Washington To Take On Seattle U Thursday Night In Cap Hill
August 27, 2025 | Women's Soccer
SEATTLE – The Washington women's soccer team looks to run its unbeaten streak to open the season to five on Thursday, making the short trip across town to Capitol Hill to face Seattle U at Championship Field for a 7:00 p.m. PT kickoff.
Thursday's match will be available for streaming via ESPN+. Links to live coverage are available on the women's soccer schedule page at GoHuskies.com.
SCOUTING SEATTLE U
Julie Woodward is in her 29th season as head coach at her alma mater, guiding the Redhawks since the 1997 season. During her tenure, Woodward has racked up over 350 wins and led SU to eight NCAA Tournament appearances, including five at the Division I level.
The Redhawks, like UW, are off to an undefeated start to the season at 1-0-2, scoring exactly once in all three matches. Seattle U is coming off of an 0-0-2 weekend at the Rumble in the Rockies, drawing 1-1 with host Montana as well as Denver.
The Seattle U attack is led by senior midfielder Caroline Penner, leading the team in goals in back-to-back seasons and earning three-straight All-WAC nods. Penner owns one of SU's three goals early on in 2025.
Junior Kassidy Kirgan is back for her third season in goal for the Redhawks. The 2023 WAC Freshman of the Year owns back-to-back 10-plus win seasons and has allowed two goals in three matches in 2025, making eight saves.
SERIES HISTORY
In 20 all-time meetings between the intra-city foes, Washington is undefeated against Seattle U at 17-0-3, including 7-0-1 in Capitol Hill. The two sides have drawn the last two times out, including a 1-1 scoreline in last season's matchup on Montlake.
LAST MEETING (8/22/24)
SEATTLE - Washington hit the halftime break down a goal in Thursday night's derby matchup with Seattle U but showed its resolve, fighting back to earn a 1-1 draw at Husky Soccer Stadium.
After a pair of decent looks in the early going, the Huskies used some nifty link up play to setup a great chance at the opener in the 18th minute. Taking in a feed from Kolo Suliafu, Alex Buck back heeled directly into Kelsey Branson's path. However, the junior's strike sailed high.
20 minutes later, the Redhawks took the lead off an indirect free kick as Caroline Penner headed home Jourdyn Curran's in-swinging service.
Needing an equalizer, the Huskies came out of the halftime break firing. Buck nearly broke through for the Dawgs in the 64th minute, seeing her volleyed strike clatter off the crossbar and bounce straight down near the goal line.
Play was stopped for review, but with no conclusive evidence available, the no goal ruling was upheld.
Less than 10 minutes later, UW leveled the score as Anna Menti rose above everyone and sent a bullet header into the back of the net off of Andrea Leyva's service.
Shortly after the restart, the Huskies dodged a major bullet after handball was called in the opposite 18-yard box. With an opportunity to retake the lead for SU, Brooke Wilson's ensuing spot kick was sent wide, keeping the score deadlocked at a goal apiece.
Continuing to press on the attack, the Huskies came mere feet short of bagging the late winner. However, Tatum Thomason's would-be decider was cleared off the line as the two sides settled for a 1-1 draw.
HOLDENRIED'S HEATER
With three goals and two assists through four matches, Jadyn Holdenried is tied for the Big Ten lead with eight points this season, quadrupling her total from the 2024 season. Holdenried is the first Husky to score in three-straight matches since Kelsey Branson found the back of the net in four consecutive matches in 2023 and the first Dawg to score in three of UW's first four matches of a season since Karlee Stueckle in 2022.
EVERGREEN EXCELLENCE
Since the start of the 2019 season, the Washington Huskies have dominated within the borders of their home state. Over the last 14 matchups with in-state opposition, Washington has lost just once, posting a 9-1-4 record. The Huskies have not lost to a team from Washington state since dropping a 4-2 meeting with No. 18 Washington State in 2021.
WELCOME BACK, DAWGS
Washington has seen two players return from season-ending ACL injuries in 2025. Maggie Dutra made her collegiate debut against Idaho after going down during the 2024 preseason, while Enora Matté came on as a substitute at UC Irvine, her first action since injuring her knee against Purdue a season ago.
