Trinity Women's Soccer (9-0-1, 1-0-1 SAA) returns to The Paul this weekend for its first SAA home matches of the season, hosting Berry College (8-4, 3-1 SAA) on Friday before welcoming Oglethorpe University (4-5-1, 1-3 SAA) on Sunday during Alumni Weekend.
 
Last week, the Tigers opened conference play with a win and a hard-earned draw. They beat Southwestern 3-1, then rallied in the final minute for a 2-2 tie with Centre to stay unbeaten on the season.
 
Against Southwestern, Trinity needed just six minutes to get on the board. Talia Camin (Houston, Texas / Memorial) whipped in a corner kick, Kylie Harris (Missouri City, Texas / Ridge Point) won it in the air, and Madisyn Barganski (Corpus Christi, Texas / Flour Bluff) flicked it home for a 1-0 lead. Alex Doran (Boerne, Texas / Geneva School of Boerne) doubled the advantage in the 18th minute. She weaved past a pair of Pirate defenders to find space at the top of the box and buried a left-footed shot in the bottom left corner. Southwestern pulled one back on an own goal in the 22nd minute.. The Tigers made it 3-1 in the 63rd minute with a goal that went through four players. Saige Clary (Houston, Texas / Episcopal) threaded a through ball to Lila Brackin (Dallas, Texas / Lake Highlands), who laid it off first-time to Doran at the top of the box. Doran's shot ricocheted off the keeper, and Barganski was there to tuck in the rebound for her second goal of the night.
 
The trip to Danville, Kentucky, matched two teams off to impressive starts in 2026, and the game lived up to the expectations. Barganski drew a free kick in the 21st minute, and a Centre defender handed the set piece inside the box. Malea Cesar (Portland, Ore. / Sunset) converted the penalty, sending the keeper the wrong way and rolling it down the middle, where it slipped past a late hand for a 1-0 lead. The Colonels answered less than four minutes later with a back-post header, and the teams went into halftime level at 1-1. The second half was wide open in wet conditions, with chances at both ends. In the 75th minute, Centre got in behind on a breakaway and chipped Colette Whitsitt (Austin, Texas / Lake Travis) for a 2-1 lead. Trinity kept pushing, with Barganski, Doran, Brackin and Camin returning to the field to lead the attack. With under a minute to play, a Trinity free kick pinballed around the box before Harris gathered it at the top of the area and played Doran. Doran's curling effort forced a diving save, and Brackin hit the rebound first time into the bottom left corner to salvage a 2-2 draw.
 
Preview
The Tigers host Berry College on Friday, Oct. 16, at 5 PM then face Oglethorpe University on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 11 AM. Both matches fall on Alumni Weekend and are Trinity's first conference home games of 2026.
 
On the Berry College Vikings: The Vikings are a fairly new opponent for the Tigers. The programs have met only three times, and the series is even at 1-1-1. The most recent meeting was last season's 0-0 draw at Berry in SAA play. Trinity dominated that match and outshot the Vikings 23-6. Berry's only real threat came from a long-range attempt where goalkeeper Lauren Little (Houston, Texas / Episcopal) made a sharp save to keep it out. The Tigers created chances across the entire forward line, led by Hanna Khan (Southlake, Texas / Carroll) with six shots. They pressed until the final whistle but could not find a breakthrough.
 
Berry finished last season 7-4-5 overall and 1-2-4 in SAA play. The Vikings missed the SAA Tournament and closed their season with a 0-0 draw against Oglethorpe. They graduated 12 seniors, including two All-SAA Honorable Mention picks: center back Maddie Owen, the anchor of the 2025 back line, and attacking midfielder Nicole Knight, who had four goals and two assists. Still, Berry returns four of its six 2025 All-SAA selections.

The Vikings have taken a big step forward this fall. At 8-4 overall and 3-1 in conference play, they own a 1-0 win over Rhodes, the 2025 SAA runner-up, and they took No. 9 Emory to the wire in a 1-0 loss. Berry comes into the weekend in form after a 4-0 win over Millsaps in its most recent outing.

Players to watch: Junior forward Giselle Aitken, a 2025 All-SAA Second Team selection, leads the Vikings with seven goals and has added two assists. Junior forward Gianna Maimone has six goals and a team-high seven assists. Sophomore midfielder Laina Engelbart has four goals and five assists. In goal, junior Kate Hill, a 2025 All-SAA Honorable Mention, has already earned SAA Defensive Player of the Week honors this season.

On the Oglethorpe University Stormy Petrels: The Stormy Petrels are a familiar opponent, with the series dating back to 1992. Trinity has won all 20 meetings, including last season's 3-0 conference win, the first matchup between the two since 2010. Barganski earned a free kick just outside the box in the 24th minute. Elie Kriek (New Orleans, La. / The Willow School) lofted it into the area, and Doran rose to head it in for a 1-0 halftime lead. Five minutes after the break, Kriek delivered a corner to the back post, and center back Ilsa Newland (St. Louis, Mo. / Kirkwood) finished it across goal for Trinity's second headed goal of the night. Five minutes later, Bri Werner (Woodbine, Md. / Glenelg) launched a long ball out of the Tigers' own box. Doran collected it just inside her own half, dribbled past several defenders, and finished to make it 3-0.

Oglethorpe went 9-5-1 overall and 3-3-1 in SAA play last season, one of its best campaigns in years. The Stormy Petrels reached the SAA Tournament quarterfinals, where they fell 3-0 to Centre. They graduated only three seniors, including forward Harlow Cregar, an Honorable Mention pick who led the team in assists. Oglethorpe enters 2026 with nine seniors on the roster and return four of their five 2025 All-SAA honorees for an experienced returning roster. 
 
This fall has been tougher for Oglethorpe. The Stormy Petrels are 4-5-1 overall and 1-3 in conference play, and they are coming off a 3-0 loss to Rhodes.
 
Players to watch: Senior defender Evan Thomas leads the team with eight goals and an assist, including a hat trick in a 4-0 win over Millsaps. Junior defender Mikayla Stuart has started all 10 matches and has two goals and an assist. Junior midfielder Rowan Gross has two goals and an assist.
 
Looking Ahead
Trinity Women's Soccer heads to Tennessee next weekend to face conference rival Sewanee on Friday, Oct. 23, before taking on Maryville on Sunday, Oct. 25.