On the back of a second-half goal from Jill Aguilera, Arizona women’s soccer avoided a 0-2 start to the season and beat University of California, Irvine on the road Thursday night. 

Aguilera’s game-clinching goal came in the 71st minute on a well-executed play by the ‘Cats. 

After Arizona earned a throw in, Sabrina Enciso launched the ball near the box. Center-midfielder Kelsey Cavarra got her head on it and flicked it to Aguilera, who rocketed the ball under the crossbar. It was the ‘Cats first goal of the season after being held to a clean sheet in a 1-0 loss to Albany last weekend.

However, the Anteaters dominated play in the first half of Thursday night’s game, leading the shot margin 7-4 after the first 45 minutes. UC Irvine also had its offsides trap working, catching the ‘Cats on the wrong side of the defender five times in the first half.

But after the break the tides turned. The ‘Cats took charge of the game and outshot UCI 10-4 in the second half, putting five of those shots on target and earning three corners. 

Goalkeeper Lainey Burdett earned her first shutout of the year after earning seven last season. The 2017 All-Pac-12 second team member made four saves and faced 11 shots. Conversely, Burdett gave up a goal against Albany when she faced only five shots. 

The ‘Cats improved upon their 2017 game against Irvine last year, where the two squads played to a 0-0 draw in Mulcahy Stadium in Tucson. 

Irvine drops to 1-2 on the year after losing 1-0 to another Pac-12 opponent, University of Southern California, last Thursday.

Arizona’s next game is back home against Houston Baptist University on Sunday, Aug. 26th in Mulcahy Stadium. The Huskies are 1-0 on the season after beating Houston and next play Grand Canyon University on Friday.

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