Soccer splits California road trip

Kurt Schroeder Evergreen Soccer reporter

The Washington State women’s soccer team (8-1-3, 1-1-1 Pac-12) rode into battle Sunday against USC and conquered the Trojans 2-0.

Junior midfielder Mesa Owsley shined in the match, recording both a goal and an assist.

In the 36th minute of play, Owsley took a free kick from 30 yards out and sent a high arcing shot just over the head of USC junior goalkeeper Caroline Stanley and into the back of the net, giving WSU the 1-0 advantage.

During the second half, Owsley was once again involved in the scoring mix as she sent a long through ball to the left side of the park for sprinting sophomore forward Kourtney Guetlein, who fired a shot past Stanley giving WSU a 2-0 advantage in the 70th minute.

Head Coach Keidane McAlpine subbed in Owsley minutes before her goal and continued to play her throughout the match, leading to the team’s eighth win this season.

 “It wasn’t the prettiest soccer game, but we came out with the right attitude and the right emotion,” McAlpine said. “Getting Mesa Owsley in, having her contribute and seeing Kourtney Guetlein score a goal are good signs for us. It was a tremendous way to end our stretch of six straight road games.”

Although the 2-0 win over USC Sunday gave WSU soccer its first conference win of the season, the team’s 2-0 loss to third-ranked UCLA Friday ended the nation’s longest active unbeaten streak.

UCLA ended the scoring draught when Bruins redshirt sophomore forward Courtney Proctor scored in the 59th minute from the left side, barely getting the ball across the goal line before a sliding WSU sophomore defender Mariah Powers could clear it.

The Bruins added an insurance goal five minutes later when freshman forward Darian Jenkins finished off of a through ball that got behind WSU senior defender Rachael Doyle.

A lack of aggression in the second half was ultimately WSU’s downfall.

“We did a good job all the way around in the first half,” McAlpine said. “We kept possession when we won the ball and defensively we were aggressive. In the second half, we got away from that, and it’s those close moments that allow a quality team to take a game.”

The Cougars return home and take on the University of Colorado Friday at 2 p.m.