The University of Arizona soccer team fell 1-0 against No. 3 TCU on Thursday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. at Mulcahy Stadium. This is the Wildcats’ sixth consecutive loss of the season.
First half
Narissa Fultz tried to get an early offensive look as the first half started rolling. She crossed it across the middle but there were no Wildcats on the receiving end.
TCU maintained possession well and worked through the midfield and into their outside players. However, Arizona’s defense was impressive, keeping the Horned Frogs outside of the box and not allowing early minute looks at goal.
Arizona kept a high press against TCU’s backline, trying to cause turnovers in their offensive half. The Wildcats knew they needed to get into the lead early against this No. 9 ranked team.
Seven Castain, goal leader for the Horned Frogs, was trying to break away up top in a foot race to utilize her speed against Wildcat defense. Arizona kept her isolated for a majority of the early minutes, allowing just one cross from her in the first eight minutes.
In transition, Maia Brown swung the ball around to Fultz who found a cross-splitting TCU’s defense where Ella Hatteberg was on the receiving end but ultimately launched the ball over the goal. This was a huge look for Arizona this early into the match.
In response, TCU found Cameron Patton down the right end of the field. Patton crossed the ball across the box where Emma Yolinsky made contact with her head and into the back of the net. In the thirteenth minute, TCU led 1-0.
Fultz continued to respond, hitting two cut back moves to get a shot off and making TCU’s goalie hit a diving save. This ended in a corner for the Wildcats which turned into Horned Frog possession. Arizona has struggled off of set pieces this season when they could be utilized for valuable offensive opportunities in tough games like these.
Patton continued to find drives down the right side for TCU, securing another dangerous cross in Arizona’s defensive box.
Physicality was high in the first half, Arizona earning eight fouls and TCU with just four.
The remaining minutes of the half saw possession traded between programs, battling for a goal. As the half closed, the Horned Frogs remained in the lead, 1-0.
Second half
Arizona came out hot in the second half, finding Jessica Bedolla up top for a turn and shot that got deflected off of TCU defense. The Wildcats needed to continue to hold their unit across the field, finding success in the first half and passing lanes through the middle.
Following this Wildcat attempt, the ball stayed in TCU’s final third and heightened the pressure against Arizona’s back line. The Wildcats struggled to regain possession after their clearances, often launching it back into the feet of the Horned Frogs.
Arizona eventually found their way back into their offensive third as substitutions made their way onto the field. The shift in the lineup let fresh legs create new looks on the field, Ella Weathersby finding two back-to-back crosses on the left flank. In her third attempt, she secured a corner kick for the team which again was unsuccessful.
The Wildcats ping-ponged the ball in the midfield, trying to make something work offensively.
Defensively, Arana Urge and Brown held steady in the backline and kept tight against the Horned Frogs’ forwards.
As the game progressed, TCU earned more and more possessions, limiting Arizona to few chances with the ball. When the Wildcats had it at their feet, it was often in a clearance or trying to rebuild. However, the Horned Frogs were tight on the Wildcats in transition, often causing turnovers.
Arizona needed to utilize these chances on the ball to move forward and get a look at the goal but weren’t finding success.
In the final two minutes of the match, Arizona tried to put as much offensive pressure as possible, but TCU was able to turn it into their own feet and head the other way. The Horned Frogs held the ball in the corner flag, killing the clock.
At the end of the match, Arizona was held at 1-0 against TCU.
Looking ahead
Arizona will face the No. 11 University of Colorado, Boulder on Sunday, Oct. 26, at 11 a.m. in Boulder. Colorado is currently sitting at second in the Big 12 conference, tied with Texas Tech University.
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