Arizona Soccer To Take On Colorado
Boulder, Colo. - The University of Arizona Wildcat soccer team (9-5-2, 3-4) are set to take on Utah and Colorado this weekend. The match versus the Utes is set for an 12 p.m. MST start on Friday, Oct. 31 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Sunday’s match against the Buffaloes of Colorado will begin at 12 p.m. MST.
Friday’s match versus Utah (8-5-4, 1-5-2 Pac-12) will be the 13th match between the two programs. The Wildcats are 6-6 overall against the Utes. The last meeting ended in a 1-0 overtime defeat for the Wildcats. Utah has scored 24 goals and allowed 15 on the year. The Utes are sixth in the Pac-12 in assists on the season with 24 (1.41 per game). Of those 24 assists, Katie Taylor and Avery Jenkins have each tallied six on the season, they are tied for the fourth-best total in the conference.
Arizona boasts a 1-1-1 record all-time against Colorado (9-5-2, 3-4 Pac-12) and the meeting in 2013 was a 3-0 win for the Wildcats. Colorado has also scored 24 goals and allowed 15 on the season. Colorado’s 26 assists (1.53 per game) are the fifth-best total on the team. Brie Hooks is the leading scorer for the Buffaloes with six goals on the season, tied for No. 10 in the conference. Darcy Jerman has scored three game-winning goals on the season, which is tied for the fifth-best mark in the conference.
The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) week 10 poll was released on October 28. The Pac-12 has four teams ranked in the top-25 poll. UCLA is first, Stanford is fourth, Washington is 17th and Washington State sits at 22nd. The Wildcats moved up four places and now sit at the No. 23 spot in the NCAA RPI rankings that were released on Oct. 27.
For the Wildcats, ten student-athletes have scored 29 goals on the year. Those 29 goals are the sixth-best total among Pac-12 schools thus far. Senior forward Alexandra Doller has scored six goals for the Wildcats and she leads the team in shot attempts as well (61). That is the third-best total in the conference this season and she averages 3.81 shots per game, the No. 2 mark in the Pac-12. Paige Crouch has pumped in two goals this year. Crouch is a sophomore that has returned to action after missing nearly all of 2013 with a knee injury. Doller assisted on Crouch’s first goal and also assisted on junior Kaitlyn Lopez’s first goal of the season, coming against Idaho. Freshman Charlotte Brascia, junior Hayley Estopare, junior Lexe Selman, have each contributed goals to the Wildcats. Senior LeeAndra Smith has taken two shots on the season and it was the game-winning goal against NAU in the home-opening match. Freshman Gabi Stoian has scored 10 goals for the Wildcats, tied for the third-best total in the Pac-12. Stoian has also tallied seven assists this year, which is the No. 3 mark in the conference. Stoian has racked up 27 points for Arizona (goals are worth two, assists worth one) for an average of 1.69 points per game. Both of those marks are tied for No. 2 in the Pac-12. Stoian’s points per game average is tied for the 33rd-best mark in the NCAA.
On the defensive side, the Wildcats’ experienced group of defenders in front of senior goalkeeper Gabby Kaufman has been very effective thus far. The Wildcats have a goal differential of +7, surrendering 22 goals. Junior Sheaffer Skadsen, senior Mykaylin Rosenquist, junior Alexa Montgomery and sophomore Laura Pimienta combine to make-up the starting back four for the Wildcats. The team effort defensively has led to six shutouts in those 16 matches for Kaufman. Kaufman’s six shutouts are tied for the seventh-best total in the conference. Skadsen has scored two goals on the season, converting both attempts she has had at the penalty spot. Rosenquist pumped in her first goal of the season in the match against Washington State, Arizona’s fourth and final goal of the match.
The depth of Arizona has been on display throughout each match of the season, no less than 17 student-athletes have played in each match. In total, 22 student-athletes overall have gotten time on the pitch for the Wildcats.
On Sept. 8, Gabi Stoian was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week for her work in the matches against No. 6 Texas A&M and Oklahoma State. She tallied two assists and three goals, contributing to all five goals the Wildcats scored over the weekend. Stoian was also named College Sports 360 National Primetime Player of the Week on Sept. 8 for her accomplishments.
Goalkeeper Gabby Kaufman began the season tied for fourth place in school history with nine shutouts for her career. She has recorded six this season in the first 11 matches bringing her total to 15, the second-highest tally in UA history. Kaufman’s six shutouts on the season are tied for the No. 3 mark in program history as well. Gabi Stoian is one of only six athletes in school history to record a hat trick in a match, the last coming in 2005, courtesy of Mallory Miller. Her ten goals on the year are already tied for the fifth-best mark in program history for goals in a season. She has tallied 27 points on the season, tied for the second-best total in UA history. Stoian’s seven assists this season is the third-best total in school history.
Arizona drew 1-1 with the California Golden Bears on Sunday, Oct. 26. Gabi Stoian’s goal came at the 40:21 mark. She struck with her left foot and slotted the goal into the bottom right corner of the goal. Arizona also hit the post on three different occassions during the game. The Wildcats allowed a goal at the 72:55 mark, Cal took a shot that deflected off defender Sheaffer Skadsen. Goalkeeper Gabby Kaufman was leaning the other direction and could not recover to save the shot off the deflection. The game went through both overtime periods without another goal occurring.
The Wildcats took No. 4 Stanford to the brink on Friday, Oct. 24. The Wildcats lost 3-2 in the first overtime period. Arizona trailed 2-0 to the Cardinal at halftime after allowing goals at the 0:46 mark and the 18:09 mark. The second half started and the Wildcats domination began, pressuring Stanford all over the pitch and controlling possession. The Wildcats finally broke the Stanford defense at the 73:04 mark when Gabi Stoian played a ball into the box, it was deflected by a defender and then Julia Glanz headed the ball into the corner of the net. Then at the 79:04 mark, Stoian’s left footed shot went to the bottom right of the corner of the goal and brought Arizona level. Jaden DeGracie was credited with the assist. Overtime began and with 1:13 left in the first period, Stanford took a shot, Gabby Kaufman parried it and it went right to a Stanford player who tapped the ball in for the game-winning goal.
A complete recap and box score will be available at ArizonaWildcats.com after the match. Also follow @ArizonaWSoccer on Twitter for live updates. The Utah match will be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Networks and a free live stream wil be available for the Colorado match.
For continued coverage of Arizona Wildcat soccer, visit ArizonaWildcats.com and follow @ArizonaWSoccer on Twitter.