Secretary of Defense: Graduate goalkeeper Hannah Dickinson has anchored Villanova's backline to 18 shutouts in her three seasons on the Main Line, six of those this year. She is now fourth in program history for career shutouts, surpassing Lynn McHale who had 17 from 1984-87. She is four away from tying Janel Schillig (1998-01) with 22.

Clean Sheet Commentary: With six clean sheets to open the season, the ‘Cats have recorded 30 shutouts in the Samar Azem era. Since 2022, they have gone 23-0-7 when not conceding a goal. They are one of just two teams left without a goal allowed this year and are currently tied for 5th in the nation with six shutouts, a mark that leads the BIG EAST. Reaching back to last season, Villanova has not allowed a goal in seven consecutive matches, closing the 2025 campaign with a 0-0 draw against Butler. It has been 637:52 minutes of game action since the Wildcats

Not a Chance: The Wildcat defense has held teams without a shot on goal twice this season,leading their opponents 55-8 this year for shots on frame. No team has gotten more than three shots on frame against the backline this season with Columbia being the only side to do so back on August 27.

• Villanova holds an eight-game unbeaten streak over Delaware since facing its only loss in the overall series back on Oct. 9, 1996 with a 3-1 result. Since then, the 'Cats have gone 6-0-2 against the Blue Hens. The Wildcats hold a 32-13 scoring advantage all-time against them.
• This is just Villanova's third meeting with a Conference USA team, sitting at 1-1. The last match against the league was a 2-1 double overtime win over Tulane on October 10, 1998.
• Delaware opened the season with a six-match unbeaten streak that saw it go 3-0-3 in that stretch but it was snapped by a 1-0 loss to Georgetown on September 10. The Blue Hens bounced back with a 3-1 win at Drexel this past Sunday.
• The Blue Hens lead Conference USA in shots per game (15.88) and assists per game (1.50), good enough for 70th and 116th in the nation, respectively.
• Sophia Hall has logged three shutouts this year, putting her at second in the league and 45th in the nation. She is saving at a .821 clip and has a .897 GAA.
• Maggie Groh leads the team with four goals this season. Olivia Bley has netted a team-high two game winners.

• In 25 meetings between Villanova and Princeton since 1983, the Wildcats trail 7-16-2 and have not seen a win in 23 years. Since a 2-1 victory on November 14, 2003, the 'Cats have gone 0-8-2 against the Tigers.
• With a 2-0 win at Columbia on August 27 and a 1-0 win over Penn on September 3, Villanova is now 34-23-9 against the league all-time and 5-2-4 against under in Azem's tenure.
• The ‘Cats have won their last three meetings against Ivy League sides since seeing a five-match unbeaten streak against the conference be snapped in a 1-0 loss to Princeton last season, marking the first loss to an Ivy League team since a 1-2 loss at Cornell on Sept. 4, 2022. Aside from the wins over the Lions and Quakers so far this season, the last win was a 3-1 victory at Penn last September.
• After dropping contests to No. 8 Ohio State (4-0) and Rutgers (4-2), Princeton heads into the week with back-to-back 3-0 wins over Colgate and Lehigh.
• The Tigers had been shown an Ivy League high 10 yellow cards so far this season.
• Kayla Wong leads the team with 1.29 points per game on the year, placing her at third in the Ivy League. She's also averaging 0.43 assists per contest.
• Cecila Cerone has been the primary netminder in the team's 4-3 start to the year, playing 360 minutes. She has started in all seven contests, allowing eight goals and making five saves.

Villanova 0, Bucknell 0 | September 10, 2026 - Villanova, Pa. - Higgins Soccer Complex
 

The Wildcats picked up their sixth clean sheet on the season in a 0-0 draw with Bucknell. While it was another shutout for the group, it was also just the second time this season that they were held without a goal themselves. Villanova led shots 15-7, 8-2 for shots on goal. Morgan Kotch was the leading shot taker for the 'Cats with seven chances, five of those on frame. The 'Cats attacked quickly as Kotch pick up a deflected ball in the second minute near the top of the 18-yard box but one-timer was saved by Bucknell's Sarah McFarland. Bucknell's first real scoring chance came in the 43rd minute with a breakaway play near the midfield that saw a long ball sent toward a darting Riley Hayes near the top of the box. She sent a shot that was pocketed by Dickinson, keeping the game scoreless heading into the break. That was the only shot Bucknell tallied in the opening frame, trailing shots 10-1. The Bison pressed early in the second half with three shots in the first 15 minutes. In the 81st, Bucknell's Ashley Kozlowski took a shot from the top of the penalty area that was easily grabbed by Dickinson near the right post. Nova was awarded a free kick in the 83rd minute that Meredith Palmer sailed toward the net but was grabbed by McFarland. Villanova's last chance came in the 89th minute when Avrie Nelsen sent a great cross into the box that Kaydee Amorosa headed, but McFarland made a one-handed diving save to keep it out.

Read the full recap here.