The Cougs (5-5-6) forced a 1-1 draw against the Santa Clara Broncos on Wednesday in their second match against a ranked WCC opponent after losing to Pepperdine earlier this month.

The match included the top two teams in the WCC preseason poll, with WSU looking to get a foot up in the standings and on the team ranked just ahead of them by coaches before the season. Santa Clara entered the match as the WCC’s goal-scoring leader and is among the top 20 nationally in goals per game.

The Cougs, looking to knock off the team tied for first in the WCC standings, started with their usual initial pressure. Midfielder Megan Santa Cruz sparked the first significant action as she intercepted a pass around midfield, sprinted downfield and let a dangerous shot loose from the top of the box that forced a save from Broncos goalkeeper Marlee Nicolos. WSU immediately followed that opportunity with a corner kick from Reagan Kotschau that swung to the top of the six-yard box and was slotted to the back post on a header from Reese Tappan. The senior defender scored for the second consecutive game after not scoring all season.

With the opening goal, WSU looked to apply pressure and continue to rattle a team that had played so commandingly through their first 14 matches. The Cougs showed off speed and determination in interrupting the Broncos’ smooth, methodical offensive build-up but allowed Santa Clara to get too settled in at times. Standout sophomore Kennedy Schoennauer, first in goals in the conference, fired four shots in the next twenty minutes as the Broncos began to mount pressure of their own.

Santa Clara broke through in the 28th minute as Kat Jordan passed it to Colby Barnett who delivered an excellent through ball to the left side of the box. Marissa Vasquez cut from the middle, just onside and notched the ball to the opposite post. WSU goalie Nadia Cooper tried to close the gap, but the ball slipped past her as she slid in for the stop. The goal was coordinated by an experienced trio with two graduate students and a senior in Barnett.

Despite the Santa Clara goal, WSU did not shy away from their identity and continued to put on an aggressive and direct style of play for the rest of the half. The Cougs generated offensive opportunities by winning 50-50 balls and forcing uncharacteristic turnovers from the Broncos. Santa Cruz and forward Raniyah Burton were most often on the attack, displaying their speed and athleticism.

The Broncos created opportunities by commanding the final third and surgically deconstructing the Cougar backline. Aside from the Vasquez goal, Santa Clara struggled to catch WSU by surprise as the defense consistently reset its positioning in changes of possession. The Broncos looked rattled and the players expressed visible frustration at the Cougs’ physicality as they racked up 11 first-half fouls to just one for the Broncos.

The two sides spent the majority of the second half trading offensive jabs, with Santa Clara adapting and playing to the WSU play style. 

The Broncos played quicker in their offensive strikes, responding to the Cougs’ turnovers with three strong shot attempts within the half’s first 10 minutes.

For WSU, the second half was marred by missed opportunities, and they consistently came up just short of that elusive game-winning goal. The Cougs got two excellent opportunities around the 60-minute mark. An active Burton stole the ball at midfield and sprinted down the pitch, where her shot was blocked at the six-yard box. Santa Cruz followed it up by sending a shot that deflected off a defender and then bounced off the crossbar.

The Cougs did not let up, as the Burton-Santa Cruz duo connected in the 64th minute when Burton delivered a through ball to Santa Cruz who beat the backline and drew a foul as she stumbled to the turf. WSU earned a penalty kick opportunity for the third straight game and decided to roll with its third different shooter this season in fifth-year forward Grayson Lynch. Despite Nicolos leaning toward the opposite direction, Lynch’s shot was inches wide of the post, failing to convert in what would be the Cougs’ best opportunity to take the lead.

For much of the first 35 minutes of the second half, WSU controlled the momentum, consistently stifling Santa Clara’s offensive build-ups and providing excellent opportunities for Burton and Santa Cruz on the edges of the box. For the last 15 to 20 minutes though, it was the Broncos that would get back to controlling the flow of the game.

Schoennauer and midfielder Sally Menti each had two shots, and an energetic bench piece in Tori Powell delivered one of her own. Schoennauer coordinated a strategic attack that forced Cooper off her line multiple times. The Broncos kept pressuring the Cougs to the last minute, but they struggled to get shots on frame.

The Cougs closed out a physical and high-energy contest with a much-needed road draw. WSU has yet to beat a ranked team or an opponent on the road this season but earned their second draw against a top-10 team with the result against Santa Clara.

For WSU, Santa Cruz and Burton led the way with four and two shots, respectively. Their intangibles shined through as they forced the Santa Clara backline into uncomfortable positions on multiple occasions. Tappan converted her only shot attempt for the goal. Lynch played in her 94th career match, putting her in sole position at second all-time in program history.

Santa Clara’s Schoennauer, a former Pac-12 All-Freshman transfer from Utah, had a game-high six shots with one on goal in 90 minutes. Menti contributed four shots of her own with one on the frame, and the goal from Vasquez was her fifth of the year.

The Cougs will remain in California and travel just over 50 miles north to face off against the University of San Francisco Oct. 30.