Tag: soccer
Premier League Overview
by Pippa Jones ‘28 on September 25, 2025
Professional Sports
As we head into the second month of the Premier League, the predictions of this season’s victor begin to roll in. Reflecting on last season’s stats, it’s not shocking Liverpool is still at the top of the leaderboard, closely trailed by Arsenal. Liverpool kicks off the season with 15 points through an undefeated five-game start. Throughout these games, Liverpool netted 11 goals, only conceding five, with Mohamed Salah leading the pack with four goals. Right behind Liverpool is Arsenal, who has 10 points so far throughout their three wins, one draw, and one loss. Across their five games, Arsenal has scored 10 goals and only conceded one, with Victor Gyökeres netting three goals. Coming in No. 3 is Tottenham, who, having an unfortunate season last year, have begun to redeem themselves by being at the top of the board. Just trailing Arsenal is Tottenham with a record of three wins, one draw, and one loss, netting eight goals and conceding one throughout.
Their top scorers are Brazilian superstar Richarlison and Brennan Johnson, each with two goals. The top scorer in the Premier League, unsurprisingly, is Erling Haaland from Manchester City. With a solid start to the season, the Norwegian has already netted five goals, though Manchester City has fallen to an unimpressive No. 8.
A big upcoming game is the infamous derby game, showcasing No. 2 Arsenal and No. 3 Tottenham on Nov. 22 at Emirates Stadium, home of the Arsenal Gunners. On Nov. 9, Liverpool travels to Anfield Stadium to face Manchester City for another high-profile match. With Tottenham losing their star player Son Heung-Min, fans are wondering what players to watch out for. Mohammed Kudus from Ghana is a budding star who was acquired by Tottenham Hotspur for a £55 million, six-year contract from West Ham United. Most known for his attacking midfield play, Kudus has already recorded two assists in the match against Burnley, a promising replacement to fill the big shoes of Son. Liverpool’s star player, Mohamed Salah, is going on his ninth season at Liverpool. Known for his speed and his consistency of goal scoring, Salah looks to make as big an impact as ever. Salah is a favorite for the Golden Boot and Ballon d’Or awards already this season. Arsenal’s ace is Bukayo Saka, who has won Arsenal player of the season for two seasons in a row. The attacking midfielder has recently been sidelined due to an injury, though it was determined not to be as bad as fans feared. It is known that Saka did not play in the match against Manchester City on Sept. 21, as coach Mikel Arteta is taking a cautious approach to having his star player make a full recovery.
The top teams to look out for are Manchester City, Chelsea, and Brighton. Manchester City finished last year in third and are predicted to make a comeback, despite falling behind so far. Currently sitting at No. 6 is Chelsea. Finishing last season at No. 4, Chelsea is a dependable team consistently succeeding within the league. Finally, Brighton finished at No. 8 last year but has gained some new impactful players, such as 18-year-old Charalampos Kostoulas.
Women’s Soccer is Back
by Elsie Husted ’28 on September 18, 2025
Friar Sports
The Providence College women’s soccer team’s 2025–26 season is underway. Last year, the Friars had a disappointing end to their season, narrowly missing out on the playoffs with a record of 6–9–2. Although the Friars had a less than satisfying season, several players found their stride and will make key contributions this year. Additionally, the team has added 11 new players in the offseason: nine freshmen and two transfer students. The Friars are focused on winning more games and clinching a postseason spot.
The Friars’ hard work has shown through in the first games of the season. Currently, the Friars have a winning record of 3–1–1. With three wins already under their belt, the Friars are ranked No. 1 in the Big East Soccer standings. The Friars can build on this early success, keep the momentum going, and keep the wins coming.
In the first game of the season, Providence beat Army University at Chapey Field, 1–0. Lily Gibbs ’29 scored her first career goal to clinch the game. On Aug. 24, the Friars beat Northeastern University 2–1 in Boston. The following week, the Friars fell to the University of Rhode Island with a score of 2–0. Later, the Friars got back in the win column at home against Sacred Heart University, 1–0. Most recently, Providence tied Cornell University this past week, 1-–1. Several PC players have already been recognized by the Big East for their outstanding academic and athletic achievements this season.
