BERKELEY, Calif.– The California women's soccer team got back in the win column Sunday afternoon defeating Arizona at home 2-1. Powered by two early goals and a strong defensive performance, the Golden Bears held on to best the former conference foe.
It took all of two and half minutes for Cal (3-1-2) to take the lead. For the second straight match,
Coco Thistle scored a go-ahead goal from outside of the 18-yard box. The senior fired in her team-leading third goal of the season on a line with her left foot into the top right corner of the goal. Senior
Noelle Bond-Flasza earned the assist and now has two on the year.
The Bears doubled their lead in the 27th minute by once again proving to be a dangerous set-piece team. Thistle took a free kick from just over 20 yards out and played a perfect cross into the box where senior
Lumi Kostmayer was able to get a head on it. The ball went straight up in the air where only
Elle Kivo could get it, and the freshman climbed the ladder to head in her first collegiate goal.
For the third straight match Cal goalkeeper
Teagan Wy picked up four or more saves. All four came in the first half today to preserve the Bears' 2-0 lead heading into the locker room. Wy would make a huge play in the early minutes of the second half as well winning a one-on-one situation inside the box to stymie a promising chance for Arizona.
The Wildcats (3-2-0) cut the lead in half with a goal from Lily Boydstun in the 59th minute but could not find the equalizer down stretch and suffered their second loss of this road trip. Arizona had another strong opportunity with just 45 seconds to go in the match where the team had two shots from inside the penalty area, but junior
Reese Doherty picked up a team save on the first attempt and freshman
Olivia McPherson blocked the second.
Cal outshot Arizona 18-13 putting a season-high tying nine shots on frame. The Bears have now won the shot battle in five of their six matches.
The Bears will be back at Edwards Stadium on Thursday when they face another former conference foe in Washington State at 3 p.m. on ACCNX.
