Soccer team ends season with disappointing finish

Dan Hoffman Arizona Daily Wildcat

The 1995 season ended in a three-game slide, the last two were losses at California (3-2) and Stanford (4-0).

The 1996 season ended with a four-game losing streak, the last two losses again being at home against California (2-0) and Stanford (5-2).

Yesterday's 5-2 loss to the Cardinal in front of a crowd of 874 at Murphey Stadium ended more than a season for the Wildcats, however - it ended the careers of the inaugural recruiting class.

"It's sad to be done with it," said Melissa Kessler who played in her final game. "But I am ready to go on to other things."

Although the weekend was disappointing, the season as a whole was a success boasting the school record for wins (8) and shutouts (6).

Fellow senior Kate Mattson agreed.

"It has been a good season for us. For both the team and us seniors. We have seen the team improve so much.

"Even though we've had a losing record it's great to end with the wins we have."

The scoring started early when Stanford's leading scorer, senior Emily Burt, found the back of the net giving at the 10:21 mark.

Six minutes later Arizona answered, knotting the score at 1 when sophomore midfielder Krista Bogdan received the ball from junior forward Nikki Jones just inside the 18-yard box and got a left-footed just inside the far post.

Two minutes later the Cardinal struck back, taking a 2-1 lead when senior midfielder Elie Foster capitalized on an open goal. Stanford launched a cross into the 18-yard box and Foster was left alone to drill a shot toward the near post. Freshman goalkeepe r Inger Airheart dove and missed the ball as it ricocheted off the post and bounced in.

"We were not able to hold the ball long enough against their flat-back four," UA head coach Lisa Fraser said. "We didn't read it well enough. We just couldn't hold the ball in the midfield long enough."

Stanford upped its lead to 3-1 at the 22:11 mark when Burt found the back of the net again, this time off a Cardinal corner kick .

With less than 10 minutes left in the first half, Jones gave Arizona it's last goal of the game when she chipped a shot over freshman goalkeeper Carly Smolak inside the far post, bringing the score to 3-2.

"We played the first half really well," Fraser said. "Their experience and skills really hurt us in the second."

Numerous offsides calls slowed the Wildcat offense considerably in the second half.

"We came out really strong and ready to play. But their offsides trap didn't allow us to get in on them," Kessler said. "They had a really good attack and they were fast. They passed to feet and had a longer time of possession."

The Cardinal posted two more goals in the second half, and with the win improves to 11-7-1 and 6-2-1 in the Pacific 10 Conference.

Against California Friday night, the Wildcats lost their third straight in a 2-0 shutout.

Bear freshman midfielder Natalie Stuhlmueller scored off an assist by senior forward Courtney Carroll. Sophomore midfielder Sarah Kaminsky added an insurance goal when she took advantage of a defensive mix-up at the 76:54 mark.

Though it was a disappointing loss, Fraser saw it differently.

"We played well tonight," Fraser said. "We got a lot of chances but we just didn't put them in."