YOU CAN FIND ME IN DA CLUB
One of the more unique paths to the Husky roster comes from junior Avery Nguyen, who was offered a roster spot prior to the start of the 2023 season after a trial during preseason training. A native of the Kansas City metro area and a former standout for Olathe Northwest High School and Sporting Blue Valley, Nguyen led the UW club team in scoring as a college freshman in 2022.
Nguyen has gotten her senior season off to a strong start, scoring her first career goal against Idaho. Nguyen has made 16 career appearances for Washington.
HOME SWEET HOME
Last Sunday's match at UC Irvine was the first and only time during the non-conference season that Washington will be forced to leave the comfortable confines of its home state. UW opened the season with three-consecutive home fixtures at Husky Soccer Stadium. Following Thursday's tilt in Cap Hill, the Huskies will remain on the road at Gonzaga Sunday before concluding the non-conference slate with a meeting with former Pac-12 foe Utah in Seattle. The Huskies open Big Ten play with a road trip south, facing USC at the newly built Rawlinson Stadium.
PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Dating back to the end of the 2023 season, Washington has been defeated on its home soil just once in the last 16 matches at Husky Soccer Stadium. The Huskies own a 11-1-4 home record during the stretch, outscoring opponents 30-7.
ALL ROADS CLOSED
The stout Husky defensive unit, which tied the program record for fewest goals allowed in a single season in 2024, surrendering just 12, is led by senior centerback Kolo Suliafu, who was named to the United Soccer Coaches' Defenders to Watch list. Suliafu, a Second Team All-Big Ten and United Soccer Coaches All-Region selection, Made 35 consecutive starts for Washington before a one-match ban to start the season and contributed to 24 clean sheets throughout her illustrious UW career, including 22 as a member of the starting XI. Suliafu was also ranked as the No. 91 player in all of women's college soccer in TopDrawerSoccer's annual preseason top-100 list.
WATCH OUT!
Suliafu was joined on the Big Ten Players to Watch List by a pair of teammates in junior midfielder Samiah Shell and fifth year Laura Cetina. It was Suliafu's second consecutive appearance on the preseason list.
Shell, a native of Auburn, Washington, is Washington's leading returning scorer with five goals during a breakout sophomore campaign. A former participant in the prestigious High School All-American Game, Shell also dished out three assists in 2024 for 13 total points. The Auburn Riverside HS product opened her Husky scoring account with a goal at No. 10 Santa Clara, also adding a brace in UW's Big Ten road victory over Maryland.
Meanwhile, Cetina is a fresh face to Montlake, joining Washington after playing the last two seasons at UMass Lowell, the former home of Husky All-Big Ten standout Ioanna Papatheodorou. Cetina brings a winning pedigree in tow, having guided Eastern Florida State College to its first-ever NJCAA National Championship in 2021. Prior to coming stateside, the A Coruña, Spain, native scored 38 goals over four seasons for Spanish club Victoria C.F.
SMART COOKIES
For the 10th straight season, Washington has received the United Soccer Coaches Academic Award after earning a 3.67 team GPA.
STARTING XI FIXTURE
Since making seven-straight starts to end her freshman campaign, junior Kelsey Branson has not failed to crack the Huskies' starting XI a single time, a streak spanning 51 consecutive matches. Branson is the only Husky to start all 19 matches in 2023 and all 21 fixtures of 2024.
MIA KICKS CANCER
Washington will be playing for far more than bragging rights and glory on the pitch in 2025, sporting an orange ribbon on the front of its jerseys in support of senior goalkeeper Mia Hamant, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 SMARCB1-deficient kidney cancer. Hamant hopes to return to the pitch in Purple and Gold but will not suit up on the pitch in 2025.
The California native, who recently celebrated her 21st birthday, did more than just perform in her first season as Washington's primary keeper a season ago, she starred. Hamant posted the nation's third-best save percentage in 2024 at .882, while UW collectively hailed the NCAA's top save percentage. Hamant's 0.66 goals against average was the third lowest in a season for a UW keeper, while her seven clean sheets were the sixth most in a season for a Husky.
