Huskies Downed 2-1 On Late Arizona Goal

Thursday, October 26

Tucson, Ariz.

7:00 PM

University of Washington

9-7-2

Arizona

8-4-4

Washington

Arizona

October 26, 2017 | Women's Soccer

Box Score

TUCSON, Ariz. – A late goal felled the Washington Huskies Thursday night, with Washington dropping a 2-1 game to the Arizona Wildcats on the road. The Huskies are 9-7-2 now after the loss, with Arizona improving to 8-4-4.

"We're still creating time with the ball and numbers going to goal but we aren't dangerous on frame when we need to be," said Head Coach Lesle Gallimore.

Sarah Shimer stopped four shots in the game but took the loss for the Huskies. Kimberly Keever scored her sixth goal of the year and 22^nd of her career, putting her fifth in Husky history. Keever has now scored six goals in three of her four seasons at UW.

Defense reigned supreme for most of the first half, though the Huskies were able to put a few shots on net before breaking through for a goal. Shannon Simon had her shot blocked in the 5^th minute, earning the only corner of the first half that was cleared away.

At 19', Olivia Van Der Jagt sent a shot just high over the goal as well. The freshman was making her second start of the year after also starting the season's very first game against Michigan.

The Huskies broke the scoreless tie in the 28^th minute thanks to a Dominique Bond-Flasza cross to Keever. Bond-Flasza sent it in from the wing and found Keever rushing toward goal. Keever was able to leap forward and get her head on the ball for the first goal of the game.

Keever would add another shot at 34' looking for her second goal, but was denied.

Shimer made three saves in the first 45 minutes to keep the Huskies on top, with shots tied up at four apiece after the first half of play.

Just 24 seconds into the second half, the Huskies earned another corner, with Amanda Perez taking it. While no goal came of it, Washington kept control of the ball and Keever launched another shot on goal, with the ball knocked away for another corner.

While Perez's first insert was blocked, the ball found Bond-Flasza above the box. The senior was able to loop a pass over the defense back out to Perez, who sent it back into the scoring area. Unfortunately, Arizona's goalie got to the ball before a Husky head and controlled it.

Keever had another good chance in the 60^th minute. Simon stole the ball and beat her defender despite Arizona grabbing a handful of jersey to hold her back, then curved a pass to Keever at the opposite end of the box. Keever controlled the ball with two touches and sent her shot through three defenders. The ball didn't quite have the curve needed though and went into the goalie's chest.

The Wildcats scored on their first shot of the second half, coming on a header off a corner at 63:20 to make it 1-1. It was the first Arizona shot in over 20 minutes of play.

The Huskies didn't waste any time looking to take back the lead, with Bond-Flasza taking a good shot from far out ten minutes later. That shot was caught to end the threat.

Arizona scored on the counterattack in the 83^rd minute, rushing back after a Husky free kick was cleared from the box. A cross landed on an attacker's foot to give Arizona their first lead of the game.

"We had enough of the play to go up two but Arizona is a team that loves the fight," said Gallimore. "They punished us on hard-driven balls in the box and hard runs to beat us to the ball."

That late goal allowed Arizona to go into a defensive shell, with the late Husky offensive unable to find a goal to tie it back up.

Washington led 8-7 in the final shot count, with five corners to Arizona's two.

The Huskies will have their last regular season road game this Sunday, October 29, taking on the Arizona State Sun Devils at 1:00 pm.

Make sure to follow Husky women's soccer on Twitter with the username @UW_WSoccer and on Instagram at uw_wsoccer.