WASHINGTON STATE (12-5-1)
vs Montana (7-8-6)
| Fri., Nov. 9 | 7 p.m.
Watch Live | WSU Live Stream
Live Statistics | NCAA.com
OPENING XI
> Washington State finished the regular season with 12 wins, the most since winning 14 in 2015 in coach Shulenberger's first season.
> WSU heads back to the NCAA Tournament for the 7th time in 8 seasons. Last season WSU advanced to the third round for the first time in program history.
> The Cougs are 3-9-4 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
> Four Cougs were named All-Pac-12:
Morgan Weaver (1st Team),
Maddy Haro (2nd Team),
Maegan O'Neill (3rd Team),
Mykiaa Minniss (All-Frosh).
>
Morgan Weaver (took home the Pac-12 Offensive POW award for the second-straight week and third time on the year, the most of any Pac-12 player.
> Cougs are 12-6-2 all-time against Montana with a nine match unbeaten streak having already beat the Griz, 3-1, earlier in the season.
>
Maddy Haro finished the regular season No. 2 in the nation in assists per game at (0.76) and led the Pac-12 with a WSU record 13 total assists (4th nationally).
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Morgan Weaver finished the regular season tied for second in the Pac-12 with 12 goals. She is No. 5 all-time in career goals scored with 27 goals.
> 11 different Cougars have scored the team's 36 goals on the year with seven different game-winning scorers.
> WSU finished the regular season 5th in the Pac-12 in scoring (2.00 gpg).
> WSU has dealt with a rash of bumps, bruises, and injuries to starters
Ella Dederick,
Elyse Bennett,
Aaqila McLyn, and
Maegan O'Neill. Adding to the mix,
Makamae Gomera-Stevens will miss the opening round due to a red card in the regular season finale.
WEAVER LEADS FOUR COUGARS ON ALL-PAC-12 TEAMS
Led by star forward
Morgan Weaver, Washington State soccer put four players on the Pac-12 All-Conference teams as announced by conference commissioner Larry Scott office Wednesday afternoon. Weaver took home first team honors for the Cougars while senior
Maddy Haro earned a second team nod and senior
Maegan O'Neill grabbed third team honors. Newcomer
Mykiaa Minniss proved to be one of the best freshmen in the league as she earned all-freshman team honors for her play.
Weaver - One of the most feared strikers in the country, Weaver finished the regular season tied for second in scoring with a career-best 12 goals. She would score seven goals in Pac-12 play including five in the final three games of the season.
Haro - Earned all-conference honors as the senior defender picked up second team honors. The native Californian was the conductor of the offensive orchestra posting a WSU record 13 assists in 17 games. She would finish fourth in the nation in total assists while her 0.76 assists per game finished second in the country.
O'Neill - Earned her first career all-conference award. Despite playing a truncated season due to injury, she finished the year as the second leading scorer for the Cougars netting five goals just 13 games on an even more impressive 10 shots. Tallied three game-winners.
Minniss - Stepped into a starting center back role in game one and proved herself to be one of the best defenders in the country. A rock in the back, Minniss missed just one game in her inaugural campaign due to injury, playing nearly every other minute in her 17 games on the field.
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
Taking care of business at home all season long, the Cougs came up with a program record nine wins at Lower Soccer Field in 2018. The previous record for WSU was eight, done three times prior. Overall, the Cougs went 9-1-1 at home for an .864 win percentage, the fourth-best percentage in WSU history. The only teams to get past the Cougars at home this year were #2 USC (3-2) and #1 Stanford (1-1 Draw, 2OT).
In addition to the wins, the Cougs have outscored their opponents 28-11 at home scoring 78% of their goals at Lower Soccer Field this season.
Morgan Weaver has been dominant at home, scoring 10 of her 12 goals at home.
VERSUS MONTANA
Dominating in the attacking third of the field, the Cougs defeated the Montana, 3-1, Sept. 14 at Lower Soccer Field. The win extended the Cougars unbeaten streak to nine against the Griz. In the game,
Makamae Gomera-Stevens scored the fastest goal of the season for WSU at 1:57 and finished with her first-career multi-goal game. Senior
Maegan O'Neill added a third goal for the Cougs. The contest was the first for WSU without star goalkeeper
Ella Dederick who was lost for the year the game prior against Idaho.
~ Complete Release (PDF) ~
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