COMING UP: at Benedictine Mesa, Friday, 5:30 p.m.; at No. 3 Embry-Riddle, Sunday, 5 p.m.
 
GAME DAY INFORMATION: Both matches from Arizona will be streamed live on the GSAC Sports Network, with Live Stats through the OIT SIDEARM Stats Platform. Links are available at https://oregontechowls.com/sports/womens-soccer/schedule.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – BENEDICTINE MESA (0-0) | OIT LEADS SERIES, 1-0 | LAST MET IN 2025 (OIT 4, BENU 0): For the second-straight season, Tech and Benedictine Mesa open the season against each other – this time in the Phoenix metro. The Redhawks are coming off a 3-14-1 season and were picked to finish tenth in the 10-team Great Southwest Athletic Conference. Defense was a struggle last year, as BenU allowed 70 goals in 18 matches, but the team returns leading scorer Rylee Hatcher (9 goals), along with midfielder Neshima Rodriguez (1 goal, 2 assists) and defender Cassandra Sandoval. OIT claimed a 4-0 victory in the Basin last year, the first-ever meeting between the sides.
 
OPPONENT PREVIEW – EMBRY-RIDDLE (1-0) | ERAU LEADS SERIES 2-0-1 | LAST MET IN 2025 (ERAU 3, OIT 0): The trip closes at 5,200 feet of elevation in Prescott, as the Owls meet No. 3-ranked Embry-Riddle. The Eagles are coming off their best season in program history, going 20-1-3, advancing to the national semifinals, where they dropped a 4-3 decision to Keiser. ERAU opened the season on the road, topping No. 4-ranked Cumberlands, 3-1, behind strong play from All-America midfielder Jamie Brandon (21 goals, 11 assists in 2025) and All-America forward Samantha Wright (7 goals, 15 assists in 2025). All-America defender Natalia Sepulveda is back, along with forward Tessa Updegraff (11 goals, 3 assists) and keeper Aubrianna Dupre (0.73 GAA, 9 ShO). The two teams met in the high desert last season, with the Eagles earning a 3-0 win.
 
IN ARIZONA: The Lady Owls head to Arizona for the fourth time, previously playing in the desert during the 2019, 2023 and 2025 seasons. OIT is 1-3-1 in games played in the Copper State, including splitting a pair of games last season.
 
SEASON OPENERS: The 2026 season is the 27th year of OIT women's soccer, with the Lady Owls a combined 9-13-4 in season opening matches – playing seven in Klamath Falls, 16 on the road and three at neutral sites.
 
AGAINST THE GSAC: Both BenU and Embry-Riddle are members of the Great Southwest Athletic Conference (formerly Golden State Athletic Conference) – two of three preseason games against teams from the circuit. The 10-team league 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 – during the last two seasons. Tech is 7-6-1 all-time against current GSAC members, with the team a combined 18-14-1 all-time against all GSAC teams.
 
AUGUST MATCHES: Tech will play a match in August for the 23rd-straight (non-COVID) season, with the team 22-21-5 all-time in August games. OIT started play during the month of September during the 2000, 2001 and 2002 seasons, but have had August games every year since.
 
AGAINST THE TOP-25: Sunday's game at No. 3-ranked Embry-Riddle marks the 42nd all-time contest against a Top-25 opponent – and the highest ranked opponent the Lady Owls have faced since playing both No. 2 Spring Arbor and No. 3 Tennessee Southern at the 2021 NAIA Championships. OIT is 6-30-5 all-time vs. the Top-25, but eliminating a 0-21 record vs. Concordia-Portland from 2001-14, Tech is 6-9-5, including a win over No. 11 Hope International in 2024.
 
LADY OWLS PICKED SIXTH: After ending last season in a tie for fifth in the final Cascade Conference standings, the Lady Owls were picked sixth overall in the CCC Preseason Coaches Poll, released earlier in the month. OIT received 105 voter points from the 13 coaches – trailing College of Idaho (164), Eastern Oregon (150), Southern Oregon (140), Rocky Mountain (118) and Carroll (112) – all who will play Tech in the Basin this season.
 
AROUND THE CCC: Four teams opened their 2026 seasons last week, with Northwest earning a win over Park Gilbert, Rocky Mountain playing Montana State-Billings to a draw, while both Corban (to Simpson) and Evergreen (to Park Gilbert) earned losses. Nine teams, including OIT, will play this week, as Warner Pacific meets both Simpson and St. Martin's; Bushnell plays Lewis & Clark, Simpson and Willamette; Northwest meets Puget Sound and Pacific Lutheran; Corban plays Pacific and George Fox; Southern Oregon heads to Life Pacific; with College of Idaho playing three matches in California (vs. Soka, The Master's and Hope International) and Carroll playing two matches in Florida (vs. Keiser and St. Thomas).
 
MOORE CLIMBING LADDER: Beginning his fourth season with the Lady Owls, Tom Moore is one victory away from moving into third place on the OIT all-time wins list. Moore is 32-17-8 in his three seasons, chasing down Bryan Mueller (66 wins) and Brandon Porter (43 wins) on the list.
 
SEASON PREVIEW: A full preview of the 2026 OIT women's soccer team can be found at https://oregontechowls.com/news/2026/8/13/2026-womens-soccer-season-preview.aspx
 
NEXT WEEK: The Lady Owls head to Redding for a pair of matches, meeting Life Pacific (9/4, 11 a.m.) and host Simpson (9/5, 11 a.m.). Tech's first home match is scheduled for Sept. 25 against Southern Oregon.