Creighton women’s soccer faced a pair of tough tests this week, earning a 1-1 draw against Providence before falling to Villanova, 2-1, Wednesday at Morrison Stadium. 

The Bluejays battled through a competitive 90 minutes against the Friars, responding to an early deficit with a stronger second half to earn a point in Big East play. Three days later, Creighton returned home for its inaugural Kids Day at the pitch, welcoming more than 1,100 fans before the Wildcats held on for a 2-1 victory. 

Against Providence, the Friars came out with high intensity in the opening minutes, putting pressure on Creighton early. According to head coach Jimmy Walker, the Bluejays struggled to match that intensity during the first 15 minutes of the game. 

“We were second-best. We were second guessing ourselves. We weren’t getting out to defend properly.” 

Providence took advantage of Creighton’s slow start, earning a penalty before eventually finding the back of the net and taking a 1-0 lead. The early deficit forced the Bluejays to adjust as they worked to stay within reach of the Friars. 

One of the biggest moments of the first half came from Creighton goalkeeper Morgan Paley, who made back-to-back saves during a Providence penalty kick sequence. Paley’s saves prevented the Friars from extending their lead and gave the Bluejays an opportunity to stay in the game. 

“I was just doing it for my team. I tried to read her run up the best I could,” Paley said. She also explained that she was able to read the second attempt by recognizing the Providence player’s positioning. “She opened up her hips, so I knew she was going back post on the rebound.” 

Walker also recognized the importance of Paley’s performance, calling the sequence a “massive moment” for the Bluejays. 

While Providence controlled much of the first half, Creighton came out of halftime with a different level of energy. The Bluejays possessed the ball more effectively and put Providence under pressure. 

“We were on the front foot, second half. We dominated possession second half,” Walker said. 

That pressure quickly paid off. Just three minutes into the second half, senior midfielder Olivia Duray scored Creighton’s only goal of the match, tying the game at 1-1. She was assisted by sophomores Taylor Yablonski and Olivia Sides. 

The goal came off a dead-ball situation, continuing Creighton’s recent success in that area of the game. Walker noted that set pieces were one of the team’s key targets heading into the match. 

“The delivery’s been better,” he said. “The set pieces are going to win in those games.” 

The quick response was especially important for Creighton after falling behind in the first half. Paley said coming out and tying the game early in the second half helped set the tone for the rest of the match. 

“It was so important that we did it at the beginning of the half to really set the standard, especially coming from behind,” Paley said. 

Creighton continued to battle for the remainder of the match, creating opportunities while trying to find a second goal. Providence also continued to look for chances, but neither team was able to break the tie. 

The Bluejays’ second-half performance was much closer to the level Walker had wanted to see from the team. 

“We adjusted, and I felt we had the better play [in the] second half,” he said. 

Although Creighton was unable to come away with a victory, the Bluejays earned a point against a Providence team that Walker described as a “strong, well-organized opponent.” For Creighton, the draw also showed the team’s ability to respond after a difficult opening period. 

“That’s something that we don’t do very often, so to be able to do that and tie it up and get a result against a team instead of a loss is really big for us,” Paley said. 

Creighton returned home Wednesday looking to build on its second-half performance against Providence, but Villanova took a 2-0 lead into halftime. Freshman Radleigh Childers scored her first Bluejay goal in the 82nd minute off a corner, but the Wildcats held on for a 2-1 victory. 

Creighton will look to bounce back tomorrow when it travels to Queens, N.Y., to face St. John’s. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT.