MONTANA vs WASHINGTON STATE
Sunday, September 21 at 10 a.m. PT/11 a.m. MT
Missoula, Montana at South Campus Stadium
Streaming: ESPN+ (Ace Sauerwein)

WSU WRAPS UP NONCONFERENCE
The Washington State women's soccer team concludes its nonconference schedule with a Sunday morning showdown with the Montana Grizzlies, Sunday, September 21, at 10 a.m. PT (11 a.m. MT). The match at South Campus Stadium will stream live on ESPN+ and marks the 25th all-time meeting between the programs and first in Missoula since September 2017.

THE COUGARS AND THE GRIZZLIES
Washington State and Montana have met regularly throughout their histories, dating back to a 1994 meeting on the Palouse. The Cougs hold a 16-6-2 advantage over the Griz all-time with an active 5-game winning streak and 13-game unbeaten streak. Under Coach Todd Shulenberger, the Cougars have never lost to the Grizzlies, holding a 7-0-1 record since 2015. Two of the last four meetings between the programs have been in the postseason, both home wins for the Cougars. In the last meeting between the side, WSU clinched a 3-0 victory at Lower Soccer Field, August 22, 2024. 

LAST TIME ON THE PITCH
WSU defeated North Dakota State, 2-0 Thursday evening at Lower Soccer Field. The Cougars earned their third shutout of the year and first win at home behind a first-half penalty conversion from Maggie Mace and an insurance goal late in the second-half from Abigail Siddall. Both goals were career Cougar firsts for Mace and Siddall. Aaya McLyn and Zora Standifer saw their first action as Cougs.

COACH TODD SURPASSES 200 MATCHES
Head Coach Todd Shulenberger oversaw his 200th career match at the helm of the Cougar program in WSU's 1-0 win at UC San Diego, September 11. Shulenberger is in his 11th season at the helm of the Cougar soccer program and currently holds a 108-62-32 record. Shulenberger is the longest tenured head coach in WSU soccer history, leading the Cougars to five NCAA Tournaments in 10 seasons, including an historic run to the College Cup and the 2019 national semifinal.

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES
The Grizzlies welcome the Cougs to Missoula with a 5-2-1 record, winners of a Thursday's night home clash with Gonzaga, 4-0. Montana returned eight starters from last season's Big Sky regular season championship team and were picked this preseason to win the Conference in 2025. Under Coach Chris Citowicki in his eighth season, four returning starters earned Big Sky preseason recognition — Maddie Ditta, Chloe Seelhoff, Ally Henrikson and Bayliss Flynn.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Cougars begin the 2025 West Coast Conference schedule, hosting new WCC member Seattle U, Wednesday, September 24, at 7 p.m. at Lower Soccer Field. WSU concludes the weekend with a Saturday evening clash with Santa Clara at 7 p.m. Both matches will stream live on ESPN+.

IF THE GLOVE FITZ
Redshirt-senior goalkeeper Keara Fitzgerald earned the starting nod in the 2025 season opener, returning to the pitch for the first time since October 2023 and the first time in a WSU uniform. Fitzgerald has held down the starting job since, including a career-high 11 saves in a shutout at California, September 4, the most by a Coug 'keeper in five seasons. The performance earned her WCC Defensive Player of the Week, her second-career conference weekly honor. The California senior tallied an assist in the Cougars' draw with No. 13 Georgia, August 31, delivering her second-career assist and the first by a Cougar goalkeeper since Nadia Cooper notched an assist against Colorado in Boulder in 2021.

STANDIFER BETWEEN THE STICKS
Redshirt-senior goalkeeper Zora Standifer made her debut as a Coug, replacing Fitzgerald in goal in the 72nd minute, Thursday in the 2-0 win over North Dakota State. The Long Beach State transfer was not called upon to make a save in the shutout.

STUDER EARNS ALL-WCC PRESEASON
Returning sixth-year senior Jenna Studer was named to the All-WCC preseason team. The California native featured in the Cougars' backline until she suffered a season-ending knee injury at UC Irvine, September 14. The four-year Coug also suffered a season-ending injury in 2023 just two games into the season. During her college career, Studer delivered four goals, including three at WSU, and a pair of assists. Part of the backline and defensive midfield throughout her career, Studer played 46 matches as a Coug, starting 43, and played over 3,500 minutes.

2025 ROSTER RELOAD
The Cougars welcomed 20 new faces, including six transfers and 14 freshmen. WSU retained 10 returnees, including four returning starters, two additional letterwinners, and four redshirts. In the season opener against Utah State, 11 Cougs made their WSU debuts, including seven in the starting lineup. Keara Fitzgerald, Ava Ghoreishi, Kiera Mitchell, Audrey Shackelford, Becca Skinner, Isabelle Wright, and Jordyn Young all made their first career starts at WSU. Ghoreishi, Mitchell, Skinner, and Wright all played their first collegiate game. Maizy Kluksdal, Journey Middleborn, Ana de los Santos, and Emery Streets all made their WSU debuts off the bench. In the Cougars' first road game of the season Elliotte Kortus made her first career start as a Coug, alongside grad transfer Abigail Siddall, starting up top for her first WSU appearance and start. Freshman Ashle Reese saw her first WSU minutes in the Cougs draw with No. 13 Georgia, Aug. 31. The Cougars earned their first home win of the season, Sept. 18, defeating North Dakota State when de los Santos, Kluksdal, and Reese made their first career starts. Aaya McLyn and Zora Standifer played their first Wazzu minutes as substitutes.

OH CAPTAINS, MY CAPTAINS
WSU's senior trio of Maggie Mace, Peyton Price, and Jenna Studer were selected by teammates and staff as the 2025 team captains.