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UA News
Soccer seniors end careers with upset

Photo
KEVIN KLAUS/Arizona Daily Wildcat
Sophomore Candice Wilks battles a Washington State defender in yesterday's 4-2 UA loss. The Wildcats' weekend home split dropped them to 6-10-1 on the season after starting the year 3-0-1.
By Ross Hammonds
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Monday November 4, 2002

Records, seniors and an upset were all in the mix this weekend for the Arizona soccer team.

Under the lights Friday, the Wildcats (6-10-1, 1-6-0 Pacific 10 Conference) played host to No. 20 Washington (8-6-3, 3-2-1 Pac-10), led by goalkeeper Hope Solo, a member of the U.S. National Team.

On Sunday, Washington State (10-5-2, 4-1-2 Pac-10) wore down UA with a 4-2 loss.

On Friday night, Arizona fought back from a 1-0 deficit to take the Huskies into two overtimes, where the Wildcats would seal the victory. It seemed that no one thought they could do it except for them.

"The kids really believe in themselves, despite our record," head coach Cathy Klein said. "We've been as low as we ever have as a program after last weekend, this is as awesome experience as I've ever had."

Senior Tymarie Novak would send the game to overtime with just 57 seconds left when she scored from outside the box with a left-footed hip-high volley into the top-right corner of the net.

"That was the most exciting game I've ever been a part of," Novak said.

The homestand marked the final home games for seniors Naomi Chu and Novak, and they were going to make sure they remember it.

"This is it. This is the last time," Chu said. "I've really enjoyed it; I've learned lots of lessons."

The first half of the game was marked by missed opportunities for both sides. Redshirt freshman Kelly Nelson, who needed only one goal to break the single-season record, had a breakaway that was stopped when Solo dove at the ball, causing Nelson to lose her feet. UW had a chance in the 19th minute, but the ball was cleared on a nice defensive play by sophomore Lindsey Peeples.

The start of the second half looked dismal for UA when Husky Kim Taylor scored just two minutes in but, as the match would prove, Arizona persevered and out-shot UW 8-4 in the second.

"All game we felt like we were on top of them," Arizona freshman keeper Natalie Juarez said.

The relentlessness paid off in the 79th minute after a torrent of Wildcat shots found the back of the net. Novak swatted an attempted Washington clear into the top right of the net, sending the game to overtime.

"Tymarie's goal was brilliant. We had no shape on offense to go forward; she hit it from, I don't even know how far out," said Klein. "(Solo) is by far the best keeper in the country. She kept Washington in the game."

The first overtime session was a battle for control that resulted in no shots and a second overtime.

In the 104th minute of play, sophomore and last year's leading scorer Candice Wilks found Nelson breaking through the box and passed it to her. Nelson gathered and sent home the golden goal, breaking the single-season scoring record with her 12th of the season.

"I can't believe it ÷ it's so exciting," said Nelson. "These are the moments that we play and live for."

This is the first time Arizona has defeated Washington and also the first time Arizona has beat a nationally ranked team.

"I'm in awe of our performance. I just can't believe it," Chu said. "This is the best senior gift. It is just a great feeling. It's beyond words."

"We scored two goals on the best keeper in the nation," Klein said. "Tymarie deserved that moment."

The emotional night on Friday seemed to take its toll on Arizona yesterday when the Cougars, who defeated No. 17 Arizona State on Friday, came to Tucson.

The Wildcats could not bounce back like they did on Friday and, after tying the game at 2, fell 4-2.

"I think that we were emotionally drained," Klein said after yesterday's loss. "I don't know if this team is old enough to weather Friday through (yesterday) like this. We scratched and clawed with tying goals, (but) we need more experience."

In the 21st minute, the Cougars put one in the net from the foot of Nicole Wilcox, but nine minutes later, Arizona responded when Courtney Moseley curved her second goal of the season into the net.

Wazzu would not strike again until the second half, on a header from Jenna Wirtz.

Peeples had a good chance on a header but it went wide.

"We mostly held it together. We had a few mental lapses and they capitalized," Peeples said.

Ten minutes later, Arizona would strike back, also with a header, from Nelson after Wilks centered the ball; but the tie would not last. Wazzu would score two more goals in the game.

"We tried different things and made new adjustments," Nelson said. "That was the risk we took. We pushed and they didn't go away."

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