University of Washington
Gonzaga
Huskies Battle Back To Tie Gonzaga
September 20, 2015 | Women's Soccer
SPOKANE, Wash. – UW women's soccer stretched its unbeaten streak to eight games with a come from behind 2-2 draw with Gonzaga in Spokane, as sophomore Kimby Keever scored two goals in a 35-second span to bring the Huskies back from a 2-0 deficit.
“We were fighting, and you really have to give them credit,” Gallimore said. “They were a tough team. We had a ton of chances and it would've been great to get a win, but at the end of the day, to go from 2-0 down in the second half to a 2-2 draw on the road – it was a good lesson to learn and a great effort.”
After a scoreless first half, Gonzaga came out on fire at the beginning of the second frame and scored in the 49th and 51st minutes to take a commanding 2-0 lead.
“We didn't do ourselves any favors, especially in the first half and early in the second half,” Gallimore said. “We turned over balls and gave up two bad goals. You have to hand it Gonzaga, they were good at what they were doing. They finished and were strong and took away our strengths.”
The Huskies found a sense of urgency but still couldn't find the back of the net until Keever scored twice in the 72nd minute to tie the game.
Trailing 2-0, the Huskies earned a free kick from about 40 yards out. Junior defender Havana McElvaine took the left-footed cross and found Keever streaking in the box. Keever one-touched the cross past Gonzaga goalkeeper Christie Tombari to cut the deficit to one goal. McElvaine picked up her first assist of the season.
Just 36 seconds later with the Huskies on the attack, sophomore right back Dominique Bond-Flasza dribbled down the right side and sent a cross that found junior midfielder Amanda Perez on the left side of the goal. She headed the ball back to the center of the box where Keever was just able to get her left foot on the ball as she was falling down, touching it past the keeper to tie the game at 2-2. Bond-Flasza and Perez were each credited with assists.
The two goals were Keever's second and third of the season.
Neither team could score in the final 18 minutes of regulation or the two overtime periods. The Huskies outshot the Bulldogs 27-11 and had 10 corner kicks to just two for Gonzaga. Tombori was forced into 11 saves.
The tie was the first in 13 meetings between UW and Gonzaga, as the Huskies now have an 11-1-1 all-time record against the Bulldogs. The Huskies had won the last five meetings before Sunday's draw.
The Huskies put up nine shots in a scoreless first half, forcing Tombari into five saves. UW had two dangerous looks about 30 minutes into the half, when Keever beat her defender down the left side and found Hedge alone in the box. Her shot was on frame but right at Tombari. That was immediately followed by a wide open look from Perez that she struck well into the lower right corner of the goal, but Tombari deflected it wide. All UW senior goalkeeper Megan Kufeld's four saves came in the first half.
Sunday's draw ends the Huskies' seven-game winning streak, but UW has yet to lose since dropping its season opener at Kentucky.
The Huskies open Pac-12 play this Friday, Sep. 25 at Arizona. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. PT and the game will be shown live on the Pac-12 Network. In-game updates will also be provided on Twitter at @UW_WSoccer.
For more on UW women's soccer, follow the Huskies on Facebook and on Snapchat, Periscope, Twitter and Instagram at @UW_WSoccer.
