Pilots rebound from recent loss, beat Oregon and UW heading into interconference play
Freshman Sarah Bridges goes up for a header during last Friday's game against the University of Oregon. Though tied at the end of the first half, the Pilots went on to win the game 4-1. (Kevin Kadooka -- The Beacon)
By Kyle Cape-Lindelin, Staff Writer -- capelind13@up.edu
Facing the prospect of the first tied game of the season, senior Sophie Schmidt coolly stepped up to take a penalty kick with 63 seconds remaining in the second period of overtime against Washington on Sunday, Oct. 3.
Without second guessing, Schmidt drilled the shot past the goalkeeper and gave the Pilot women's soccer team another victory 2-1. This raised their overall record to 12-1-0.
"It felt good right from the start, I knew I made it," Schmidt said. "We got a little lucky getting a penalty call that late in the game, but we took advantage and got another win."
This was the second victory of the weekend, as the Pilots also beat Oregon on Friday, Oct. 1 at Merlo Field 4-1.
"These were some important wins against good regional teams and now we're ready to start against the WCC," Head Coach Garrett Smith said following the win against UW. "We expect to win, we've been the champs and we're going to keep it that way."
Friday's game against cross-state rival Oregon featured UP taking the lead in the seventh minute after senior Jessica Tsao sent a cross pass to junior Halley Kreminski, who beat the defense to the near post and scored her fourth goal of the season.
Oregon struck back two minutes later when UP's trap defense failed to keep Ducks leading scorer Jen Stoltenberg from shooting a goal past freshman goalkeeper Erin Dees to tie it up.
The Pilots rallied off three goals in the second half to take and keep the lead for good. Tsao continued her great play by executing a give-and-go with freshman Micaela Capelle that resulted in Tsao finishing it for her second career goal in the 54th minute.
Freshman Michelle Cruz tapped in an insurance goal in the 61st minute from the six-yard box for her second goal of the season. Schmidt finished off the Ducks with a 25-yard bullet off a free kick that bounced off Oregon's goalkeeper's hand but still crossed the goal line to secure the win 4-1.
Sunday's game against Washington featured a tough physical game that warranted 30 foul calls and five yellow cards drawn.
"It was physical both ways, they laid some hard hits and we gave it right back," sophomore Taylor Brooke said. "It was really nothing we haven't seen before."
Washington took the lead early in the fifth minute, scoring an unmarked goal in the right corner.
UP had a hard time finding a rhythm for the whole first half and much of the second half as they trailed for the majority of the game.
Freshman Amanda Frisbie finally brought the game to a tie in the 81st minute after taking a short cross pass from Capelle and finishing it from five yards out. It was the first goal of Frisbie's career.
The game went back and forth the rest of the way with both sides getting ample opportunities to take control of the game with multiple shots narrowly being stopped short of the goal line.
"We weren't as sharp today as usual and you have to credit Washington because they pushed us the whole way, and we narrowly missed out on not winning," Smith said.
After almost two scoreless overtime periods, UP caught a huge break when Cruz was fouled around the six-yard box with only 63 seconds remaining, setting up Schmidt's game-winning shot and leaving Washington empty handed.
"Nobody wants the game to be decided on a penalty or a free kick but that's the way it worked out, and it feels way better getting the victory then it ending in a tie," Schmidt said after the win.
The Pilots have a week off to prep for their conference opener at heated rival Gonzaga (5-7-1) next Sunday, Oct. 10 at 1 p.m.
