COMING UP: at The Master's, Thursday, 5 p.m.; at No. 11 Hope International, Saturday, 4:30 p.m.

COMPLETE WEEKLY MEDIA NOTEBOOK
 
GAME DAY INFORMATION: Both matches in California will be streamed on the GSAC Sports Network – Thursday at The Master's and Saturday at Hope International - with Live Stats available through OIT's SIDEARM Stats Portal.
 
MULTIMEDIA: All photos from the 2024 season will be posted online via the OIT Women's Soccer Flickr Page, while highlight clips will be posted online via the OIT Women's Soccer YouTube Channel.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – THE MASTER'S: OIT heads to SoCal on Thursday for the first of two weekend games, matching up against The Master's in Santa Clarita. The Mustangs (2-0) finished 2023 with a 8-5-3 record and have opened 2024 with a 3-1 win over Bushnell and a 3-0 win over La Sierra – getting a goal and an assist from returning forwards Hannah Kopp (5 goals, 6 assists in 2023) and Sinclair Francescon (7 goals, 1 assist). TMU's defense is paced by All-GSAC holding midfielder Kate Marcial, along with returning keeper Autumn Jensen (1.06 GAA, .782 save pct, 61 saves). The two teams have met once previously, with the Mustangs traveling to the Basin in 2011 and topping Tech, 2-1.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – HOPE INTERNATIONAL: The trip ends against a nationally-ranked foe, as No. 11-ranked Hope International hosts the Lady Owls. HIU (1-0) won the GSAC Tournament in 2023, advancing to the NAIA national quarterfinals and opened the new season with a convincing 3-0 victory at Soka. GSAC Player of the Year and All-America forward Cristiane Sundstrom (19 goals, 10 assists), a Utah State transfer, is the Royals top player – posting a goal and an assist in the opening win. All-GSAC midfielder Ryley Candelario (9 goals, 5 assists) and All-GSAC keeper, Cal State-Bakersfield transfer Haley Slouka (1.03 GAA, .736 save pct, 4 ShO) returns to anchor the defense. It is the first-ever meeting between the teams.
 
OFF TO CALIFORNIA: The trip this weekend to the Los Angeles metro is the fifth trip in program history to Southern California, with OIT 2-4-1 in games played in the region – including two trips to NAIA Opening Round sites in Santa Barbara in 2020 and 2021. Northern California, on the other hand, has been a familiar place for the Lady Owls, playing games in the region in 22 of 25 seasons (including next weekend's trip to Redding) – as Tech is 30-12-2 NorCal games – with OIT failing to play a game in the Golden State only in 2011.
 
AGAINST THE NEW GSAC: Both California schools are members of the newly named Great Southwest Athletic Conference (formerly Golden State Athletic Conference) – part of a string of 4-straight contests against the fellow NAIA league. The 8-team circuit has lost 12 members over the last 14 years – including each of the original members (all to the NCAA). Tech is 2-4-1 all-time against current GSAC members (including Saturday's win over Arizona Christian), with the team a combined 13-12-1 all-time against all GSAC teams.
 
VS. THE TOP-25: Tech looks to snap a 4-match winless streak against Top-25 opponents, dating back to a 1-0 win over No. 2-ranked Spring Arbor at the 2021 NAIA Championships. OIT is 0-3-1 against Top-25 teams since that win, with the draw occurring vs. No. 25 Eastern Oregon in 2022.
 
SUCCESS ON THE TURF: During the 25 seasons of women's soccer at OIT, the Lady Owls are 108-58-18 in matches played in Klamath Falls. Since the school installed turf at the on-campus venue in 2017, Tech has been dominant, recording a 39-4-7 mark, including a 1-0 record in 2024 – riding a 5-match unbeaten streak.
 
QUICKEST GOAL EVER: Fans who arrived late to the Saturday morning match vs. Arizona Christian missed the opening goal, as Kayla Ness slotted home a counter 22 seconds into the contest, paving the way for a 3-0 Lady Owls win. It was the sixth time in program history Tech scored within the first minute of play – with the Saturday goal surpassing a strike by Lindsey Selle vs. Jessup in 2004 occurring just 28 seconds into a match. The Cascade Conference record is 19 seconds into a contest by College of Idaho in 2012.
 
FRESHMEN TAG TEAM A GOAL: Playing in just their second collegiate game, the duo of Raeah Raymondo and Caitlyn Price combined for the final goal of the day against ACU. Working the left side of the field, Raymondo played a short cross inside the area – with Price driving a low shot into the right corner of the net. It was the first goal by an OIT freshmen since the 2022 seasons.
 
LEWIS PICKS UP WHERE SHE LEFT OFF: Midfielder Brianna Lewis led the Lady Owl offense with 11 total points in 2023 – and started the new season off with a 3-point contest vs. ACU. The senior assisted on the opening goal of the match with a pretty cross to the back post, while adding a goal in a 1-on-1 situation following a great through-ball from Kaylie Hashizaki.
 
A CLEAN SHEET: For a second-straight match, the OIT defense was stout – limiting ACU to just six total shots in the morning contest. Sydni Nakamura was up to the task in goal, making five saves to complete the clean sheet – moving the fifth-year senior into sole possession of third on the career shutout list with 12.
 
OWLS PICKED SEVENTH IN CCC POLL: Tech was picked seventh in the 2024 Cascade Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll, released Aug. 7 by the league office. The Lady Owls received 97 voter points from the 13 league coaches following a 7-5-4 season, with the club returning 10 starters, including a trio of All-CCC performers. CCC regular-season and tournament champ, College of Idaho, was the unanimous choice to repeat as champions, earning all 13 first-place votes and 169 voter points. Eastern Oregon (144), Carroll (129), Northwest (115) and Corban (114) round out the Top-5.
 
AROUND THE CONFERENCE: Both OIT and Southern Oregon earned multi-goal wins over Arizona Christian, while College of Idaho had two impressive results in Arizona against Top-25 GSAC teams – defeating Embry-Riddle, while playing OUAZ to a draw. Multnomah opened their season going 1-1-1 against Division III teams, with Eastern Oregon playing D-II Northwest Nazarene and Westminster to draws. This week, Providence joins the Lady Owls in California (playing Providence Christian and Life Pacific), Multnomah and Bushnell each host Pacific Union, Carroll plays two D-II schools (Black Hills State and MSU-Billings), while six teams face D-III teams.
 
RECORD BOOK: Two players rank within the Top-20 of the OIT career record book. Forward Kiah Wetzell sits at No. 15 in goals scored (14) and No. 16 in total points (34), while keeper Sydni Nakamura is No. 3 all-time in shutouts (12), No. 6 in goalie wins (14) and No. 7 in saves (112).
 
LOOKING AHEAD: OIT closes out the non-conference schedule in Redding, Calif., with matches against Park-Gilbert (Sept. 12) and Simpson (Sept. 14).