Photos by Emma Lentz
Well, I guess we can keep overreacting.
Last week, I asked if WVU women’s soccer was really THIS good. The Mountaineers responded by beating Marshall 1-0, moving to 5-0 and giving me absolutely no reason to stop getting excited about this team.
So, thanks for making my job easy.
WVU is now off to its best start since 2006, when the Mountaineers began the season 7-0. They also remain unbeaten in regular season play dating back to August of last year. At some point, we probably have
to stop calling this just a hot start.
The Marshall Streak Lives On
One of the biggest storylines going into Sunday was WVU’s history against Marshall. The Mountaineers entered the Mountain State Derby 5-0 all-time against the Herd and had never allowed a goal in the series.
Make that 6-0.
And, yes, Marshall is still looking for that first goal.
The 1-0 final score might make the game look closer than WVU would have liked, but the numbers tell a different story. The Mountaineers finished with a season-high 25 shots, including 11 on goal, while holding Marshall to just three total shots and only one on goal.
So while the scoreboard only showed a one goal difference, WVU controlled a lot of the night.
And the goal itself came from someone Mountaineer fans should be pretty happy for.
Jordyn Wilson broke the scoreless tie in the 50th minute, scoring her first goal in nearly two years after missing the 2025 season with an injury. Maya Leoni and Tyler Clyburn picked up the assists.
Not a bad time to make your return to the scoresheet.
The Defense Deserves Some Attention Too
We talked a lot about WVU’s offense last week, but five games in, the defense is becoming just as big of a story.
Bailey Herfurth picked up her third shutout of the season against Marshall, and WVU has now held every opponent to three shots on goal or fewer.
Through five games, the Mountaineers have allowed just two goals.
That will work.
It’s also another example of WVU finding different ways to win. Sophia Nickel was the early star with three game winning goals. Saige Wimes delivered the late winner at Army. This time, it was Wilson scoring and the defense making sure one goal was enough.
For a team only five games into the season, there are already quite a few different names having their moment.
Okay, What’s Next?
WVU gets a little bit of a break before returning to Dick Dlesk on Sunday, Sept. 13, to face UConn at 1 p.m. The Huskies are currently 2-1-2, and it will be the Mountaineers’ final game before Big 12 play begins against Baylor on Sept. 18.
And that’s where things are really going to get interesting.
Five games is still a small sample size, and conference play will tell us much more about where this team stands. But there isn’t much more WVU could have done up to this point.
They’re 5-0. They’re ranked No. 7. They’ve allowed two goals all season. They just kept the Marshall streak alive.
Last week I asked if WVU women’s soccer was really this good.
Five games in, I’m starting to think we have our answer.
