Wazzu (5-4-5) forced a draw against the Portland Pilots Saturday, finishing the game at 1-1. WSU remains perfect at home this season with a record of 4-0-3.
The Cougs and Pilots both entered this game looking to get a foot up in the WCC, as they were deadlocked in the standings.
WSU opened the first half with the energy they have been displaying for the early portions of the past few games, nearly scoring in the ninth minute. Midfielder Reagan Kotschau delivered a well-placed set piece into the box that reached defender Reese Tappan in stride as she tapped the ball into the net. Tappan was just a step ahead of Portland’s final defender though, and was called offsides. For two teams who have shown consistent early offensive aggression this season, most of the first half was surprisingly quiet.
For the first 26 minutes of the match, neither goalkeeper faced a shot that required a play on the ball. WSU keeper Nadia Cooper and Portland keeper Bre Norris have both won two WCC Defensive Player of the Week awards this season, yet neither had to put their skills on display in the first half.
The Cougs got a second opportunity in the 27th minute when Reese Tappan sent a free kick into the box that forced Norris to make a play on the ball and was deflected to forward Lindsey Turner. She kicked it off the right arm of Portland’s Violet Rademacher. Kotschau got the chance to take the lead from the penalty spot off the handball, but Norris flaunted her talent for the only time in the half and did it in the moment that mattered. She predicted Kotschau’s shot and perfectly timed a dive to the right to save the low penalty shot. The Cougs would not get a shot off for the rest of the half.
After a tough and tight affair through the first 35 minutes, Portland would finally catch a break off a costly mistake from Cooper. WSU defender Jenna Studer was under pressure and sent a pass back to Cooper at the top of the box, who waited just a moment too long to clear the ball as a sprinting Jillian McBride blocked the kick straight into the back of the net. The miscue was a rare one for Cooper who has plenty of experience as a senior, but the freshman McBride got the best of her and earned her first collegiate goal.
The Pilots finished the half outshooting the Cougs just 2-1. Possession was nearly even between the sides, and they played very physically, combining for 17 first-half fouls. Norris faced the penalty kick and Cooper did not deal with a single shot on goal.
Things were much more active for both sides in the second half as Portland gained momentum from the first-half goal and the Cougs looked to come away with some sort of positive result.
Portland immediately got a shot on goal in the 47th minute with a wide-open McBride sending it straight into the hands of Cooper. McBride would be the most active player in the match for the Pilots, totaling four shots, including three in the second half.
The Cougs responded quickly with back-to-back shots from Alena Watts and Grayson Lynch, with Lynch’s shot barely rolling past the left goal post.
In the 80th minute, midfielder Megan Santa Cruz nearly tied the game with consecutive dangerous balls. A Portland defender blocked her first shot at the top of the box, but she rebounded her miss and sent a line drive kick that went spiraling toward the goalkeeper. The Pilots caught a break once again as Norris was right there, making an athletic diving save to keep the Pilots lead alive.
The Cougs looked exasperated trying to get any sort of offensive attack going. But in the 84th minute, the youthful energy of freshman Kendall Campbell shined through. Midfielder Rajanah Reed sent a lobbed through-ball over the Pilot’s backline to the right side of the field, where Campbell simply outran the Portland defense. She then sent a powerful, high-arcing kick over Norris’s outstretched hands to deliver the equalizer. The goal was the third of Campbell’s collegiate career, and the first since her game-winner against San Diego in September.
With newfound energy, WSU did not let off the pressure. Campbell sent a dangerous through ball of her own to Santa Cruz just minutes later, who was denied again by Norris. Then at the climax of the match, Campbell passed the ball to a wide-open Lynch who was set up with a 1-on-1 situation with Norris. The senior put everything behind the shot and sent the ball soaring over the net as time expired. Lynch dropped to the ground in disbelief as the Pilots held on for a draw to at least get a point in the standings.
Campbell came through on her only shot attempt for the Cougs but had several other key plays off the bench, including multiple assist opportunities that were simply put to rest by the prowess of Norris. Santa Cruz continues to fill up the stat sheet this season as she registered three shots, two of which were on goal.
WSU head coach Todd Shulenberger said he was not afraid to commend Campbell for her clutch-time goal on Monday and expressed admiration for the team’s second-half efforts.
“I mean number one, the timing of [Campbell’s goal] was incredible,” Shulenberger said. “But the goal that she scored was a bomb. I mean those that watched it online, that was a high-class, big-time goal.”
Shulenberger added that they unfortunately missed some great opportunities in the first half, but expressed admiration for the team’s second-half efforts.
“What’s important about this is these girls do not quit at halftime,”said Shulenberger. “They kept going, kept grinding, and it was all positivity in there.”
McBride led the way for the Pilots, as the freshman had four of the Pilots’ six shots, including their only goal and two shots on goal. Neither goalkeeper was very active, but Norris finished with three saves and several heads-up plays that quickly ended WSU attacks.
The Cougs start a three-game road trip after a one-week break as they face the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Saturday in Spokane.