Stephanie Schoeley ’28 was named Defensive Player of the Week for the week of Sept. 1–7. Schoeley came off a successful summer, winning the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football U20 Championship with Team Canada. She kept the momentum going when she helped Providence’s defense hold Sacred Heart to 0 goals. Last year, Schoeley started all 17 games for Providence and has logged 445 minutes so far this season. There’s no doubt that Schoeley will be a key player for the Friars this season.
Isabella Kloock-Jensen ’29 was named to the Big East Honor Roll for Player of the Week. From Denmark, Kloock-Jenson was a key player in the U16 National League, scoring 21 goals in just 16 games. Kloock-Jenson scored her first goal for Providence in the last minute against Sacred Heart University. Make sure you get down to Chapey Field to help cheer on the Friars to victory. Providence will take on Big East rival, St. John’s University, on Wednesday, Sept. 24. On Saturday, the Friars will travel to New York to play Butler University, who currently holds a record of 3–1–3. Finally, the Friars will kick off October by playing the University of Connecticut on the first of the month. It is shaping up to be another thrilling soccer season in Friartown.
Sport Shorts 9/18
by Sarah Wolff ’28 on September 18, 2025
Featured Slider
Women’s Cross Country:
The Providence College women’s cross country team kicked off its 2025 season with a strong performance at the Friar Invitational on Sept. 5, placing first overall with a total of 20 points. Boston University followed the Friars with 46 points, and Dartmouth College rounded off the top three with 81 points. The team is currently ranked No. 7 nationally in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association preseason poll, which is important to establish their competitiveness and excellence in the sport. Coming up next for the Friars are several upcoming meets, including the Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational on Oct. 3 and the New England Championship on Oct. 10.
Men’s Cross Country:
The Providence College men’s cross country team also opened its 2025 season at the Friar Invitational on Sept. 5. The team finished No. 5 overall with 80 points, trailing Boston University, University of Rhode Island, Dartmouth College, and Brown University. Cormac Dixon ’28 led the Friars with an eighth-place finish in the 6K race, finishing with a time of 18:42.58. Additional top-15 finishes came from Ryan LoCicero ’28 (12th, 18:47.97) and Daniel Prescott ’28 (13th, 18:49.94). The team is ranked No. 8 in the Northeast Region in the USTFCCCA preseason poll. The men’s team will also be competing in Chicago on Oct. 3 and in New Hampshire on Oct. 10.
Volleyball:
The Providence College women’s volleyball team has had a very impressive start to the 2025 season, with a 7–3 overall record as of Sept. 13. They began the season with a 3–0 win over East Texas A&M Commerce, followed by a close 3–2 loss to University of Arkansas at Little Rock and another loss to North Texas University, ending 3-1. However, the team rebounded with a 3–0 win over University of Rhode Island, a 3–0 win over Brown University, but fell again with a 3–2 loss to Bryant University. They then had three consecutive sweeps against University of New Haven, Central Connecticut State University, and Merrimack College. Hopefully, they can carry this momentum into the Big East, as they begin conference play on Sept. 26 after the Tulane Tournament this upcoming weekend.
Women’s Soccer:
The Providence College women’s soccer team has also had a notable start to the 2025 season, with a winning overall record of 3–1–1. They opened with a 1–0 win at home against Army University on Aug. 14, followed by a 2–1 win at Northeastern University on Aug. 24. After a 0–2 loss at the University of Rhode Island on Aug. 30, the Friars bounced back with a 1–0 home win over Sacred Heart University on Sept. 3. Their most recent match on the 11th was a 0–0 draw against Cornell University. Next up for the Friars is on Sept. 17 at 6 p.m. as they are set to host Brown University at Chapey Field.
