3 - 3 draw a mixed bag for Arizona soccer
Wildcats come back from 2-goal deficit, but should have been more dominant
The sky cleared up just long enough to stage a soccer match at Tucson's Mulcahy Stadium between the University of Arizona and University of California on Saturday night. The 3 - 3 score line at the end of a game they dominated for long stretches left most of the home side players disappointed.
From kickoff until the 15th minute, Arizona maintained consistent pressure deep into Golden Bears territory. Forwards Jada Talley and Hannah Clifford were constant irritants to the compressed defense of Cal, with midfielder Kelcey Cavarra giving the most problems for the Cal keeper. Cavarra ended the half with two shots on goal.
The only offensive threat from Cal came from the speedy and audacious Abi Kim. Kim managed two unsupported runs on the right wing, but couldn't get a good chance out of either one.
Her third run came with more support from advancing midfield players. She dished the ball up to Miranda Nild, which gave her time to dash into the box to head it in off of Nile's assist.
Arizona's Amanda Porter responded in minute 22 after she pounced on a Hannah Clifford shot that was bobbled by the Cal keeper.
Anja Koehler gave her team the lead again when she headed the ball in past Arizona's Lainey Burdett after the ace keeper from Arizona made a rare error.
Koehler's score gave the Wildcats a 1 - 2 deficit going in to the locker room, but the match was still easily winnable. The two goals needed to get the win were possible in a match where they were out-shooting their opponent 12 - 4.
The hill became a steeper climb only moments into the second half when Cal was awarded a penalty kick, easily buried by Cal forward Nild.
Now behind 3 - 1, the Cats were still not being outplayed and had plenty of chances. A long pass from Emily Knouss found Jada Talley, whose run in the box stymied both of Cal's center backs. She took a chance and beat the Cal keeper to reduce the deficit to one.
A corner kick in minute 75 provided the equalizer. It fell to Morgan McGarry, a defender whose runs up the wing were a constant bother for Cal, to take the kick. It sailed untouched by any player into the lower left corner of the goal, an olímpico.
A flurry of offense that lasted through two overtimes was not enough for the Cats to win.
The stats show a team that, on paper as they say, should have been the hands-down winner. Arizona outshot Cal 31 - 7. Of Arizona's starters, only goalkeeper Lainey Burdett and centerbacks Samantha Falasco and Jill Aguilera didn't have multiple shots on goal.
"We gave up three goals, which sucks," said defender Kelcey Cavarra. "I feel like we had more possession in the game and played better, we should have gotten a better result."
"A tie is not the worst thing," she added looking for a positive take on the evening.
Cavarra lamented the inability of the Cats to finish chances, a sentiment echoed by coach Tony Amato.
"They had six or seven shots and scored three goals," said Amato. "They were opportunistic, we didn't do good on those chances we created."
"I was proud of the way our team fought back from being down 3 - 1," he added. "It could have been lights out for our team. Our team didn't quit and battled back...all things considered, we are proud of the team battling back."
The team has its final two home games next Thursday against Washington State and Sunday against Washington.
Field and stream
It rained nearly all day Saturday at Mulcahy Stadium about an hour until kickoff time. The clouds broke and there was just enough sun out that the less-than-soccer-mad could be encouraged to come out and see the match.
Unlike baseball, soccer matches don't get called for weather except in limited cases (lightning, for example). However, hours of sustained rain can cause concerns. A muddy field can make it more easy for players to get injured and having players play on soggy grass can damage the turf.
There were some doubts that Saturday night's game would get played at all.
"There was a lot of talk and a lot of discussion," said Amato. "There was a time, 4:45 (45 minutes before the scheduled kickoff), I was thinking 'I don't know how we are going to play this game.' Then the sun came out; there was a rainbow."
Despite the rainbow, Amato did not put in defender Sabrina Enciso, who has missed several games due to an ankle injury. "Not the right call," Amato said, a fact that was borne out by two Cal players leaving due to injury, one in the first minute of the match.
There was a slight delay in kickoff as groundskeepers worked the puddles off the field with pitchforks and squeegees. It is was one of the few times pitchforks were allowed at a Wildcat facility.
Yes, that Elliott
Jordyn Elliott played her 10th match of the season on Saturday night. If you recognize the name, she is the daughter of Wildcat basketball great Sean Elliott. Elliott grew up in Florida with her mother Akiko Rose, Sean Elliott's first wife.
She scored a goal earlier this season against Utah Valley and was on the field for 23 minutes against Arizona.
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