Soccer Heads Outside
#13 WASHINGTON STATE (4-0-1, 0-0-1)
vs #16 Cal (3-1-0, 2-1-0) | Fri., March 12 | 7 p.m. | Lower Soccer Field
Watch Live | WSU Live Stream
Live Statistics | StatBroadcast.com
OPENING XI
> Washington State gets back into action after a week pause due to COVID-19 protocol that cost the Cougs games at Arizona and Arizona State last week. The Cougs enter the week the favorite against the Bay Area schools ranked #13 while Cal (#16) and Stanford (#18) fall in line directly behind WSU.
> WSU heads back to its home at Lower Soccer Field after playing its first four inside the Indoor Facility due to winter weather. In the last four years the Cougs have gone 31-9-4 at Lower Soccer Field including a record 10 wins in 2018.
> The Cougs are one of four teams in the Pac-12 that remain undefeated coming into the weekend 4-0-1.
> The offense has been clicking having scored 11 goals in five games with six difference scorers including a pair of first time scorers.
> Senior Elyse Bennett has been on fire to begin the year scoring five goals, second in the Pac-12 while her 1.00 goals per game ranks first. She posted her first multi-goal game against Utah last time the Cougs were on the field.
> Defensively the Cougs have been the stingiest defense in the conference and one of the best in the nation having allowed just 2 goals in 5 games. WSU has three-straight shutouts, ranking tied for the most in the Pac-12.
> Senior keeper Marissa Zucchetto has is riding a 376:31 scoreless streak in goal the longest streak since 2014 (427 min.)
> The Cougs enter week having moved up to #13 in the TopDrawerSoccer.com poll. WSU is the third highest ranked team in the Pac-12.
> Freshman Margie Detrizio has burst onto the scene scoring two goals and assisting on two more in her first five collegiate contests. She is second on the team with 6 total points.
> WSU's freshmen have made an immediate impact notching three goals (Gray, Detrizio (2)) and five assists (Detrizio (2), Whieldon (2), McGill) in five games.
> The senior class continues to cement its legacy as the most decorated class in program history having won 43 games (record is 50 wins) and advancing to at least the second round in each of their three seasons, a program first.
COUGS VS CAL
The Cougs get back on the field looking to continue their recent successes against #16 Cal having won each of the last two meetings including a 1-0, OT, thriller at Berkeley last season. The Cougs have won six of the last seven at Pullman having only dropped a 1-0 contest in 2015. Recently the two teams have been evenly matched playing one-goal games in four of the last six meetings, the only real outlier being a 4-2 win by WSU in 2018 at home at Lower Soccer Field.
The Bears enter the week having split their last weekend of action, falling to Colorado (2-1) before rebounding with a win over Utah (1-0). The Utes mark a common opponent for the two teams as the Cougs went 1-0-1 against Utah to open Pac-12 play two weeks ago.
BENNETT BACK IN HER GROOVE
Taking over as the Cougs' primary target up top, senior Elyse Bennett is off to a quick start in 2021 notching a team-best five goals and one assist in the first five games. The game-winner at Seattle U was her 5th career winner. It is the first time in her career she has scored in three-straight games.
She ranks second in the Pac-12 in total goals while her 1.00 goals per game ranks first.
Last season, Bennett recorded five goals and five assists, finishing third in scoring on the team.
For her career, the senior has notched 15 goals and 8 assists. She is in search of the Cougs' all-time top-10 which starts at 18 goals.
SHUTOUTS A PLENTY
While the offense has been clicking the Cougs defense has quietly put together a dominant start to the year having allowed just two goals in five games including posting three-straight clean sheets.
Senior Marissa Zucchetto leads the Pac-12 in shutouts in her first season at WSU while she enters the weekend riding a 376:31 scoreless streak in goal the longest streak since 2014 (427 min.). She has 22.5 career shutouts (19.5 in three seasons at Texas Tech).
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