There was an offensive drought for the Arizona soccer team this weekend, as the Wildcats managed just one goal on their trip to the Bay Area, getting shut out 3-0 at No. 29 Stanford yesterday and tying No. 16 California 1-1 on Friday.
Stanford (8-5-1, 1-1-1 Pacific 10 Conference) put on an offensive show and contained the offense of Arizona (8-6-1, 1-2-1).
UA sophomore goaltender Chelsea McIntyre had no room for a break, making 14 saves in the game, while Stanford goalkeeper’s junior Erica Hollander had to make just two saves. Arizona took a total of only four shots for the game, compared to Stanford’s 23.
“”Stanford was very good today, right from the first whistle,”” UA head coach Dan Tobias said about the Cardinal, who hadn’t beaten Arizona since 2003. “”Our effort and hustle was out of character.””
Stanford scored its lone goal in the first half at the 20:20 mark off a header by sophomore midfielder Marisa Abegg.
Its other two goals came in the second half, the first in the 52nd minute on a ball kicked from 15 yards out for a score by freshman forward Ali Riley. The third and final goal came at the 65th minute off a Stanford corner kick, touched into the goal by freshman forward Kelley O’Hara.
The only offense the Wildcats could offer up came off the foot of sophomore forward Gianna DeSaverio, as she took all four of Arizona’s shots, converting one. Out of Stanford’s 23 shots, 17 were on goal.
The contest against the Golden Bears (7-3-4, 1-2-2 Pac-10) provided more excitement, although neither team scored in the second half or either overtime period.
“”I think it was a fair result,”” Tobias said.
During the first half, the Bears took the lead early with a goal at the 11:23 mark by senior forward Julia Schnugg.
The Wildcats came right back in the first half, getting their only goal of the game in the 41st minute off a corner kick by junior defender Kaity Heath. Heath lobbed the ball toward the goal’s mouth, where sophomore forward London King took a shot that deflected off a Cal defender for Arizona’s lone goal.
“”I think we showed good character coming back in the game and getting the equalizer,”” Tobias said.
King led the offense for the remainder of the game, taking four shots, including two on goal. Arizona took 10 shots, with six of them on goal, in comparison to the Golden Bears who took 13 shots during the game, nine of which were on goal.
McIntyre made five saves in regulation and three more in overtime play to keep the Wildcats from dropping both games on the weekend in the tough Pac-10, of which Tobias said there’s such a strong level of competition.
“”It was disappointing how we finished our trip,”” Tobias said, “”but this is Pac-10 women’s soccer. It’s nasty.””