Complete Game Notes
Game #1: Lincoln (0-0) vs. Minnesota Crookston (0-0)
Date: Friday, Sept. 6, 2024
Time: 4:00 p.m. CDT
Site: Bob Young Field in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Live Stats: https://usfcougars.com/sidearmstats/wsoc
Live Video: https://www.nsicnetwork.com/usfcougars
 
Game #2: Lincoln at Sioux Falls (0-0)
Date: Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024
Time: 11:00 a.m. CDT
Site: Bob Young Field in Sioux Falls, S.D.
Live Stats: https://usfcougars.com/sidearmstats/wsoc
Live Video: https://www.nsicnetwork.com/usfcougars
 
THE TIP OFF:  It's a new era for Lincoln University as a season full of history-making moments kicks off in South Dakota this weekend. The first-ever LU women's soccer team takes the pitch for the first time when Lincoln plays in the USF Fall Brawl against a pair of opponents out of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The first game in program history is scheduled for Friday (Sept. 6), as the Blue Tigers play Minnesota Crookston at 4:00 p.m. CDT. On Sunday (Sept. 8), Lincoln faces the host of the classic, Sioux Falls, in an 11:00 a.m. CDT match. The Blue Tigers, under the leadership of head coach Leah Stringer, will play an 18-game schedule this fall with all future home games being played on the soccer field over at Jefferson City High School.
 
FAST BREAKS
- Lincoln officially announced it was adding women's soccer on Jan. 26, 2023. The Blue Tigers sponsored a men's team in the late 1990s, but this will be the first-ever women's soccer team in LU history.
 
- Minnesota Crookston went 0-18 in 2023 and is playing for its first victory since beating Upper Iowa, 2-1, on Oct. 7, 2022.
 
- Friday's match is the only neutral site game for Lincoln this season.
 
- Sioux Falls went 3-11-3 in 2023.
 
PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Lincoln is fielding a roster of 19 players, including three keepers: Abigail Hunt, Kanon Dehama and Michelle Granja. Freshman Jia Diaz is a four-time all-district performer, transfer Ivanna Faria led Barton to an NJCAA championship appearance, Grace Larson scored 101 career goals in high school and Carolina Dos Santos is an Academic All-American.
 
HEAD COACH LEAH STRINGER:  No stranger to NCAA Division II or the state of Missouri, Leah Stringer is in her first year coaching LU on the field after spending the previous three seasons as an assistant at Missouri Western. Stringer helped lead the Griffons to the No. 13 national ranking in 2021 and helped the team post a .708 win percentage that season. Stringer, who was the interim coach of the Griffons in 2022, has developed six All-MIAA performers and three all-tournament selections.
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN EAGLES:  Minnesota Crookston has a young team with 18 players who are freshmen or sophomores. The Golden Eagles do return eight starters, including leading scorer Brooklyn Fischbach, Sarah Burgum and Kedin Geremiah. Minnesota Crookston scored just three goals last year but have 15 returners, including goalkeeper Emma Stempien.
 
UMC HEAD COACH NEIL MANCKTELOW:  In his second season as the head coach of the Golden Eagles, Neil Mancktelow has four years as a head coach under his belt. From 2018-20, Mancktelow was the head coach at Mount Marty, leading a team that consistently improved both offensively and defensively. Mancktelow previously was an assistant coach at Division I South Dakota.
 
SCOUTING THE COUGARS:  Six of the seven USF players who scored at least one goal in 2023 are back for 2024, including Sarah Miller, who had four goals a year ago. Mariah Siem scored a pair of goals while Hannah Welch registered two assists. Caroline Titze, who started 13 games in goal in 2023, and Delani Daubman, who had a pair of wins in the net, are also back this fall.
 
USF HEAD COACH BRITTANY DOMINO:  In her 10th year as the head coach at Sioux Falls, Domino has led the Cougars to 25 victories, including 23 against conference opponents. Domino, a four-year starter at the University of Nebraska, has coached at her alma mater as well as at Emporia State and Missouri-Kansas City.
 
WELCOME TO THE GLVC: Beginning in 2024-25, all Lincoln sports teams, including the brand new women's soccer program, will compete as full members of the GLVC (Great Lakes Valley Conference). LU had been a full member of the MIAA since 2011 but joins a new conference while adding men's and women's soccer as well as baseball this year. Nine members of the GLVC are based in the state of Missouri while two more are close to the state's border in Illinois. Lincoln's longest road trip in the new conference will be to Indianapolis.
 
PRESEASON POLL:  With Lincoln fielding a brand new program, the Blue Tigers were picked 15th in the GLVC preseason coaches poll. With 13 first-place votes, Maryville was picked to win the league while McKendree earned a first-place vote and was chosen second. Drury was selected third and Lewis, which received the final first-place vote, rounding out the top--four.
 
LET'S PLAY TWO:  Similarly to basketball, both women's and men's soccer play the same team on the same day in league play in the GLVC, so every conference match will be a double-header. For Friday night match-ups, the women usually play at 5:00 p.m. CT while the men take the pitch at 7:30 p.m. CT. For Sunday contests, the women normally play at noon with the men playing at 2:30 p.m. CT.
 
HOME COOKING:  From a travel perspective, Lincoln has a favorable schedule for the first part of the season. Following this weekend's trip to South Dakota, the Blue Tigers will not leave the state of Missouri again until October 11, when LU plays at Indianapolis. Before then, Lincoln will host five home matches.
 
HOMECOMING:  LU's new soccer programs will be active on Homecoming weekend (Oct. 4-6). Both squads host McKendree on Friday and welcome Maryville on Sunday. LU football plays Lincoln (CA) that Saturday.
 
JOIN THE CLUB:  The Blue Tiger Athletics Club is a great way to engage with other LU fans while supporting all Lincoln student-athletes. Every dollar raised by the club goes towards scholarships, improving the facilities and purchasing equipment. To join the BTAC, or to learn more, please visit www.LUBlueTigers.com/BTAC.
 
WATCH LIVE:  Fans who are unable to attend a game in person will still be able to cheer on their Blue Tigers to victory via the GLVC Sports Network. All nine Lincoln home games will be broadcast live and can be watched at https://www.glvcsn.com/lincolnbluetigers/.
 
GEAR UP FOR THE GAME:  Lincoln fans can get everything they need for the game at www.BlueTigersStore.com, the official online store for LU athletics. Everything from jerseys to office supplies can be found on the site, with a portion of all online sales going to benefit Lincoln athletics.
 
NEXT UP:  Lincoln plays the first two home games in the history of LU women's soccer next week, with both of the matches played at Jefferson City High School Soccer Field. On Wednesday (Sept. 11), the Blue Tigers will play their first-ever home match at 6:00 p.m. CDT when Lincoln hosts William Woods. On Friday (Sept. 13), both of LU's soccer teams will be on the pitch to host Harris Stowe, with the women's game starting at 5:00 p.m. CDT.