KEVIN KLAUS

UA forward Candice Wilks attempts to advance past an Oregon State defender during their game Sunday at Murphey Field. Wilks scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lead the Wildcats to a 2-1 victory, their second-straight against a Pac-10 team.

Tuesday October 23, 2001

Soccer sweeps weekend against Pac-10 schools

Freshman midfielder/forward Candice Wilks could not have asked for a better way to celebrate her birthday.

In the midst of her turning 18, the Arizona soccer team snapped a six-game losing streak, won its first two Pac-10 matches of the season and kept its undefeated home record alive at 5-0.

Wilks led the Wildcats to a victory over Oregon State in sudden-death overtime Sunday afternoon.

Both teams played a scoreless first half until Oregon State's Stephanie Lucas broke the tie in the second half to put the Beavers on top, 1-0.

Freshman Cassie Daniels answered Lucas' goal by scoring off an assist from senior midfielder Twila Kaufman with a little over eight minutes remaining in the game.

Neither team was able to score again in regulation and the game went to overtime - the second of the season for UA.

One minute into overtime, Wilks had the opportunity to be the hero of the game. The UA freshman blasted a 20-yard shot into the back of the net to defeat the Beavers 2-1.

"I was shocked because I didn't think that it had gone in," Wilks said. "Then, I got blind-sided by one of my own players, so I figured it went in. It felt so good."

The victory clinched an important win for the Wildcats (5-7-1) who improved their record to 2-2-0 in the Pac-10.

The momentum began Friday night when the Wildcats snapped their six-game losing streak with a 2-1 come-from-behind win against Oregon.

The Ducks scored the first goal to take a 1-0 lead before sophomore forward/defender Liz Bartlett logged a shot from eight yards to tie.

Bartlett said her goal helped the Wildcats regain their momentum.

"It felt huge," Bartlett said. "I felt I needed to get a goal, not only personally but for the team as well to get us out of this barrier of not scoring and fire us up. It got everyone to get going and get this victory."

With the score tied 1-1, Wilks played the hero once more.

In the 65th minute of play, Wilks scored the game-winning goal off an assist by freshman midfielder Vanesha Bailey.

Senior goalkeeper Shannon Monti played all 90 minutes against Oregon and collected six saves.

The victory over Oregon marked Arizona's first Pac-10 win since Nov. 5, 1999 and the weekend sweep was the first time UA has earned back-to-back wins against Pac-10 opponents.

Arizona concluded a six-game road trip last weekend where it lost all of its matches and was shutout in four of those games.

UA head coach Cathy Klein said the energy of playing at home is just small part of the success the team has had playing in front of its home crowd.

"I'd like to think it's our mindset that's changing and our improvements are starting to shine," Klein said. "We haven't found that same energy on the road but as we mature on as a group and get that feeling of winning, we'll be better on the road. It all starts at home."

The Wildcats hit the road this weekend to face No. 20 Washington and Washington State.