Hamant, who also excels in the classroom at U Dub as a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District and Big Ten Fall All-Academic honoree, put UW on her back during Washington's postseason run last season. The Redwood HS product was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team after making three penalty saves to lift UW over Iowa into the Big Ten Semifinals, then followed up with more penalty shootout excellence as UW advanced past No. 25 Utah State into the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.
The UW community has rallied around Hamant, with several Husky programs donning orange ribbons in the standout shot stopper's honor. Additionally, a GoFundMe to support the various costs associated with Hamant's care has raised over $125,000 to date. Fans can follow along with Hamant's cancer journey on Instagram at @miakickscancer.
KEEP SLEEPING
Despite grossly outperforming its preseason prognostication of 13th in the 2024 Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll, finishing tied for 5th in the league table and advancing to the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals, Washington once again is not predicted to be amongst the league's top teams. The Huskies were picked to finish ninth in the 2025 iteration of the preseason poll, with USC predicted to win this season's league crown.
2025 Big Ten Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
1. USC
2. UCLA
3. Penn State
4. Michigan State
5. Ohio State
6. Iowa
7. Wisconsin
8. Rutgers
9. Washington
10. Minnesota
11. Purdue
12. Nebraska
13. Michigan
14. Northwestern
15. Illinois
16. Oregon
17. Indiana
18. Maryland
LEFT SIDE, BEST SIDE
Of the 28 members of Washington's 2025 roster, 20 hail from West Coast states, featuring 11 natives of California, eight home state products from Washington and one product of the Portland suburbs in Oregon. However, Washington's squad spans the US and globe, with natives of Georgia, Kansas, Nevada and five internationals donning the Purple and Gold.
CONSISTENCY IS KEY
For the second consecutive season, Washington returns every member of its coaching staff, retaining assistant coaches Cole Schmit, Raphael Cox and Kary Whitney to Nicole Van Dyke's staff. Previously Washington had not returned every member of its coaching staff since 2018.
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
This summer, Washington senior Lucy Newlin was one of two UW athletes selected as a Big Ten's Outstanding Sportsmanship Award honoree, along with baseball's Malakhi Knight. A two-way player on the pitch and in the classroom, Newlin leads through both words and actions, showing consummate respect and sportsmanship for both her teammates and opponents. The NorCal native is also a leader in the community for the Dawgs, consistently rating as one of UW's top participants in community service initiatives. On the field, the Newlin is expected to be a key cog to the Husky defense after battling through nagging injuries in 2024.
CROOTIN' ALL OVER THE WORLD
Washington spanned not only the country to bolster its roster in 2025, the Huskies searched all over the world to bring in the newest group of Dawgs. UW added five Europeans this summer in midfielder Laura Cetina (Spain/UMass Lowell), goalkeeper Cadi Doran (Wales/Liverpool FC), defender Julia Hüsch (Germany/UNC Asheville) and defender Anouk Westphal (Germany/Hertha BSC). Washington also returns junior Belgian international defender/midfielder Enora Matté, who is set to resume action after tearing her ACL during Big Ten play in 2024.
VEGAS BORN, SEATTLE PROUD
Hailing from the Las Vegas desert, Washington sophomore Andrea Leyva and her brother, Seattle Sounders midfielder Danny Leyva now call the Evergreen State home. Andrea has appeared in 20 matches with 13 starts for UW and was ranked as a four star recruit and the No. 39 prospect in the nation by TopDrawerSoccer. Meanwhile, Danny has played in 69 matches for Seattle's MLS club, becoming the third youngest player in league history after coming on as a late substitute in the Sounders' away loss to the Montreal Impact.
MENTI BE
The Leyva's are not the only sibling connection in Seattle. Anna and Sally Menti, who starred at Roosevelt High School, less than three miles from Husky Soccer Stadium, have shared different paths to playing in front of their home state fans. Sally was an All-American midfielder at Santa Clara before signing a short-term contract and later a two-year extension this season with the NWSL's Seattle Reign, making eight appearances with one goal. Meanwhile, Anna is in her third season at UW, making 41 appearances with 27 starts and collecting two goals and two assists along the way.
