They didn’t get the results they wanted. They left some things on the field, especially against California on Sunday. Still, head coach Becca Moros and her team felt that Arizona soccer learned things about themselves and the state of the game this year in their matches against Stanford and Cal. The response to the two losses will tell her whether the learning opportunities paid off.
“I think we’re still processing some of it,” Moros said. “But I think Stanford for sure, let us know where the bar
is, what number one looks like, how fast is fast in terms of decision making and quality on the ball. I think it was a great opportunity for us to kind of see what that level looks like early in the season, and be able to adjust some of it. And I think the competitive nature of the group is really positive. I thought we fought through the whole match and put in a good shift. And so I was happy with that, the leadership on the field and the response. And for Cal, I think that game we would like to have back, and I think we could have won that game. I think, coming off of the defeat against Stanford, and then come in and a couple kind of against the run of play, fortunate opportunities end up in the back of our net. Maybe one of them, you know, worldly of the year for them, is tough for us, and kind of the heartbreak of the game. But I think if we have a good response to it, we’ll learn what we need to learn.”
They will get their first chance to apply those lessons when Denver and Pepperdine come to Tucson this weekend. It’s critical that they do.
“We’ve got to get a response this week,” Moros said. “There’s no real sense in dwelling on the past. We’ve got an opportunity to play against some very good teams to prepare for what’s coming down the road, and that includes games this week.”
Up Next for Arizona Soccer
Denver Pioneers (2-0-3) @ Arizona Wildcats (3-2)
When: Thursday, Sept. 4 @ 7 p.m. MST
Where: Mulcahy Soccer Stadium in Tucson, Ariz.
Streaming: ESPN+
Stats: Arizona Live Stats
Promo: Pups on the Pitch night. Dogs will be allowed at the match.
Pepperdine Waves (2-2-1) @ Arizona Wildcats (3-2)
When: Sunday, Sept. 7 @ 10:30 a.m. MST
Where: Mulcahy Soccer Stadium in Tucson, Ariz.
Streaming: ESPN+
Stats: Arizona Live Stats
The Wildcats have some familiarity with both teams that are coming to town, but the players had their eyes on Denver first and foremost.
“One of our old teammates is playing in Denver now, so we know we’re familiar with her,” Arizona goalkeeper Olivia Ramey siad. “We played Pepperdine last year, so I’m sure that we’ll see some familiar faces again. Right now, our focus is on Denver and getting a win at home, so we’re gonna spend these next two days focusing on that and see what our coaches have planned for us and stick to our game plan that day.”
The former Wildcat who will return as a Pioneer is senior forward Brooke Ahern. She spent her freshman year at Utah and the last two at Arizona before transferring again this past offseason.
Ahern is getting opportunities for the Pioneers. She has appeared in all five of their matches, making three starts. She has 10 shots and put three of them on goal. One of those shots went into the net, matching her career high for goals scored in a season that she set her freshman year at Utah. Her 247 minutes played almost match the totals she had each season at Arizona, where she played 257 as a sophomore and 278 last season.
Ahern’s team has been fairly successful on the pitch. They have yet to lose a match this season, building a 2-0-3 record. That record includes a no-contest against Texas A&M in which the Pioneers were leading 1-0 in the 68th minute when the match was suspended due to lightning.
“Denver is a hard-fighting team,” Moros said. “They’re gritty, they’re motivated. They’ve got a good energy about them when you watch them play, and conviction in what they’re doing, and belief in themselves. So they’re going to come in here looking for a result and an opportunity to build on the season that they’ve started. And they need some results, as well. So I think it’s going to be two teams fighting to get some points, and I think that they’re competitive and will definitely come out here and grind for it, just like we’re going to try to.”
The Wildcats have faced Pepperdine in either a preseason friendly or a nonconference match for the past three seasons. Arizona is 0-1-1 in the regular season matches. The two teams played to a draw last year in Malibu.
The last time the Waves came to Tucson was 2022, when they were ranked 10th. They defeated Arizona 2-0 at Mulcahy Soccer Stadium.
The Waves have challenged themselves in the early going with matches against No. 9 TCU and No. 5 USC, but their results have been uneven. They fell to the Horned Frogs by a score of 6-1, but played the Trojans to a close 3-2 loss. They ended in a 2-2 draw against 1-3-2 Hawai’i at home, but they were able to do something Arizona didn’t. Pepperdine defeated Cal 1-0 at Berkeley.
“They’re a good possession team,” Moros said. “Also, they’re smart. They play well together. They’re well trained, and they have good players from good pedigree and clubs, and have been playing at a high level for a long time. So they’re usually pretty consistently strong every single year, and I think it’s always a good match-up for us and challenges us. And I think tactically, they’re pretty capable, so we’ll have to be prepared for whatever they bring and however they change throughout the run of the game.”
The Wildcats will likely have to do it without at least one critical player. Kennedy Fletcher played 55 minutes against the Cardinal and did not play at Cal. While she is listed as a defender on the official roster, she plays all over the field for the Wildcats and started next to Narissa Fults in place of forward Aurora Gaines at Stanford. The sophomore’s status for the weekend is up in the air.
“She’s just got a little knock,” Moros said. “She played on it for a while, and then is just a little sore, so she’s gonna have to rest up quickly. But so far, everything looks fine. It’s the life of a soccer player. You’re always getting kicked or rolling an ankle or something’s happening. So it’s just going to be a few days for her, probably.”
