COMING UP: vs. Bushnell, Friday, 2:30 p.m.; vs. Corban, Saturday, 2:30 p.m.

COMPLETE INTERACTIVE WEEKLY MEDIA NOTEBOOK
 
GAMEDAY INFORMATION: Both weekend games will be carried live on the Owls Sports Network with Mike Safford calling the action will feature, while Live Stats for both matches will be available via OIT's SIDEARM Stats Portal. In addition, the first 50 fans to Friday's match vs. Bushnell will receive a free OIT soccer scarf – with free scarves to be thrown into the crowd following every OIT goal.
 
NOTE START TIMES: During the 2023 season, women's games will close every Cascade Conference doubleheader – including this weekend, where both games are set for 2:30 p.m. starts (following the men's contest).
 
MULTIMEDIA: All photos from the 2023 season will be posted online via the OIT Women's Soccer Flickr Page, while highlight clips and interviews will be posted online via the new OIT Women's Soccer YouTube Channel.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – BUSHNELL: The home opener Friday pits Tech against a Bushnell side that snapped a 21-match losing streak against Lewis & Clark. The Beacons (1-3, 0-1 CCC), coming off a tough 0-17 season, have scored three goals this season, while opponents hold a 64-35 edge in total shots – but feature offensive threats in Lexis Canyete-Asato (1 goal), Myla Chow (1 goal) and Niamhie Taylor-Hughes (1 goal). BU is paced in goal by keeper Lexi Bates (2.00 GAA, 27 saves, .786 S%), who kept the club in tough games vs. Simpson, George Fox and Corban.
 
HISTORY VS. THE BEACONS: Tech has dominated the series with Bushnell, holding a 19-2-1 all-time record – including wins in each of the last seven match-ups, with the Owls outscoring the Beacons, 31-0, during the stretch. It is the 13th meeting in the Basin, with OIT posting a 10-1-1 mark.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – CORBAN: Coming off an 11-4-3 season, Corban put together a tough preseason schedule with the Warriors (3-2-2, 1-0) earning a road win at Arizona Christian, a draw vs. Taylor and a close loss to Embry-Riddle. The Salem school has averaged 1.4 goals per game, led by All-CCC forward Alysia Alvarado (4 goals, 1 assist) and midfielders Fatima Jimenez (3 goals, 1 assist) and Kalli Huskic (1 goal, 2 assists). All-CCC keeper Makida Herbert (1.20 GAA, 24 saves, .816 S%) is among the top netminders in the league.
 
HISTORY VS. THE WARRIORS: Saturday's match-up marks the 36th meeting between the longtime rivals, with Corban holding an 18-13-4 all-time series edge. Last season, the Warriors outlasted Tech in a driving Willamette Valley rainstorm, 2-0, but the Owls have posted wins in the last two meetings in Klamath, though Corban has a 8-6-1 record in the Basin.
 
FINALLY A HOME GAME: After having an August date moved to California due to wildfire smoke, the Lady Owls finally will play in the Basin – with the Sept. 22 date the latest home opener in program history. The 2023 opener breaks the record of the latest opening day set in 2001, a Sept. 21 match-up against Cascade College. Over the first 23 seasons of women's soccer, OIT has compiled a 13-7-3 mark in home openers – with last season's 2-1 win over Menlo extending a home opener win streak to five games.
 
SUCCESS ON THE TURF: Tech has a 104-57-17 record in home games since 2000 – split between the OIT Soccer Field and Trevor Darrah Field at Steen Sports Park. Since turf was installed in the campus facility in 2017, the Lady Owls have been nearly unbeatable, recording a 35-3-6 record.
 
JACOBSON NEXT HAT TRICK: Heading into the season, the Lady Owls knew Kiana Jacobson was going to be a key component for the 2023 squad. The Cascade Conference learned Saturday that the transfer will be a force to be reckoned with, as Jacobson recorded the second hat trick by a CCC player this season in the road win at Warner Pacific. The forward took a thru-ball from Shalynai Naputi and converted from the left side of the box in the 17th minute, while two minutes later, took a pass from Brianna Lewis and scored, extending the margin. In the final 45, Jacobson was called on from the penalty spot – converting Tech's first penalty kick of 2023.
 
ALL-TIME HAT TRICKS: The 3-goal game by Kiana Jacobson marked the 26th match an OIT player recorded a hat trick or better and the 18th player to achieve the feat. Current teammate, Kiah Wetzell, was the last to record a hat trick, scoring three goals during a 2021 playoff game vs. Northwest. Five players have recorded multiple hat tricks, as Dena Young, Katie O'Brien and Crystal Foster each recorded three hat tricks in their Tech careers, with Maddie Miller adding two hat tricks.
 
11-v-10: A tactical foul to thwart a breakaway goal late in the first half at Multnomah, led to an OIT red card – forcing the Owls to play the final 48 minutes of the match down a player. Despite the disadvantage, Tech held the run of the pitch against the Lions, getting the first career goal from junior Brianna Lewis to square the match with 19 minutes remaining. Unfortunately, the numbers caught up to the squad, as the lone shot of the period – an unmarked header off a corner kick, allowed MU to earn the victory.
 
ANOTHER CLEAN SHEET: Facing a Warner Pacific side that played nationally-ranked Southern Oregon to a draw the day prior, the Lady Owls posted their most complete game of the season, rolling to a 3-0 victory on Saturday afternoon. Key to the victory was the play of the OIT defense – including freshmen backs Chloe Cook and Kaylie Hashizaki, along with senior keeper Sydni Nakamura. Nakamura posted her third shutout in four outings, making six saves along the way.
 
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: The opening of the Cascade Conference schedule saw College of Idaho complete a perfect road trip to Washington, including a win at defending league champ, Northwest, while both Carroll and Corban opened 1-0, as the Saints topped Rocky Mountain and Corban stopped Bushnell. Week 2 in the CCC will have OIT and Southern Oregon hosting Bushnell and Corban, Multnomah and Warner Pacific making the trip to Montana for games at Providence and Carroll, with Evergreen State traveling to Northwest and Rocky Mountain trekking to EOU and C of I.
 
LEAGUE LEADERS: As a team, OIT ranks No. 5 in the Cascade Conference in shots per game (11.40), assists per game (1.00) and goals against average (1.00), ranking No. 7 in goals per game (1.00). Individually, Shalynai Naputi ranks No. 5 in shots per game (3.4), Sydni Nakamura is No. 5 in goals against average (1.00), with Kiana Jacobson No. 9 in goals scored (3).
 
NEXT WEEK: The Lady Owls hit the road for a tough trip beginning next Friday (Sept. 29) at Eastern Oregon, followed by a date Saturday (Sept. 30) at No. 17-ranked College of Idaho.