PULLMAN, WASH. – The Washington State women’s soccer team defeated visiting UC Irvine, 2-0, Thursday evening at Lower Soccer Field, the second-consecutive shutout for the Cougars. WSU senior forward Lexi Lee delivered the game-winner with under seven minutes to play before freshman forward Delaney Hawkins delivered the knockout punch in the final 60 seconds.
For over 80 minutes the Cougars and Anteaters battled in a scoreless bout. In the opening half, WSU had nine shot attempts with over half blocked before they reached the goal. UCI threatened in the first half with nine shots of its own, including a flurry of three shots in the opening two minutes, one saved off the line by senior defender Makena Smith and another parried away by senior goalkeeper Ashlyn Dvorak.
Dvorak made her return to goal after a weeklong injury, delivering four total saves in the match to earn her first-career shutout for the Cougs. The Billings, Montana native and team captain made another big save in the eighth minute to keep the young contest scoreless.
“Most importantly, two games and two shutouts. You can’t win championships if you are leaking goals,” Coach Chris Citowicki said after the match. “We’ve talked about having consistency over 90 minutes. I told our team, [Irvine] defends desperately and they did a very good job blocking our shots in the first half. I told them at halftime that if they are going to play that desperate, then we are going to have to be more desperate to score.”
Lee found the desperation in the final 10 minutes, finding the end of a Hawkins’ cross, and pouncing on the loose ball in the 6-yard box. Hawkins delivered a right-footed cross into the goal mouth from near the corner flag. After an initial deflection from the Irvine defense, Lee beat the ‘keeper to the ball and finished into the far side netting.
With the lead and under six minutes remaining, the Cougars took a defensive shape, allowing UCI to deliver a pair of shots in the final five minutes, before Hawkins delivered the insurance goal with 52 seconds before the final whistle. The Scottsdale, Arizona freshman ran on to a long clearance from senior forward Reagan Brisendine. Hawkins had the chance to beat a defender 1-on-, cutting inside to give herself the space at the top of the area, delivering the left-footed strike across her body and past a diving UCI GK.
WSU true freshman Kingston Worke made her college debut as a first-half substitute, alongside redshirt-freshman transfer Camille Brophy, playing her first collegiate minutes.
The Cougar soccer team will have the weekend off before traveling to Oahu, Hawaii to participate in the OUTRIGGER No Ka Oi multi-team event, hosted by Hawaii. WSU will face Utah Valley, Thursday, September 3 at 4 p.m. PT (1 p.m. HT).
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- Camille Brophy and Kingston Worke both made their college debuts
- Ashlyn Dvorak earned her first-career shutout at WSU
- The Cougars earned a second-consecutive shutout
- Delaney Hawkins scored her second goal of the season
- Lexi Lee scored her second goal of the season and sixth of her career