Goal scoring has been a problem for Arizona soccer all season. On Friday, the Wildcats tripled their scoring average on the way to a 3-3 draw at Oklahoma State.
Set pieces were big for both squads, but they were especially important for Arizona. It’s something the ‘Cats struggle with at times, so the success was especially rewarding.
Arizona got its second goal off a free kick just outside the box. Mireya Stephenson, who had scored Arizona’s first goal in the 24th minute, was taken down just outside Arizona’s 18
in the 48th minute. Lily Boydstun took the kick, putting it around the edge of the Oklahoma State wall and into the net.
The goal drew the Wildcats even with the Cowgirls for the second time in the match. Just like the first time, it wouldn’t hold. Just under two minutes later, Sonora Defini put OSU back on top by the score of 3-2.
It was the story of the match. Goals came back-to-back and late in both halves.
Oklahoma State took the 1-0 lead in the 19th minute off a penalty kick by Emmy Hedden. On four different occasions last week, Arizona got away with what looked like handballs in the opponents’ box. Three of those events were reviewed and judged not to merit penalty kicks. The Wildcats were not as fortunate this time.
OSU asked for a review of a play that was not called by the officials. A PK was awarded despite it looking like it was a normal play. Sofia Cortes-Browne deflected the shot but it bounced off the post into the net to put the Cowgirls up.
The lead was gone almost as quickly as it was taken. Bodystun took the corner kick in the 23rd minute. OSU was unable to clear it sufficiently, and the Wildcats maintained possession. Zoe Mendiola played it into Stephenson, who sent it home for Arizona’s first goal of the match. An assist was also awarded to Marissa Arnst, who passed the ball to Mendiola.
It looked like the match was headed to the half with the teams knotted at a goal apiece, but Oklahoma State grabbed the lead again with just 15 seconds left in the first. Emily Senatore scored the Cowgirls’ second goal off the assist from Ellie Geoffroy.
The Wildcats had yet to score more than one goal in a Big 12 match this season. They had only scored three goals once, and that came at home against NAU. They were playing against a team that gave up 1.18 goals per game this year. The Cowgirls’ 2-1 lead looked all but insurmountable.
Boydstun’s goal early in the second half broke Arizona’s streak of being held to one or fewer goals in conference play only to have OSU come back for the 3-2 lead minutes later.
The Wildcats were headed towards a second straight conference loss with just over three minutes to go. That’s when OSU’s Sophie Wilson came in with a high boot and kicked Mendiola in the upper torso near her head. The foul was on almost the exact spot where Boydstun had scored earlier. Wilson earned the yellow card and Arizona earned the free kick.
Ella Weathersby took the free kick. It was on target but deflected. The problem for Oklahoma State was that the deflection was the result of a handball—or maybe two. Arizona would get to take a penalty kick with less than three minutes left to go in the match.
Weathersby stepped to the spot. The goalkeeper didn’t respond well. She leaned the wrong way. The Arizona co-captain knocked it in for the equalizer.
It was less than a week after the Wildcats played a very conservative, defensive match at Kansas that went from a 0-0 draw to a 2-0 Jayhawks win within the final nine minutes. This time, Arizona played a more aggressive match and had their best offensive showing of the season.
The Wildcats had 16 shots, well above their average of 11 per match. They put six of those shots on goal. That also exceeded their season average of 4.6 SOG/gm.
The Wildcats (3-5-4, 0-1-3) didn’t get their first Big 12 win, but they did come away with another point on the road. They will try to keep it going when they return home to play fourth-place Houston and 15th-place Iowa State next week.
