The Arizona soccer team will travel north to Flagstaff on Sunday to play the NAU Lumberjacks in its second away game of the season.

“We know going into this match with NAU it is going to be more of a physical battle,” senior defender Alex Smith said. “We will come ready to play, and since it is an in-state match-up, it will be a battle of who wants it more.”

At their last meeting, on Sept. 3, 2010, the Wildcats hosted the Lumberjacks in a double overtime match, which resulted in a tie. Even though Arizona attempted 10 shots in the first half, NAU pulled ahead with a 1-0 lead when Kristi Andreassen scored the first and only goal for the Lumberjacks.

As time dwindled down for Arizona with two minutes to spare in regulation time, former Wildcat Jensen Skinner scored the UA’s first goal, forcing the match into overtime.

Arizona attempted four shots between the two overtimes, but none made it past NAU goalkeeper Lauren Weaver. NAU attempted three shots, but former Arizona goalkeeper Ashley Jett shut down NAU’s last-minute chance to win by making a save in the second overtime.

Weaver returns as NAU’S goalkeeper, but has a new opposing goalkeeper this season in Arizona’s junior Gabby Kaufman, who transferred from Texas Tech University.

The Wildcats will be on the road for 12 of their 20 games this season. With the large number of away games, the team must work to overcome its constantly-on-the-move schedule.

“We are taking the season one step at a time,” Smith said. “We don’t want to look too far ahead, but simply take the time to focus on each game.”