The Gaels remain one of six teams in the country with eight shutouts this season and look to keep their 2026 home shutout streak alive on Friday afternoon.
GAME COVERAGE AND INFORMATION
WSOC | Saint Mary's vs. San Francisco | Saint Mary's Stadium
Moraga, Calif. | Oct. 2 | 4 p.m.
Live Stats | ESPN+ | Tickets
GAELS OUTLOOK
Home Sweet Home…
The Gaels return to Moraga after a four-game road trip in three different states, their longest road trip since the 2019 season. Saint Mary's opened its West Coast Conference slate against the Denver Pioneers for the first time as conference foes, falling 2-1 in Denver. The match featured a second free kick goal this season from defender Molly Silva, as well as a season-high eight-save performance from goalkeeper Kate Plachy in a thrilling back-and-forth test for the Gaels. Even with the loss, the Gaels remain top five in the country in shutout percentage and are tied for fifth with eight shutouts in eleven matches this season.
In the match, Molly Silva scored her second goal of the season after scoring just one in her previous three seasons as a Gael, while all four Gael defenders played the full 90 minutes, including an eighth consecutive 90-minute match for graduate student Anna Emperador. The loss ends a remarkable start to the 2026 season for Saint Mary's, after the Gaels recorded eight consecutive shutouts and reached an unbeaten streak of 16 matches, both going down as new program records. The Gaels still hold the highest win percentage in the conference and look to turn the tide Friday versus a team they have unfinished business with.
WCC Stat Leaders…
Both redshirt sophomore Soraya Souvanaphong and redshirt junior Kate Plachy have been outstanding in goal, leading the conference in Save Percentage while ranking 12th in the country with their .872 value this season. Plachy and Souvanaphong both rank top five in the conference in Shutouts this season as well. Just as strong has been the back line led by Emperador and Silva, with the Gaels holding the best Goals-Against Average in the conference at .455 and ranking first in the conference in Shutout Percentage and Won-Loss-Tied percentage in 2026.
As much as you hear about the stellar defensive line, Ashlyn Vaughn has stepped into the goal-scoring role dominated by forward Sydney Middaugh a season ago, already recording seven goals this season after Middaugh led the Gaels with ten in 2025. Both Vaughn and freshman Brianna Jurasek rank third in the conference with three Game-Winning Goals each, while Vaughn ranks third in Goals Per Game and Shots Per Game as well.
Series History…
The Gaels come into Friday's matchup with an all-time record of 22-14-3 versus the Dons, including a 2-0 victory over the Dons in 2024 thanks to Gael forward Britney Holden's first collegiate goal. Saint Mary's last took on San Francisco a season ago in a 1-1 draw, and look for their third consecutive match without a loss against the Dons.
ABOUT THE DONS (3-4-1, 0-1-0 WCC)
Following a 3-11-4 record in 2025, the San Francisco Dons were picked to finish last in this year's West Coast Conference preseason poll. The Dons are led by interim head coach Alexis Mata, who was elevated to head coach prior to the season after serving as assistant coach the prior two seasons. As a player, Mata won the 2019 Big West Goalkeeper of the Year Award for the University of Hawai'i and has already led the Dons to three wins this season, matching the program's win total from 2025.
The Dons opened their WCC campaign this past Saturday against Seattle U, falling 4-0 to a Redhawks side with four different goalscorers in the match. San Francisco is led by senior midfielder Sydni Yoshida, who leads the Dons in points with four assists and a goal this season, including a two-assist performance to open the season in the Dons' 4-0 victory over CSU Bakersfield. The Dons are in search of their first victory over the Gaels in Moraga since 2019, as they look for their first top-four WCC finish since 2015.
Kick off for Friday's match is slated for 4 p.m. The match can be streamed live on ESPN+, with tickets available for purchase HERE or at smcgaels.com/tickets.
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Players Mentioned
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