Washington Starts Pac-12 Play With Busy Weekend
SEATTLE - The Washington Huskies start Pac-12 play this week, facing off with the Colorado Buffaloes twice, both at Husky Soccer Stadium. Washington and Colorado will play on Friday and Sunday this weekend, with only the Friday game counting toward the Pac-12 standings.
This will be Washington's first two-game week of the 2021 season. As it stands, the Huskies are 2-0-0, with wins against Seattle U and Seattle Pacific over the last two weeks. Neither the Huskies nor the Buffaloes have allowed a goal yet this year.
DEFENSE MAKES OFFENSE
Mary Johnston scored what would be the gamewinner against Seattle Pacific, her second goal as a Husky. Johnston is the third defender on the Washington roster to score a goal in their career, joining Kaylene Pang and Shae Holmes. This is Johnston's first year playing as a defender: she also scored a goal as a forward for Washington, against North Carolina in 2019.
SHUTOUTS ARE GOOD
Washington picked up its second straight shutout, blanking Seattle Pacific while allowing just one shot. This is the fifth time in program history that Washington has started the season with back-to-back shutouts and the second year in a row the team has done so. Washington has never had three straight shutouts to start a season.
NO SHOTS ALLOWED
Washington did not allow a shot on goal against Seattle Pacific and did not allow any shots until 88:58. The one shot allowed all game long was Washington's best showing since October 5, 2003, when the Huskies did not allow a shot from Idaho State. Washington's eight total shots allowed through two games are its fewest since 2008, when the Huskies allowed seven total shots in back-to-back wins over Montana and Gonzaga to start the season.
SUMMER SHOOTS SUPERBLY
Summer Yates has record four or more shots in both games this year. That gives Yates a stretch of seven straight games with multiple shots. Since the start of the 2019 season, Yates has record four or more shots six times. Only twice in 40 career games has Yates gone without a shot: both of those games in 2018, her freshman season.
NEW KEEPER, SAME SHUTOUT
Olivia Sekany has been a part of back-to-back shutouts for the Huskies, playing the full 90 against Seattle U and splitting time with Caeley Goldstein against Seattle Pacific. Sekany is the first Husky to earn a shutout in their first start as a Husky since Sarah Shimer did so in 2015.
MORE LIKE SHOTS-ANA SHOTS-MONSMA
Sianna Siemonsma fired five shots against Seattle Pacific, putting three on goal. The five shots matched a career high for Siemonsma. It was the third time in her career that Siemonsma has had five shots in a game. She last did so in 2018, when she did so against Utah Valley and Michigan State.
OL' RELIABLE
Kaylene Pang and Shae Holmes have played the full 90 in both games so far this year, the only Huskies to do so. Pang has now played every minute for the Huskies since 2017, when she came off the bench in the season finale against Washington State. Since returning from injury last season, Holmes has now played the full 90 in four consecutive games, stretching back to the 2019 postseason.
Make sure to follow the Huskies on social media at @UW_WSoccer.