Cougars go to overtime, beat Gonzaga

Wazzu battles the Bulldogs to victory one minute after regulation

Freshman+defender+Sophie+Dimry+protects+the+ball+from+Montana+freshman+midfielder+Quinn+Peacock.

SERENA HOFDAHL | DAILY EVERGREEN FILE

Freshman defender Sophie Dimry protects the ball from Montana freshman midfielder Quinn Peacock.

JAKOB THORINGTON, Former Evergreen reporter

Neither the field lights nor the Gonzaga Bulldogs could stop the No. 17 WSU soccer team during the Cougars 1-0 win in Thursday’s match.

In the 23rd minute, the field’s lights went out during a Cougar corner kick. A timeout was taken after Gonzaga goalkeeper Isabel Jones saved WSU defender Hannah Goff’s attempt and a brief delay followed.

After the lights were back on, WSU junior defender Brianna Alger pump-faked a defender with her left foot in the 32nd minute. Her shot to the left bottom corner of the goal immediately after was thwarted by a diving stop from Jones. She had seven shots throughout the match.

The match was tied 0-0 at halftime with the Cougars outshooting Gonzaga 10-2.

That tie would last for the rest of regulation as neither team could find the goal despite close shots from both teams.

It broke quickly 12 seconds into overtime when WSU graduate midfielder Averie Collins intercepted a Gonzaga pass to breakaway down the field. Her left-footed shot on the far side of the field hit the top of the net, ending the game.

The Cougars moved to 4-0 on the season while Gonzaga was handed its second loss to go 3-2.

WSU junior forward Elyse Bennet nearly broke the tie in the 85th minute as her header bounced off the right goalpost.

In the 81st minute, WSU graduate goalkeeper Ella Dederick turned the ball over to Gonzaga forward Erin Healy after running up in the box, leaving the goal open. Healy missed her shot wide right to keep the match tied 0-0.

Collins’ header attempt into the goal was stopped by another diving effort from Jones in the 67th minute.

WSU possessed the ball for much of the second half, leading Gonzaga 13-7 in attempted shots during the half. They outshot the Bulldogs 24-9 in the match.

In the 61st minute, senior forward Morgan Weaver split the defense on the near side of the field where she just missed her shot as it rolled to the left of the goalpost. Weaver led the Cougars with seven shots on the night.

The Cougars had three early shots with the third coming in the 10th minute when freshman forward MacKenzie Frimpong-Ellertson sailed her shot over the top of the goal.

WSU held a 6-0 shot advantage at the 23rd minute before Gonzaga attempted their first two shots of the match. The second forced WSU graduate goalkeeper Ella Dederick to lift off the ground and deflect the ball over the goal post, just getting her hand on the ball.

The Cougars return to Pullman on Sept. 13 to face off against the University of Michigan in the Cougar Classic.