Concordia was the only PacWest team to get through the first weekend of play completely unscathed, topping two of the top teams in the CCAA. Ashley Grubert led the way for the Golden Eagles with two goals and an assist for Player of the Week. Dominican split a pair of matches with goalkeeper Michelle Salas Viniegra notching a shutout with six saves against NNU.

2026 Results/Schedule
2026 Standings
2026 Statistics
2026 National Poll
 
TEAM OF THE WEEK: Concordia Golden Eagles                                                                                           
Concordia is the Team of the Week after winning a pair of matches in Arcata to start the year 2-0. On Thursday, the Golden Eagles built a 2-0 first half lead against Stanislaus State and then held on for the 2-1 win. Bella Barrett and Ashley Grubert each scored within 42 seconds of each other in the neutral site victory. Against host Cal Poly Humboldt, CUI scored twice in the final six minutes to rally for a 3-2 victory. Grubert and Sarah Venegas put balls in the net, and Barrett pocketed the game winner with less than a minute left. The Lumberjacks were picked second in the CCAA preseason poll and the Warriors were fourth.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Concordia’s Ashley Grubert, MF, Sr., 5-2, Irvine, Calif                                          
Concordia’s Ashley Grubert had just two shots during the opening weekend but she made them both count. The hometown native scored on a penalty kick to help preserve a 2-1 win over Stanislaus State, and she also had an assist earlier in that match. In a comeback win over Cal Poly Humboldt, the 2025 Third Team All-PacWest selection tied the match early in the second half in what ultimately became a 3-2 Golden Eagle win.

DEFENDER OF THE WEEK: Dominican’s Michelle Salas Viniegra, GK, Sr., 5-8, Rohnert Park, Calif.        
Dominican’s Michelle Salas Viniegra gave up just one goal in 180 minutes and totaled eight saves as the Penguins split a pair of matches. The senior had six saves in a 1-0 home shutout of Northwest Nazarene to help celebrate Dominican’s new turf at Kennelly Field on Thursday, and then allowed just one early goal in a 1-0 loss at Chico State. Salas Viniegra, who played a key defensive role in the Penguins’ 2025 run to the PacWest title match, ranks in Dominican’s single season top-10 in wins, shutouts, goals-against average and save percentage.

PACWEST NEWS AND NOTES: Dominican, Point Loma and Vanguard all split matches on opening weekend. The preseason favorite Sea Lions went to Colorado and lost to UC Colorado Springs and defeated MSU Denver, while the Lions stayed home and lost to UC Merced, but defeated CSU Dominguez Hills…Briley Phelps (Biola), Jennifer Alvarez (Vanguard) and Emma Naftzger (Point Loma) each had two goals in two matches to kick off 2026…So did Concordia’s Bella Barrett (see above), who tallied her 10th career game-winner and moved into sole possession of second place in CUI's record book in that category…Westmont’s Ellie Ludwig gave up just one total goal in two matches as the Warriors tied CSU San Marcos (0-0) and lost to CSU Dominguez Hills, 1-0.

LOOKING AHEAD: 21 non-conference matches are on the slate this week, highlighted by a Saturday night match-up between PacWest preseason favorite Point Loma and CCAA preseason pick Cal Poly Pomona. In the perennial national power category, the Broncos were the 2024 NCAA national champs and the Sea Lions won the 2023 national crown. To see the complete list of matches this week, click here.