For more information on Husky Women's Soccer, follow @UW_WSoccer on Twitter and Instagram.
Thursday's match will be available for streaming via ESPN+. Links to live coverage are available on the women's soccer schedule page at GoHuskies.com.
SCOUTING SEATTLE U
Julie Woodward is in her 29th season as head coach at her alma mater, guiding the Redhawks since the 1997 season. During her tenure, Woodward has racked up over 350 wins and led SU to eight NCAA Tournament appearances, including five at the Division I level.
The Redhawks, like UW, are off to an undefeated start to the season at 1-0-2, scoring exactly once in all three matches. Seattle U is coming off of an 0-0-2 weekend at the Rumble in the Rockies, drawing 1-1 with host Montana as well as Denver.
The Seattle U attack is led by senior midfielder Caroline Penner, leading the team in goals in back-to-back seasons and earning three-straight All-WAC nods. Penner owns one of SU's three goals early on in 2025.
Junior Kassidy Kirgan is back for her third season in goal for the Redhawks. The 2023 WAC Freshman of the Year owns back-to-back 10-plus win seasons and has allowed two goals in three matches in 2025, making eight saves.
SERIES HISTORY
In 20 all-time meetings between the intra-city foes, Washington is undefeated against Seattle U at 17-0-3, including 7-0-1 in Capitol Hill. The two sides have drawn the last two times out, including a 1-1 scoreline in last season's matchup on Montlake.
LAST MEETING (8/22/24)
SEATTLE - Washington hit the halftime break down a goal in Thursday night's derby matchup with Seattle U but showed its resolve, fighting back to earn a 1-1 draw at Husky Soccer Stadium.
After a pair of decent looks in the early going, the Huskies used some nifty link up play to setup a great chance at the opener in the 18th minute. Taking in a feed from Kolo Suliafu, Alex Buck back heeled directly into Kelsey Branson's path. However, the junior's strike sailed high.
20 minutes later, the Redhawks took the lead off an indirect free kick as Caroline Penner headed home Jourdyn Curran's in-swinging service.
Needing an equalizer, the Huskies came out of the halftime break firing. Buck nearly broke through for the Dawgs in the 64th minute, seeing her volleyed strike clatter off the crossbar and bounce straight down near the goal line.
Play was stopped for review, but with no conclusive evidence available, the no goal ruling was upheld.
Less than 10 minutes later, UW leveled the score as Anna Menti rose above everyone and sent a bullet header into the back of the net off of Andrea Leyva's service.
Shortly after the restart, the Huskies dodged a major bullet after handball was called in the opposite 18-yard box. With an opportunity to retake the lead for SU, Brooke Wilson's ensuing spot kick was sent wide, keeping the score deadlocked at a goal apiece.
Continuing to press on the attack, the Huskies came mere feet short of bagging the late winner. However, Tatum Thomason's would-be decider was cleared off the line as the two sides settled for a 1-1 draw.
HOLDENRIED'S HEATER
With three goals and two assists through four matches, Jadyn Holdenried is tied for the Big Ten lead with eight points this season, quadrupling her total from the 2024 season. Holdenried is the first Husky to score in three-straight matches since Kelsey Branson found the back of the net in four consecutive matches in 2023 and the first Dawg to score in three of UW's first four matches of a season since Karlee Stueckle in 2022.
EVERGREEN EXCELLENCE
Since the start of the 2019 season, the Washington Huskies have dominated within the borders of their home state. Over the last 14 matchups with in-state opposition, Washington has lost just once, posting a 9-1-4 record. The Huskies have not lost to a team from Washington state since dropping a 4-2 meeting with No. 18 Washington State in 2021.
WELCOME BACK, DAWGS
Washington has seen two players return from season-ending ACL injuries in 2025. Maggie Dutra made her collegiate debut against Idaho after going down during the 2024 preseason, while Enora Matté came on as a substitute at UC Irvine, her first action since injuring her knee against Purdue a season ago.
