COMING UP: vs. Benedictine Mesa, Thursday, 2 p.m.

COMPLETE WEEKLY MEDIA NOTEBOOK
 
GAME DAY INFORMATION: Thursday's game with BenU will be carried live on the Owls Sports Network with Mike Safford on the call, Live Stats online through OIT's SIDEARM Stats Portal.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – BENEDICTINE MESA: Tech will open the 2025 season at home, as Benedictine Mesa from Arizona makes the long journey to the Basin to square off against the Lady Owls for the first time. The Redhawks finished the 2024 season with a 3-13-1 record, with opponents outscoring BenU 49-21 in their 17 matches. The current team was picked to finish ninth out of 10 teams in the GSAC preseason poll – with the Redhawks returning two of their top-three scorers  in Brylee Rod (7 goals) and Dahlia Alonso (5 goals, 1 assist).
 
AGAINST THE NEW GSAC: BenU is a member of the Great Southwest Athletic Conference (formerly Golden State Athletic Conference) – part of a string of 4-straight contests against the fellow NAIA league. The 10-team circuit has lost 12 members over the last 14 years – including each of the original members (all to the NCAA), but gained two schools – Soka and La Sierra. Tech is 4-5-1 all-time against current GSAC members, with the team a combined 15-13-1 all-time against all GSAC teams. OIT will play 4-of-6 preseason matches against GSAC teams – traveling to Embry-Riddle and Park Gilbert, while hosting Hope International.
 
SEASON OPENERS: The 2025 season is the 26th anniversary of Oregon Tech women's soccer, with the Lady Owls a combined 8-13-4 in season opening matches – playing six in Klamath Falls, 16 on the road and three at neutral sites. The squad looks to improve on a 3-2-1 record in season opening home matches.
 
PLAYING IN AUGUST: Thursday's game vs. BenU will mark the 22nd-straight (non-COVID) season that the Lady Owls will play a game in August. OIT started play in September during the 2000, 2001 and 2002 seasons, but have had August competition every year since, combining for a 20-20-5 record in the month. Five times, Tech has played just one August match, while the 2006 team played four August contests.
 
SUCCESS ON THE TURF: During the 25 seasons of women's soccer at OIT, the Lady Owls are 113-60-18 in matches played in Klamath Falls. Since the school installed turf at the on-campus venue in 2017, Tech has been nearly unbeatable, recording a 44-6-7 mark (.833 win percentage) – including a 6-2 mark in 2024.

LADY OWLS PICKED SECOND IN CCC POLL: Despite losing seven starters and five All-CCC players to graduation, the Lady Owls were picked second in the 2025 Cascade Conference Preseason Poll. Tech earned 140 voter points from the 13 coaches – trailing only College of Idaho, who advanced to the NAIA national semifinals. Eastern Oregon, Carroll, Southern Oregon and Rocky Mountain round out the Top-6, with OIT having to face all five teams on the road this season.
 
AROUND THE LEAGUE: Seven other CCC teams open the year this week – including Northwest, Corban and Evergreen all meeting D-III Pacific, Bushnell meeting Linfield, Southern Oregon hosting BenU, with Eastern Oregon and College of Idaho each hosting Dordt.
 
A LOOK AT THE LADY OWLS: Picked seventh in the 2024 CCC Preseason Poll, the Lady Owls shocked the league, placing second, finishing 15-6-1 and advancing to the NAIA Tournament. However, Tech must replace CCC Defensive Player of the Year, Carly Moss, CCC Goalkeeper of the Year, Sydni Nakamura, along with top scorers Kiana Jacobson, Brianna Lewis and Kayla Ness – who combined for 19 goals and 13 assists. Without Nakamura, a 3-year starter who posted 11 shutouts a season ago, Tech will turn to a new netminder. Transfers Emma Beavin and Elle Hillar look to have the early edge – Beavin, a sophomore from Lower Columbia CC, with Hillar starting for two seasons at Delta CC in California.  They'll be joined by two returners - redshirt freshman Paige Everson and fifth-year senior, Aeryn Elder. The back line will look different as well – with sophomore Jaylee Curran the lone starter returning. Curran had a banner year, starting 20 matches, posting a pair of goals and adding two assists. Senior Emma Glazebrook and junior Kaylie Hashizaki were part-time starters and will have an expanded role this season. Columbia Basin transfers Olivia Mendoza and Shelby Geiger, along with Ariela Sanchez-Hermosillo from Pima CC, will each make an immediate impact, as all three players earned all-conference honors in 2024. True freshman Alejandra Salcedo, from Selah High in Washington, will battle for minutes. The Owls will turn to returning starters in senior Solei Elletson and junior Chloe Cook in the defensive midfield. Elletson had two goals last season, while Cook – a 2-year starter, had three assists. In the middle of the pitch, the duo of Raeah Raymondo and Miranda Valle are coming off quality 2024 seasons. Raymondo, a sophomore, had four goals and assisted on two others, while Valle has played in 48 career matches – including 28 starts.  On the outside, the Owls are excited for senior Sydney Soskis – coming off an outstanding spring with the OIT track team. The speedster had four assists in 2024 and will be key in the attack. Three returners will be joined by three freshmen – all looking to crack the lineup. Both Kathleen Wyborny and Layne Lively redshirted last season, with Emily Johnson in her third season in the program. Naaliyah Robinson from Seattle, Claire Cowan from Utah and Crescent Valley product Maegan Cooper each had impressive high school resumes. Sophomore Caitlyn Price scored four goals in 2024, with senior Kaelin Ness having played in 37 career matches. Junior Makahl Chambers has provided depth in a reserve role the past two seasons, while junior Ryane Mattox is coming off a redshirt year after earning All-Region honors at Blue Mountain CC. Joining them are four freshman and two transfers – all expected to potentially make an impact. Brynne Cope and Beta Valentine come from Washington – Cope, one of the fastest players on the squad, while Valentine scored over 100 goals in her prep career. Kaia Fetch and Amyrah Hill each earned All-State honors in Oregon – Fetch at Yamhill-Carlton High and Hill at The Dalles High. Juniors Kenna Berry and Hannah Robbins provide experience – Berry from Walla Walla CC and Robbins from Centralia CC.
 
NEXT WEEK: After traveling Saturday to Arcata, Calif., for a scrimmage with Cal Poly Humboldt, the Lady Owls head to Arizona for road matches at Park-Gilbert (Aug. 28) and Embry-Riddle (Aug. 30).