TEMPE — On a hot August morning in unfriendly territory, Arizona soccer earned a 1-1 draw with LSU Sunday in a match that garnered some controversy.
Wildcats sophomore forward Kyleigh Johnson
scored the equalizer in the 66th minute, converting Arizona’s only goal out of several scoring opportunities. Arizona outshot LSU 13-6 and had multiple close looks in the final minutes but couldn’t get the go-ahead score.The Tigers scored in the 44th minute on a goal by Ava Galligan, giving LSU the halftime lead.
Arizona coach Becca Moros praised her team’s mentality after going down a goal.
“I love the comeback energy and the grittiness to keep playing hard,” Moros said. “Would have loved to get a second one back. Glad we didn’t concede a second one. It was a tough battle. Really hot daytime game in Arizona.”
Arizona (2-1-1) outplayed LSU for most of the day, and the Wildcats’ desert conditioning came through during the game’s final 15 minutes.
In the closing seconds, Arizona’s Mireya Stephenson nearly converted a breakaway opportunity, but her shot went just over the goal post.
Five different Wildcats had multiple shot attempts, including Johnson, who scored on a cross from the right side. The goal was the of Johnson’s college career.
“It was really nice because she missed a similar one in the first half, so to have an opportunity to sort of redeem yourself and put it in and getting us the tying goal is huge,” Moros said. “She’s such a good player and teammate and busted her butt for the team all the time. She was in the right place, she was hunting, great finish. Very exciting for us.”
In goal, Arizona made a halftime substitution, bringing in Laurynn Ziller for Sofia Cortez-Browne. It’s the third time out of four games that Moros has divvied up goalkeeping.
LSU plays fifth-year seniors imbued in eligibility battle
LSU soccer on Sunday became the first SEC program to play fifth-year seniors granted eligibility under a temporary restraining order by a state judge.
Defenders Jazmin Ferguson and Jocelyn Ollivierre were substituted in the 22nd minute. The two seniors, who were members of the high school class of 2022, are plaintiffs in an eligibility case against the NCAA, SEC and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, according to Matt Moscona of LouisianaSports.net.
Less than 24 hours prior to the game, the SEC communicated to schools that it would adhere to a court order by a Louisiana judge giving the players temporary eligibility, per Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger. A Louisiana judge this week is set to consider whether athletes from the high school class of 2022 should be eligible, Moscona reported.
Moros said she was not made aware that Ferguson or Ollivierre would play.
“I thought they weren’t allowed to, so I had no idea that that was a legitimate move,” Moros said. “I feel like that’s been allowed, not allowed, allowed. I don’t even know where the steps of it is right now.
“I don’t think it’s right. I think it should be the same across the board. I don’t think it should be in one place it’s one way and then another it’s another. I’m not a fan of that. But it is what it is. And it’s in the legal system. It’s not really for us to judge someone else who is doing that.”
