The University of Arizona soccer team concluded its fall season in a draw against ASU on Thursday, Oct. 30. The Wildcats suffered tough losses throughout the months completing the season with a 7-11-1 overall record and 2-8-1 conference record, making it difficult to stand a chance at entering the Big 12 tournament in the post season.
Key players
Despite Arizona’s struggles, several Wildcats stood out in both the defensive and offensive third. Narissa Fults, a sophomore forward, led the offense when Aurora Gaines, another sophomore forward and point leader for Arizona, suffered an injury in the midway point of the season. Fults earned 2 goals and three assists on the season, often driving attacking efforts for the Wildcats.
Even with Gaines’ near season-ending injury, she remained at the top of the line for Arizona with 4 goals, 2 of which were game-winners and three assists. Gaines was a powerful forward for the team, utilizing her speed and strength to find clutch goals for Arizona.
Moving deeper into the lineup, Lily Boydstun created countless opportunities for the Wildcats from the midfield. Making efforts getting back on defense and creating possessions for Arizona, Boydstun collected 3 goals and assists, getting 22 shots on goal, the second most behind Fults with 33.
In the back line, senior defender Maia Brown was one of the biggest players on the field for Arizona. She served as a brick wall, keeping impressive opponents from breaking through her line. Brown played the second-most minutes of any Wildcat, often never seeing the sideline and being a key to the team. Despite her lack of numbers on the stat line, Brown’s presence was notable across the pitch.
Game-by-game
The Wildcats started their season with an exhibition matchup against NAU, walking away with a 1-0 win.
Following up, Arizona went on a three-game win streak to extend their record. They competed against the University of Las Vegas first, securing a massive 5-0 win, 2 of the goals coming from Gaines. In their second home game of the season, they defeated the University of California, Irvine 1-0.
As the Wildcats got on the road, they bagged their first away-game victory over New Mexico State University in a 2-0 defeat. Jessica Bedolla, sophomore forward, put both goals away for Arizona.
The start of Arizona’s downfall began on their California road trip, facing ranked teams like Stanford University. The Wildcats suffered a 6-0 loss, unable to find any attack in this match. Against University of California, Berkeley, Arizona found their second loss in a 2-1 contest. The Wildcats showed fight in this match, coming just short of Cal.
Fortunately for Arizona, they found a redemption match against University of Denver, putting away 2 goals to Denver’s 1. Sami Baytosh and Fults secured the points. The next three games traded off two losses and one win, their only victory coming over GCU in a 5-2 blowout.
Nonetheless, Arizona fell 3-0 to the University of Pepperdine and 1-0 to Iowa State University. At this point in the season, Arizona held a 5-4 record.
The Wildcats’ next two games served beneficially for the team, winning 1-0 and 3-1 against the University of Central Florida and Oklahoma State University. Gaines, Marissa Arnst and Mireya Stephenson tallied these points for Arizona. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, these goals were the last Arizona saw for the next three games.
The team fell to West Virginia University, the University of Cincinnati and the University of Utah, unable to put any points on the board. Notably, these matchups were the start of Arizona’s damaging seven-game losing streak.
Finally, against BYU on Oct. 16, Bedolla and Boydstun put Arizona back in the scoring column with a goal apiece. These were the last goals the Wildcats put away for the season. Ultimately, the Wildcats fell 3-2 to the Cougars, adding another loss under their belt.
Arizona then went on to face a ranked No. 12 Texas Tech University and No. 9 TCU in back-to-back home games, losing 2-0 and 1-0, respectively.
While they weren’t able to find a win, their efforts, both offensive and defensive, were impressive regarding the state of their season at that time. Holding the No. 12 and No. 9 team to just 3 goals was an achievement in itself.
The team then traveled to Boulder, Colorado to face the University of Colorado, falling 1-0. These matchups were a testament to the struggles facing Arizona’s offense this season. With a solid back line, the Wildcats could not find working connections up top to put the ball in the net. Despite valiant efforts from several forwards, key opportunities to score were often gone to waste.
This left Arizona in its last matchup of the season, hosting rival ASU at home.
For several Wildcats, this would be their last collegiate matchup. With that thought in mind, Arizona was eager to find the net and secure one last win on the season. Unfortunately, the Wildcats fell just short in a 0-0 draw. This game ultimately finished the Arizona soccer chapter for departing seniors as well as the entire team for the season.
Moving forward
As Arizona soccer moves into the spring season and eventually the 2026 fall season, fourth-season head coach Becca Moros will need to evaluate her attack to find ways to put the ball in the net. Defensively, the Wildcats hold a solid foundation, but leaving players could alter their stability. Finding chemistry amongst the midfield to glue these sections together will be key for Arizona’s success moving forward.
Follow the Daily Wildcat on Instagram and Twitter/X