Women’s Soccer Update
by The Cowl Editor on October 7, 2021
Friar Sports
Friars Picking Up Key Wins
Ben Bilotti ’23
Sports Staff
The Providence College Women’s Soccer team is having a very nice season so far. Since the start of the season, the team has improved their record to 6-3-1. This amounts to a winning percentage of .650. The team has been especially successful at home, winning five of their six games.
The Friars’ most recent win came against the Creighton University Blue Jays. This marked Providence’s first win in Big East Conference play. The Friars won the match with a score of 1-0.
Kyla Gallagher ’23 scored the winning goal in the 94 minute of the match. Goalkeeper Emma Bodmer ’24 earned her third shutout of the season. In the match she had four saves. Creighton’s goalkeeper Keelan Terrell had four saves of her own. However, the one goal against would ultimately decide the match and send the Friars home victorious.
Creighton University is currently 6-5-2 on the season and in preseason play looked to be one of the top teams in the Conference. However, in Conference play this season, the Blue Jays are 0-3-1. The Blue Jays’ lone tie in conference play came against Georgetown University, who is currently sitting on top of the standings with a record of 2-0-2.
Providence College took on #23 Georgetown University on Sunday, Oct. 3, drawing 1-1. They did well to silence Hoya junior Gia Vicari, who entered the game having seven goals coming on 11 shots on goal. The Hoyas also had a talented goalkeeper Allie Auger, who has 34 saves and only seven goals against. Friar forward Gillian Kenney ’25 was able to slide one past Auger in the second half to equalize against the Hoyas, only nine minutes after Georgetown took the lead in the second half. The game would end level and was not a bad result on the road against a talented opponent.
The Friars have one of the top goalkeepers in the Big East in Emma Bodmer. Bodmer was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll on Monday, Sept. 27. For the week Bodmer posted a save percentage of .889. Opponents averaged fewer than one goal against the junior, averaging a 0.48 goal against percentage. In one week, she had eight saves and only one goal allowed. While Bodner has three shutouts in the short season, her shutout against Creighton University was her first individual shutout performance.
This season, Bodmer has a save percentage of .793. She has made 46 saves: only allowing 12 goals in 10 games played. While Georgetown goalkeeper, Allie Auger, has allowed fewer goals against, Bodmer has 12 more saves on the season.
Bodmer has been a very big part of the Friars’ success. She is averaging 1.19 goals against. So far, the sophomore has only allowed more than one goal against twice. The only time this occurred was against No. 5-ranked Wisconsin and No. 22-ranked Rutgers. It’s safe to say when the Friars score two or more goals, they achieve a win with Bodmer in net.
Meg Hughes ’24 and Kyla Gallagher ’24 have been another crucial key to Providence’s success. Hughes has six goals and two assists on the season. Her best performance came against Monmouth University on Sept. 5,, where she led the charge with two goals. The Friars won the match 3-1. Gillian Kenney ’25 also scored her first collegiate goal that match. Gallagher has four goals, and one assist on the season so far. The sophomore’s best performance of the season came against Creighton when she scored the game-winning goal late in the game. Gallagher and Hughes are Providence’s leading goal-scorers thus far.
Providence heads to Villanova, PA to take on the Villanova University Wildcats on Thursday, Oct. 7. In conference play this season, Villanova has come up short with a record of 0-3. The Friars will most certainly look to capitalize and gain some ground in the Big East standings.
After their matchup with the Villanova Wildcats, the Friars will take on Marquette at home on Oct. 10. Then they head to Indianapolis to take on the Butler Bulldogs. Both Butler and Marquette currently sit atop the Friars in the standings. Butler is tied for first along with Georgetown and St. John’s, who all have a conference record of 2-0-2. Marquette sits one place ahead of the Friars with a record of 2-1.
These will be two tough matchups for the Friars. However, do not count them out. Although the team is currently 1-1 in conference play, they showed early that they are a competitive team and are never out of a match.
After their two matches against Marquette and Butler, Providence travels to Queens, NY to take on a tough opponent in first place, St. John’s University. St. John’s looks like they are one of the top teams in the Big East. Like Providence, they play extremely well at home with an overall record of 3-0-2.