YOU CAN FIND ME IN DA CLUB
One of the more unique paths to the Husky roster comes from junior Avery Nguyen, who was offered a roster spot prior to the start of the 2023 season after a trial during preseason training. A native of the Kansas City metro area and a former standout for Olathe Northwest High School and Sporting Blue Valley, Nguyen led the UW club team in scoring as a college freshman in 2022.
Nguyen has gotten her senior season off to a strong start, scoring her first career goal against Idaho. Nguyen has made 16 career appearances for Washington.
HOME SWEET HOME
Last Sunday's match at UC Irvine was the first and only time during the non-conference season that Washington will be forced to leave the comfortable confines of its home state. UW opened the season with three-consecutive home fixtures at Husky Soccer Stadium. Following Thursday's tilt in Cap Hill, the Huskies will remain on the road at Gonzaga Sunday before concluding the non-conference slate with a meeting with former Pac-12 foe Utah in Seattle. The Huskies open Big Ten play with a road trip south, facing USC at the newly built Rawlinson Stadium.
PROTECT THIS HOUSE
Dating back to the end of the 2023 season, Washington has been defeated on its home soil just once in the last 16 matches at Husky Soccer Stadium. The Huskies own a 11-1-4 home record during the stretch, outscoring opponents 30-7.
ALL ROADS CLOSED
The stout Husky defensive unit, which tied the program record for fewest goals allowed in a single season in 2024, surrendering just 12, is led by senior centerback Kolo Suliafu, who was named to the United Soccer Coaches' Defenders to Watch list. Suliafu, a Second Team All-Big Ten and United Soccer Coaches All-Region selection, Made 35 consecutive starts for Washington before a one-match ban to start the season and contributed to 24 clean sheets throughout her illustrious UW career, including 22 as a member of the starting XI. Suliafu was also ranked as the No. 91 player in all of women's college soccer in TopDrawerSoccer's annual preseason top-100 list.
WATCH OUT!
Suliafu was joined on the Big Ten Players to Watch List by a pair of teammates in junior midfielder Samiah Shell and fifth year Laura Cetina. It was Suliafu's second consecutive appearance on the preseason list.
Shell, a native of Auburn, Washington, is Washington's leading returning scorer with five goals during a breakout sophomore campaign. A former participant in the prestigious High School All-American Game, Shell also dished out three assists in 2024 for 13 total points. The Auburn Riverside HS product opened her Husky scoring account with a goal at No. 10 Santa Clara, also adding a brace in UW's Big Ten road victory over Maryland.
Meanwhile, Cetina is a fresh face to Montlake, joining Washington after playing the last two seasons at UMass Lowell, the former home of Husky All-Big Ten standout Ioanna Papatheodorou. Cetina brings a winning pedigree in tow, having guided Eastern Florida State College to its first-ever NJCAA National Championship in 2021. Prior to coming stateside, the A Coruña, Spain, native scored 38 goals over four seasons for Spanish club Victoria C.F.
SMART COOKIES
For the 10th straight season, Washington has received the United Soccer Coaches Academic Award after earning a 3.67 team GPA.
STARTING XI FIXTURE
Since making seven-straight starts to end her freshman campaign, junior Kelsey Branson has not failed to crack the Huskies' starting XI a single time, a streak spanning 51 consecutive matches. Branson is the only Husky to start all 19 matches in 2023 and all 21 fixtures of 2024.
MIA KICKS CANCER
Washington will be playing for far more than bragging rights and glory on the pitch in 2025, sporting an orange ribbon on the front of its jerseys in support of senior goalkeeper Mia Hamant, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 SMARCB1-deficient kidney cancer. Hamant hopes to return to the pitch in Purple and Gold but will not suit up on the pitch in 2025.
The California native, who recently celebrated her 21st birthday, did more than just perform in her first season as Washington's primary keeper a season ago, she starred. Hamant posted the nation's third-best save percentage in 2024 at .882, while UW collectively hailed the NCAA's top save percentage. Hamant's 0.66 goals against average was the third lowest in a season for a UW keeper, while her seven clean sheets were the sixth most in a season for a Husky.
