Pac-12 recap: Cal stuns UCLA

Pac-12 recap: Cal stuns UCLA
by Ryan Kelapire
September 30, 2019

The first week of conference play is in the books, and the Pac-12 showed why it is the most competitive league in the country. Five of the six games were decided by one goal; the other ended in a draw.

Here’s a look at the standings along with a recap of last weekend’s action.

Cal (9-1, 1-0)

Colorado (9-1, 1-0)

Stanford (8-1, 1-0)

Washington State (8-1, 1-0)

Washington (5-2-2, 1-0)

Arizona State (6-2-2, 0-0-1)

Utah (5-3-2, 0-0-1)

Oregon State (8-1, 0-1)

USC (7-1-1, 0-1)

Arizona (6-2, 0-1) 

UCLA (6-2-1, 0-1)

Oregon (4-2-3, 0-1)

Kornieck cooks the Cats

Taylor Kornieck converted a penalty kick in the 107th minute to lift Colorado to a big road win over Arizona. The senior also netted a free kick from 20 yards out in the 39th minute to tie things at 1-all after the Wildcats grabbed an early lead.

With the brace, Kornieck tied Colorado’s all-time points record.

It otherwise was a defensive battle in Tucson in which the visiting Buffaloes outshot Arizona 17-11. The Wildcats scored in the sixth minute when Colorado knocked a corner kick into their own net.

Freshman goalkeeper Hope Hisey stopped a career six shots to keep Arizona in it, but ultimately Kornieck was too much to handle.

Up next: Arizona hosts UCLA and USC. Colorado hosts Oregon and Oregon State.

Oregon State’s magic ends with loss to Washington State

Oregon State’s turnaround has been one of the best stories in college soccer this season, but the Beavers’ luck finally ran out after a late surge by the Cougars on a cold, rainy night in Pullman.

McKenzie Weinert's seventh goal of the season gave OSU a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute, but Averie Collins tied it the 67th minute with a penalty kick, and five minutes later Morgan Weaver made a run inside the box and sank an angled shot for the game-winner.

Sixth-year senior Ella Dederick became WSU's all-time wins leader with her 45th victory. She made four saves.

Up next: Washington State plays at Stanford and Cal. Oregon State plays at Utah and Colorado.

California upsets UCLA in Westwood

Cal’s renaissance continued when the Golden Bears knocked off the Bruins 2-1 in Westwood. 

Cal’s Luca Deza and UCLA’s Marley Canales (PK) scored within the first 11 minutes of the match, setting the stage for Kailee Gifford’s game-winner in the 88th minute.

Abi Kim picked up her career-fourth assist. She rounded the corner and rolled a pass to the top of the box. Gifford stepped up and buried the shot with her left for her first goal of the season. It was a feel-good moment for the redshirt sophomore, who missed all of 2018 with an injury.

UCLA owned a 17-8 shot differential but only put four of them on frame. The Bears have been stingy on defense all season, allowing just four goals in 10 games, the best goals-against average in the conference.

Up next: Cal hosts Washington and Washington State. UCLA plays at Arizona and Arizona State.

Stanford outlasts USC in top-3 matchup

A top-3 matchup lived up to its billing, as Catarina Macario scored two unanswered goals to lead the Cardinal to victory in a 3-2 thriller over the Trojans in Los Angeles. All five goals were scored in a back-and-forth first half.

Stanford’s Madison Haley started the scoring in the 15th minute by heading a free kick from Macario. USC responded in the 21st and 23rd minutes to take a lead that lasted all of 15 minutes.

Kiara Pickett centered a pass to Macario, who tucked a low liner inside the far post for her 12th goal of the season, four more than any other player in the Pac-12.

USC’s Tara McKeown continued her strong start by scoring her eighth goal on an assist from Penelope Hocking, who later logged her eighth goal on a cross from Natalie Ward to give the Trojans a brief lead.

Up next: Stanford hosts Washington State and Washington. USC plays at Arizona State and Arizona.

Arizona State and Utah draw in Tempe

Aleea Gwerder netted a penalty kick in the 76th minute to help the Utes escape with a 2-2 draw in Tempe.

After Utah’s Courtney Talbot (16th minute) and ASU’s Alexia Delgado (24th minute) one-timed crosses to make it 1-1 early on, Marleen Schimmer put the Devils ahead in the 63rd minute by lasering a shot from well within the 18 past Utah keeper Carly Nelson after a nice drop off from Dai Williams.

But a handball in the box allowed Gwerder to step up to the spot and notch the equalizer.

The Sun Devils have just one win in their last five matches, somewhat spoiling a 5-0 start. The Utes, who began the year 0-2, extended their unbeaten streak to five games. 

Up next: Utah hosts Oregon State and Oregon. ASU hosts USC and UCLA.

Washington holds off Oregon in Seattle

The Huskies picked up its third straight win with a 2-1 victory over Oregon, whose six-game unbeaten streak was snapped.

Vanessa Millsaps scored a beautiful goal from distance to give the Huskies a lead late in the first half, and they added to it in the 48th minute when Summer Yates intercepted a pass, drew the keeper out, and centered a pass to Kennedy Smith who floated a shot off the crossbar and in.

A few minutes later, Emma Eddy headed in a long ball to bring the Ducks within one—her team-best sixth goal of the season—but it was one of just three shots Oregon would produce all second half.

UW’s Siena Ruelas made a diving save on a header in the 69th minute to close things out.

Up next: Washington plays at Cal and Stanford. Oregon plays at Colorado and Utah.

Related Topics: Pacific 12
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