BILLINGS, Mont. — With five games remaining in the regular season, both Rocky soccer squads will look to build on their leads in the Cascade Collegiate Conference standings when they defend home turf on Thursday evening.
Week schedule
Thursday, October 15
Rocky Mountain College (7-0-4, 5-0-2 conf.) vs. University of Providence (4-7, 4-4 conf.)
5 p.m. (women's)
Herb Klindt Field
Thursday, October 15
Rocky Mountain College (8-0-3, 6-0-1 conf.) vs. University of Providence (2-7-1, 2-5-1 conf.)
7:30 p.m. (men's)
Herb Klindt Field
Preview — Rocky women
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The Battlin' Bears put together one of the most impressive weekends in the NAIA, earning back-to-back road victories over Eastern Oregon and then-No. 4 College of Idaho. Entering Thursday's contest on a four-game winning streak, Rocky earned a haul of conference and national honors, headlined by being named the Cascade Collegiate Conference Under Armour Team of the Week alongside a sweep of both the CCC and NAIA Player of the Week awards.
Statistically, the Battlin' Bears have stood out as a top-three team in nearly every category in the CCC this season, ranking third in goals scored (2.00 per game) and second in goals allowed (0.82). The Rocky defense has reached another level in conference play, entering Thursday with four consecutive shutouts and allowing just one total goal since a 2-2 draw against Carroll College on September 17.
Charlize Davis, the reigning NAIA Offensive Player of the Week, leads the CCC in points per game (1.82) and is tied for first with 29 shots on goal, while her eight goals rank second in the conference. Complementing Davis up front, fellow forward Mia Daskalovska ranks second in the CCC with five assists.
Defensively, NAIA Defensive Player of the Week Matea Vernon has established herself as one of the premier goalkeepers in the region. Vernon has recorded four straight clean sheets, racking up 21 consecutive saves since last allowing a goal. Her six total shutouts lead the CCC by two, while her 0.82 goals-against average ranks second overall.
The Battlin' Bears cracked the NAIA Top 25 poll on Wednesday for the first time since 2020, climbing to No. 20 late in the regular season as the highest-ranked women's soccer program in the CCC.
Preview — Rocky men
Rocky men's soccer enters Thursday's clash riding a six-game winning streak, with its sole stumble in conference play coming in a 1-1 draw against Carroll College in the league opener.
Defense has been the cornerstone of Rocky's success, ranking eighth in the NAIA with just 0.55 goals allowed per game. Across seven conference matches, the Battlin' Bears have limited opponents to an average of just 7.1 shot attempts per game, allowing 10 or more shots only twice. When opponents do generate chances, reigning CCC Defensive Player of the Week Biruk Paulos-Negatu has neutralized nearly everything sent his way. Paulos-Negatu leads the conference in goals-against average (0.46), ranks second in save percentage (.844), and is tied for the league lead with five shutouts.
Offensively, the Battlin' Bears feature a balanced and relentless attack with 11 different goal scorers this season. Sophomore Fynn Sweeting has provided an instant spark since transitioning to a super-sub role midway through conference play, netting five goals over his last five games to tie for the CCC lead with seven goals on the year. Junior Luke Tooze has delivered remarkable efficiency from a defensive position, firing in six goals on just seven shots on goal to tie for second in the conference in scoring. Rocky's attack has been held scoreless only once all season, a 0-0 draw in its second game of the year against now-No. 10 William Penn.
Rocky's breakout campaign has made waves across the NAIA, as the team jumped 14 spots in Wednesday's NAIA Top 25 poll to No. 8, its highest national ranking since the 2019 preseason poll.
Preview — Providence
The Argo women's team enters Thursday with a 4-7 overall record and a 4-4 conference mark, coming off a victory over Oregon Tech that tied them for fifth in the CCC standings. Junior goalkeeper Chloe Pajaro has been a strength for Providence, ranking fourth in the CCC with 50 saves. On offense, the Argos are seeking late-season rhythm as they are currently averaging 0.82 goals per game, led by sophomore midfielder Autumn Apana-Purcell and senior midfielder Shea Waters, each with two goals.
On the men's side, Providence visits Billings with a 2-7-1 overall record and a 2-5-1 mark in conference action, seeking to break a four-game losing skid during which it has been outscored 12-1. The Argo attack features four unique goal scorers and averages 0.40 goals per game. Providence has rotated three goalkeepers this season, with senior Thomas Sine starting both matches last weekend and recording 10 total saves. The Argos are hungry for a late-season push, as they currently sit in a four-way tie for sixth place in the CCC, hoping to crack the top eight and qualify for the CCC Tournament.