The top of the Big East is strong with heavily competitive teams. Strength of schedule does not favor the Providence Friars in the middle of their season. Over their next five matches, the Friars will go up against four of the top teams in the conference. However, the Friars have proven they are a strong and capable squad.
Be sure to mark your calendars for Oct. 21 when the Friars will be playing their Pink Out Game against the University of Connecticut.
Men’s Soccer Preview
by The Cowl Editor on September 3, 2021
Friar Sports
Providence College Men’s Soccer is enjoying a strong start to the season, having won their opening two matches against Fordham University and Saint Peter’s University.
The Friars have buried nine goals between the two games thanks to their relentless attacking style of play, creativity, and clinical finishing in the final third.
Their early performances indicate that this squad has the potential to disrupt the assumed hierarchy of the Big East, which ranked the Friars fourth in the preseason poll behind Georgetown University, Seton Hall University, and Creighton University. Both the Hoyas and Pirates are ranked in the nation’s top 10.
In the season opener against 23rd-ranked Fordham, the Friars successfully defended their home turf at Chappy Field.
Midfielder Luis Garcia ’23 brought his shooting boots that evening, bagging a brace that helped propel the Friars to a 3-0 victory. Both of his goals were well taken; for his first, Garcia created space for himself and fired a low left-footed strike to the far right corner of the net, while his second perhaps required a bit of luck as he scored directly from a corner kick, beating the keeper at his near post.
Davis Smith ’21GS opened his scoring account by capitalizing on an ill-advised back-pass that gave the striker a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. PC was also sharp defensively, and their clean-sheet marked the first time the Friars have not conceded a goal in a season opener against a top-25 program.
PC continued their momentum in Sunday’s match against St. Peter’s, defeating the Peacocks in a highly entertaining 6-2 match.
The high score was a product of a fantastic team effort that saw much of the squad receiving solid minutes and six different names on the score sheet.
Although Saint Peter’s opened the game’s scoring, the Friars quickly drew level after Gevork Diarbian ’24 dusted his defender and dumped the ball off in the box where it eventually found Miguel Candela Bravo ’22, a transfer from Franklin Pierce University, who slid it past the keeper.
Soon after, the Friars took the lead when both Adam Riis ’23 and Thomas Tulgar ’25 pressed high up the pitch to dispossess a Peacock center-back, giving Tulgar a one-on-one with the keeper that he finished with composure.
The game’s best highlight came close to halftime when Kevin Vang ’22 produced a moment of magic, dancing through two Saint Peter’s defenders in a Messi-esque fashion and dishing to Tulger, who sent the ball across the face of goal to striker Brendon McSorley ’24, who made the score 3-1.
In the second half, Davis Smith grabbed his second goal of the season by scavenging a loose ball in the box, and Samuel Biven ’24 grabbed his first collegiate goal through a great individual effort, in which he chased a ball down the right flank, attacked his defender, and created a yard of space as moved the ball to the left foot.
From there, Biven placed the ball past the diving keeper into the bottom right corner of the net. A well taken penalty from Vang in the game’s closing moments completed a satisfying afternoon for the Friars.
Although there were some departures from last season’s squad, the Friars retain many players who made significant contributions from their shortened 2020-21 season.
Midfielder Paulo Lima ’22 and center-back Ramzi Qawasmy ’22 were both named to the preseason All-Big East team and will assume roles as senior leaders both on and off the pitch.
Lima was awarded with an All-Big East First Team selection for the 2020-21 season and possesses many of the qualities one would want in a central midfielder: great vision, physicality, and even the ability to contribute to the score sheet, as he led the Friars in scoring during their 2019 campaign.
As indicated by their first two performances, the Friars are full of attacking potential.
Standing at 6’7”, Davis Smith is a proper no. 9 and is a unique threat that defenses will have to face. Sophomores Brendon McSorley and Gevork Diarbian also have a knack for finding the back of the net, with Diarbian leading the Friars in scoring the previous season.
The Cranston product was one of the most talented freshmen in the conference and will look to build on his already impressive resume in Friartown. Do not be surprised if Diarbian achieves All-Big East First Team status.
