WSU Soccer Bests Utah with Early Game-Winner

Friday, October 9

Salt Lake City, Utah

3:00 PM

Washington State University

10-2-0, 3-1-0

Utah

5-5-3, 2-2-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Washington State	1	0	1
Utah	0	0	0

Photo by: Washington State Athletics

October 10, 2015 | Soccer

Box Score

By: Washington State Athletics

SALT LAKE CITY – The Washington State soccer team continued its best start in school history, earning its 10th win of the season, Friday, against the Utah Utes, 1-0, in Salt Lake City. The No. 21 Cougars (10-2-0, 3-1-0) scored the lone goal of the match in the ninth minute and fended off the Utes (5-5-3, 2-2-0) for much of the second half to earn their third clean sheet of the season.

Junior Kaitlyn Johnson scored for the second-consecutive match, as she headed home the game-winner in the ninth minute. Senior Cara Wegner found space on the right touchline and played a cross into the box. After the ball took a bounce off the ground, Johnson was able to put her head on it. The shot arched up and over the Utah goalkeeper before dropping under the crossbar and into the goal.

“Hats off to our group for coming on the road and winning this first game,” WSU Head Coach Todd Shulenberger said. “Winning is not easy, especially on the road. These young ladies are finding a way to close the games out and we couldn't be happier about that.”

In a match that was a tale of two halves, the Cougars outshot the Utes in the opening period, while Utah outshot WSU in the second half. Washington State's defense held on in the final 45 minutes to pick up its first shut out on the road since winning in overtime at Montana, Sept. 4. Redshirt-freshman goalkeeper Ella Dederick made five saves in the match to pick up her 10th-career win.

With the victory, the Cougars recorded their 31st-straight win when leading at halftime, the longest such stretch in school history. The Cougars' reached 10 wins in just 12 matches, the fastest the feat has been accomplished in school history. WSU's 2000 and 2009 teams previously held of the honor, reaching double-digit wins in 14 matches.

The Cougars continue their road swing Sunday in Boulder, Colo., as WSU faces Colorado at noon PT.

COUGAR NOTES

The Cougars picked up their 10th win of the season, reaching the mark in 12 matches…WSU's 2000 and 2009 teams were previously the fastest Cougar squads to reach 10 wins, accomplishing the feat in 14 matches…junior Kaitlyn Johnson scored her fifth goal of the season, sixth game-winner of her career, and ninth career goal…senior Cara Wegner notched her second assist of the year, seventh of her career, and earned a point for the second-consecutive match…WSU improved to 101-88-22 all-time in the month of October…the Cougars extended their school-record streak to 31 matches when leading at halftime…WSU hasn't lost when leading at halftime since Oct. 29, 2010.