In Case You Missed It
SEATTLE – Picking up where it left off from a season ago the Washington State soccer team ran away with its season-opening contest at Seattle U, 4-0, Thursday night in Seattle. The Cougars saw four different players strike the back of the net on the night while allowing just three total shots to the host Redhawks.
Using their size and athletic advantage, the Cougars literally jumped on Seattle U just 17 minutes into the new year when junior
Hanna Goff headed home a perfectly placed corner by junior
Brianna Alger. Not only was the goal the first of the season for the Cougars the strike also was the first career tally for the freshly minted starting center back.
With the seal broken the Cougars would waste no time doubling their advantage just two minutes later in a near carbon copy of their opening goal. Earning a corner on the opposite side of the field, Alger again sent a ball into the middle of the box, this time finding junior
Elyse Bennett skying above defense to head home WSU's second goal of the game.
Despite dominating the pitch, the score would remain 2-0 in favor of WSU until the 77' when sophomore
Molly Myers would earn the Cougs a penalty kick from the spot after being dragged down inside the box. Taking advantage of the freebie, senior striker
Morgan Weaver calmly stepped to the spot and drilled one into the back of the net for her 29
th career goal and the Cougars' third tally of the night.
Not content to end the opening contest quietly, the Cougs' newbies got into the fun late in the game as
Grayson Lynch and
Skye McMillon hooked up to put the game to bed in the 87'. Receiving the ball on the right flank from Bennett, Lynch outpaced her defender into the box where she was able to send a ball across the face of the goal to the foot of McMillon who redirected it off a Redhawk defender and into the side netting for her first collegiate goal.
While the Cougars' offense was clicking the defense was stifling as WSU allowed just three shots in 90 minutes of action with only one reaching the hands of 'keeper
Ella Dederick. Last season, Dederick and her defense put together three shutouts in the opening five games before injury cost the veteran goalkeeper the rest of the 2018 season.
Stat of the Match
The Cougars outshot the Redhawks 17-3 on the night.
The Moments That Made The Match
Things You Need To Know
- The Cougs' beat Seattle U for the fourth-straight contest and second-straight opener after taking a 3-1 win last season in Pullman. WSU is 14-1-0 all-time against the Redhawks.
- Four different Cougars scored in the contest including first-time goal scorers Hanna Goff and Skye McMillon who bookended the contest.
- Morgan Weaver scored her 29th career goal while Elyse Bennett, returning from injury scored her sixth career goal. Bennett added an assist late for the first three-point night of her career.
- Brianna Alger, playing left back for the first time in her career assisted on both first half goals for the Cougars. The junior entered the year with two career assists.
- Super senior Ella Dederick, returning from injury, picked up her 38th career victory and 21st career shutout. Dederick only needed to make one save on the night as her newly revamped defense allowed just three shots.
- The defense was led by Pac-12 All-Freshman Mykiaa Minniss in the middle alongside of Hanna Goff who picked up her first start at center back. On the wings, Alger made her first career start at left back while Aaqila McLyn settled back into her familiar right back role after returning from injury.
- Five freshmen made their collegiate debuts in the game with MacKenzie Frimpong-Ellertson getting the start. McMillon, Lynch, Rose Young, and Bridget Rieken all came in as subs for the Cougars..
- The Cougs make their first appearance at home at Lower Soccer Field Friday, Aug. 30 when they host Montana in a rematch of the first round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament. The 2019 edition takes place at 7 p.m.
