DAYTON – The University of Dayton women's soccer team wraps its road trip to Richmond, Va. with a 1 p.m. match against VCU on Sunday, Oct. 5 at Sports Backers Stadium.
ABOUT DAYTON
Dayton (7-3-2; 4-0-0) is now 2-0 on the road during Atlantic 10 play this season after topping Richmond 1-0 on Thursday night. Sophomore
Laney Smith scored her fourth goal of the season for the Flyers' lone tally, giving her the team lead in points on the season. Keeper
Batoul Reda registered her NCAA-leading ninth shutout of the season.
SCOUTING VCU
The Rams (4-7-2; 2-2-0) have split their first four games of A-10 action, falling to Saint Louis (2-1) and Duquesne (3-0), while topping St. Bonaventure (1-0) and Saint Joseph's (2-0). Isabelle Franklin (2 goals, 4 assists) and Jensyn Lins (2 goals, four assists) leads VCU with eight points on the season. Keeper Mia Pongratz has a 1.86 goals-against average and a .724 save percentage.
SERIES STUFF
Dayton has controlled the recent history of the all-time series with VCU, winning each of the last three meetings, including in Richmond in 2023. The Flyers and Rams played each other twice in 2024, with the Flyers winning 1-0 thanks to a
Kyra Karfonta goal in the regular season, then winning in the A-10 Tournament by the same score thanks to a tally from
Laney Smith.
LAST TIME OUT
• Sophomore forward
Laney Smith scored her team-leading fourth goal of the season to give the Flyers a 1-0 road victory over Atlantic 10 foe Richmond on Thursday.
• The win improves Dayton's record to 7-3-2 on the season and 4-0 in the A-10. The 4-0 start to the Flyers' conference season is the second-best start of the Golz era behind only the 2022 campaign (started Atlantic 10 play 6-0).
• Smith's goal came after the Flyers had been firing a consistent barrage of shots at the Richmond keeper through the first 72 minutes. Senior
Jenna Hallbeck burned by the Spiders' defense, centered a pass, and Smith smashed the decisive goal past the keeper.
• Senior keeper
Batoul Reda and the Flyers' defense of
Caroline Schork,
Bre Mendoza,
Ella Raimondi and
Kyra Karfonta posted their fifth consecutive shutout and fourth of A-10 play. Reda stopped both shots she faced.
DEFENSE STILL DOMINATING
• Dayton has now turned in nine shutouts in the 2025 season, including each of the last five matches and all four in Atlantic 10 play. The shutout streak has now climbed to nearly 500 minutes and is nearing Dayton's longest streak of the last 20 years.
• UD's nine shutouts lead the Atlantic 10 and rank second in the nation.
• Senior keeper
Batoul Reda's all-time Flyer shutout record now sits at 36. She is NCAA Division I's active leader in clean sheets.
CLIMBING THE RANKINGS
• Dayton's defense has been climbing the national rankings since conference play began. Not only do the Flyers rank No. 1 in goals against average in the conference, but they also rank 18th nationally.
• UD's shutout percentage is also among the country's elite, leading the A-10 and ranking fourth in Division I.
REDA EARNS SECOND A-10 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOD
• Senior
Batoul Reda led the Flyers' defense from the keeper position, posting two more shutouts to bring Dayton's season total to eight.
• Reda stopped both shots she faced in UD's win over Loyola Chicago, and then stood tall against the best scoring offense in the A-10 coming into the week in Duquesne, turning aside all five shots she faced.
• Reda is tied for the national lead in career shutouts with Maria Galley from Xavier.
UP NEXT
• Dayton returns to the friendly confines of Baujan Field for a 1 p.m. Saturday showdown against Saint Joseph's on Oct. 11.
