The University of Arizona women’s soccer team is set to face the University of Las Vegas on Thursday, Aug. 14, at 7 p.m. at Murphey Field. This will mark the Wildcats’ first recorded game of the season following their 1-0 exhibition win last week against NAU.
History vs. UNLV
The two programs last met over twenty years ago on Sept. 27, 2003, resulting in a 2-1 loss for the Wildcats. Prior to that match, on Sept. 23, 2003, Arizona secured a 4-1 victory. With over a decade of time passing between those matches to now, there is no real tell how the score will sway. Both teams had one game-like event before their meeting, Arizona’s in an exhibition matchup and UNLV’s in an intrasquad scrimmage.
Wildcats to watch
Arizona is led by head coach Becca Moros who has been with the program since June 16, 2021. Moros has coached Wildcat players into several impressive stats, including Hope Hisley, a previous Wildcat goalkeeper, becoming the program record keeper with 366 career saves in 2023.
Narissa Fults, a sophomore forward, fell third in line for goals and assists last season behind two graduating seniors in her first year with the team. She recorded 4 goals, three assists and held a 61.1% for shots on goal throughout the season. Fans are expecting to see Fults step into the places former players Nicole Dallin and midfielder Gianna Christiansen held.
Sophomore Sofia Cortes-Browne will be the Wildcat’s key component in the goal this season. Now that Hisley has graduated, Cortes-Browne will be making her mark as goalie for Arizona’s program. She was seen in just three games last season and managed to block seven shots on goal. Prior to her arrival, Cortes-Browne was selected for Canada’s U17 Women’s National Team camp, elevating her soccer career above the high-school level. She is an impressive player to watch on the field this season.
Rebels to watch
Jenny Williams, a former UNLV women’s soccer player, now leads the program in her fifth year as head coach following her debut in the spring of 2021. Williams helped the Rebels earn four Mountain West All-Conference selections as well as 38 recipients for Academic All-Mountain West.
Mallie Ramirez, senior midfielder/forward, was listed second for the Rebels for goals, earning 5 for the 2024-2025 season. Impressively, Ramirez was brought into the Philippines National Training Camp squad in February of this year. She has helped bring her team to victory numerous times against competitors like the University of Wyoming and California State University, Bakersfield.
Goalkeeper Hanne Breur will secure the Rebels from the back in her senior year this season. Breur saved 83 shots on goal last season, earning her a 79.8% saving record. In her sophomore season, Breur made a team-best effort of a 1.03 goal against average and a 77.6% on saves.
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