SEATTLE, Wash. - The Gonzaga University women's soccer team dropped a heartbreaking 1-0 decision at the University of Washington Friday afternoon. Despite holding the 13-8 edge in shots over the Huskies, the Pacific-12 Conference member held on to the single-goal victory after scoring the only goal it needed in the 30th minute.
The loss dropped the Bulldogs record to 3-4 on the year, while the Huskies improved their overall mark to 4-4.
"I thought our effort was tremendous tonight; our pressing was tremendous and we created so many opportunities off that pressing," stated Gonzaga head coach Amy Edwards after the match. "In all the statistical categories we were on top but ultimately in the game of soccer it is who finishes and they had one dangerous attack and they finished it."
Gonzaga was the more dangerous team when Washington found the back of the net. It was seconds before the 30th minute when UW's Lindsay Elston laid the ball off in the middle of the field, 18-yards out from goal. The slight lay-off allowed Kate Bennett to find a small window of space to blast a shot to the upper right corner of the goal past diving Zag keeper Christie Tombari.
The Bulldogs had two ample scoring opportunities of their own before the Huskies goal. After freshman Karley Baggerly's shot attempt from the left side of the field was blocked in the 20th minute, the rebound found the foot of junior Ali Ohashi who hit a 25-yard shot that UW keeper Megan Kufeld was there to save.
Not a minute later sophomore workhorse Heather Johnson won the ball from a Washington defender deep in the home squads half. The forward took a few dribbles and let a shot fly but the low shot to the back corner was scooped up by Kufeld.
After Washington's goal, Zag freshman Aliyah Miller had the best chance to tie the match before halftime. A quick pass through the middle of the field by sophomore Mikayla Anderson allowed Miller to get behind the Husky defense and have open an field towards goal. Her low blast towards the goal was unfortunately saved once again by Kufeld.
A defensive battle ensued then for the next 33 minutes. But with 12 minutes remaining Gonzaga turned on the offensive pressure.
Baggerly, who had just reentered the contest, started things off with a left footed shot at 78:09 that Kufeld dove and saved out of bounds for a Zag corner.
Three minutes later junior Kasey Rubosky had an 18-yard blast that cracked off the cross bar. She followed a minute later with an open goal shot that was destined for goal but a UW defender at the last moment cleared the ball off the line. Her rebound shot once again was blocked.
"In the last 15 minutes we were subbing in fresh legs, with Kasey, Karley and Tor [Lee] reentering after getting a break," explained Edwards. "That break allowed us that final push. Our pressing wore them down and because of that we got the number of opportunities we did. It was unlucky we didn't get a goal but this is a game of inches."
Gonzaga had six great chances in the final 12 minutes, including a last second hit by Johnson than came down on top of the netting, but ultimately couldn't find the equalizer.
The Bulldogs look to regroup Sunday why they host the University of Nevada. The final game in their four-matches-in-eight-day stretch is set to begin at 1 p.m.