Likewise, his fellow Cranstonian, Kevin Vang, has the ability to culminate his career at Providence College with All-Big East accolades. The midfielder stands out for his quickness and exceptional vision, which were both fully on display against Saint Peter’s on Sunday afternoon.
Christopher Roman ’22 is another attacking player to keep an eye on this year. The right winger possesses speed, strength, and the technical ability to create chances for his teammates. He has started all matches for the Friars since 2019 and will likely again be a staple of the squad’s starting XI.
In their next two matches, the Friars will be on the road as they travel north on Friday to face another top-25 program in University of New Hampshire, and then square off against in-state rival University of Rhode Island three days later.
They return to Chappy Field on Friday, September 10 to host Loyola University Maryland. Big East play begins the following week, as the Friars will travel to New Jersey with the goal of conquering last year NCAA semi-finalists Seton Hall, a match every Providence College player and fan should have marked on their calendars.
Likewise, while the rest of the Big East cannot be overlooked, save the date for October 13, when the Friars will host Georgetown, who, like Seton Hall, made the NCAA semifinals last season.
The Hoyas also won the 2019 NCAA tournament and have established themselves as one of the top collegiate programs. Results against Seton Hall and/or Georgetown would be massive for momentum and would help the Friars reach their goal of qualifying for the Big East tournament, which only consists of the top four teams in the conference.
However, given the early season success that has revealed this squad’s quality and cohesion, the Friars will be hungry to achieve more illustrious objectives such as winning the Big East and not only qualifying for, but also making a run in the NCAA Tournament.
Their talent combined with hard work and leadership can definitely help this team accomplish these goals.
Sports Shorts
by The Cowl Editor on September 3, 2021
Sports
Men’s Soccer
The Providence College Men’s Soccer team took on Saint Peter’s University at Chapey Field Sunday, Aug. 29, to improve their record to 2-0-0. Providence College beat Saint Peter’s with a final score of 6-2. Davis Smith ’21GS and Thomas Tuglar ’25 each had a goal and an assist. Miguel Candela ’21 and Brendan McSorely ’24 also each had goals in the match. For the first time since 2011, the Friars scored six goals. The last time was against Seton Hall University.
Women’s Soccer
The Providence College Women’s Soccer team shut out Sacred Heart University on Aug. 25 with a score of 4-0. Fifth-year Amber Birchwell scored early for the Friars. Shortly after, Maria Paveglio ’25 scored her first career goal to make it 2-0. In the second half, Angie Suaza ’23 scored her first career goal, followed by a goal by Kyla Gallagher ’24. Emma Bodmer ’24 earned her first career shutout in net for the Friars. Providence College travels to Piscataway, NJ to take on Rutgers University Sunday, Aug. 29.
Field Hockey
The Providence College Field Hockey Team faced Bryant University on Friday, Aug. 27. The Providence Friars bested the Bryant Bulldogs beating them 4-0. Goals were scored in the first, second, and third quarters by Olivia Ward ’21GS, Roose Michiels ’24, and CeliaPreveza ’25. Sunday Aug. 29, the Friars took on Boston University. Providence beat Boston with a score of 2-1. Ward scored early in the second quarter. In the fourth quarter Niamh Gowing ’21 scored to give the Friars the lead back. Sophomore goalkeeper Asia Porter had an impressive second quarter making four saves in the frame.
Women’s Volleyball
The Providence College Women’s Volleyball team took on Iona College Aug. 28. The Friars took down Iona winning the match 3 sets to 1. In set on Allison Barber ’21GS led the Friars with 13 assists while Maryanne Boyle ’24 and Shaliyah Rhoden ’25 led the set with fourkills apiece. Iona took the second set of the match, but the Friars would come back to win the third and fourth sets. Barber shined in the third set as well with 10 assists and five digs. In the fourth set, Providence led for the majority. Rhoden recorded seven kills on 10 total attacks, and Barber added 15 assists, while leading the team with seven digs.