Hamant, who also excels in the classroom at U Dub as a College Sports Communicators Academic All-District and Big Ten Fall All-Academic honoree, put UW on her back during Washington's postseason run last season. The Redwood HS product was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team after making three penalty saves to lift UW over Iowa into the Big Ten Semifinals, then followed up with more penalty shootout excellence as UW advanced past No. 25 Utah State into the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.
The UW community has rallied around Hamant, with several Husky programs donning orange ribbons in the standout shot stopper's honor. Additionally, a GoFundMe to support the various costs associated with Hamant's care has raised over $125,000 to date. Fans can follow along with Hamant's cancer journey on Instagram at @miakickscancer.
KEEP SLEEPING
Despite grossly outperforming its preseason prognostication of 13th in the 2024 Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll, finishing tied for 5th in the league table and advancing to the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals, Washington once again is not predicted to be amongst the league's top teams. The Huskies were picked to finish ninth in the 2025 iteration of the preseason poll, with USC predicted to win this season's league crown.
2025 Big Ten Women's Soccer Preseason Poll
1. USC
2. UCLA
3. Penn State
4. Michigan State
5. Ohio State
6. Iowa
7. Wisconsin
8. Rutgers
9. Washington
10. Minnesota
11. Purdue
12. Nebraska
13. Michigan
14. Northwestern
15. Illinois
16. Oregon
17. Indiana
18. Maryland
LEFT SIDE, BEST SIDE
Of the 28 members of Washington's 2025 roster, 20 hail from West Coast states, featuring 11 natives of California, eight home state products from Washington and one product of the Portland suburbs in Oregon. However, Washington's squad spans the US and globe, with natives of Georgia, Kansas, Nevada and five internationals donning the Purple and Gold.
CONSISTENCY IS KEY
For the second consecutive season, Washington returns every member of its coaching staff, retaining assistant coaches Cole Schmit, Raphael Cox and Kary Whitney to Nicole Van Dyke's staff. Previously Washington had not returned every member of its coaching staff since 2018.
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
This summer, Washington senior Lucy Newlin was one of two UW athletes selected as a Big Ten's Outstanding Sportsmanship Award honoree, along with baseball's Malakhi Knight. A two-way player on the pitch and in the classroom, Newlin leads through both words and actions, showing consummate respect and sportsmanship for both her teammates and opponents. The NorCal native is also a leader in the community for the Dawgs, consistently rating as one of UW's top participants in community service initiatives. On the field, the Newlin is expected to be a key cog to the Husky defense after battling through nagging injuries in 2024.
CROOTIN' ALL OVER THE WORLD
Washington spanned not only the country to bolster its roster in 2025, the Huskies searched all over the world to bring in the newest group of Dawgs. UW added five Europeans this summer in midfielder Laura Cetina (Spain/UMass Lowell), goalkeeper Cadi Doran (Wales/Liverpool FC), defender Julia Hüsch (Germany/UNC Asheville) and defender Anouk Westphal (Germany/Hertha BSC). Washington also returns junior Belgian international defender/midfielder Enora Matté, who is set to resume action after tearing her ACL during Big Ten play in 2024.
VEGAS BORN, SEATTLE PROUD
Hailing from the Las Vegas desert, Washington sophomore Andrea Leyva and her brother, Seattle Sounders midfielder Danny Leyva now call the Evergreen State home. Andrea has appeared in 20 matches with 13 starts for UW and was ranked as a four star recruit and the No. 39 prospect in the nation by TopDrawerSoccer. Meanwhile, Danny has played in 69 matches for Seattle's MLS club, becoming the third youngest player in league history after coming on as a late substitute in the Sounders' away loss to the Montreal Impact.
MENTI BE
The Leyva's are not the only sibling connection in Seattle. Anna and Sally Menti, who starred at Roosevelt High School, less than three miles from Husky Soccer Stadium, have shared different paths to playing in front of their home state fans. Sally was an All-American midfielder at Santa Clara before signing a short-term contract and later a two-year extension this season with the NWSL's Seattle Reign, making eight appearances with one goal. Meanwhile, Anna is in her third season at UW, making 41 appearances with 27 starts and collecting two goals and two assists along the way.
For more information on Husky Women's Soccer, follow @UW_WSoccer on Twitter and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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