During uncomfortable heat in southern California, No.19 WSU lost 3-0 to  No. 4 University of Southern California Trojans in a Top-25 showdown on McAlister Field in Los Angeles, California

There were several substitutions and water breaks as the weather in Los Angeles steadily declined from 98 degrees. The temperature reached almost 105 degrees on the USC turf field to begin the match.

The USC Trojans came out aggressive and strong against the Washington State Cougars following a 3-0 upset against Cal last Friday.

Graduate student goalkeeper Ella Dederick was faced with numerous one-v-one plays against the many Southern California forwards. Dederick faced 17 shots and made six important saves during the game for her team.

The Cougars played the full 90 minutes hard as they provided 12 fouls, ten shots, and six corners against USC.

The Trojans had an early goal only four minutes into the game. USC freshman forward Tara McKeown scored the goal for the Trojans after running through the Cougar defense on a breakaway. She slotted the ball in the net to make the score 1-0.  Redshirt junior forward Samantha Bruder assisted the play.

Ten minutes later, McKeown had her second goal of the game after another breakaway and long assist from USC junior defender Jessica Haidet. It was McKeown and Dederick one-v-one, but McKewon just beat out Dederick to put USC on the board 2-0.

USC’s freshman forward McKeown leads the Trojans with 14 goals and seven assists. McKeown now sits high on the Top-10 list for the most goals scored in the country in collegiate women’s soccer. Stanford’s junior forward Catarina Macario leads the country in goals with 18.

USC has outscored its opponents 30-16 this season. In the last three matches, the Cougars have outshot their opponents 60-18. WSU had ten different goal scorers so far this season.

In minute 30, Washington State had a corner kick into the center of the six-yard-box but Trojan redshirt junior goalkeeper Kaylie Collins denied the goal for the Cougars. Collins was tested numerous times by the Cougars, especially in the second half.

WSU last won against USC in 2013. The Cougars last played the Trojans in a 3-2 loss in Pullman.

In the second half, USC sophomore forward Penelope Hocking scored for the Trojans in minute 55 after an impressive one-v-one breakaway sliding through Dederick’s legs to make the score 3-0. This was Hocking’s tenth goal of the season.

For USC, Hocking and McKeown now share a total of 24 goals between the two of them this season.

Senior forward Morgan Weaver outran the USC defense multiple times. She had several chances on goal and assists for her team. Weaver received a yellow card in minute 56 for the second time this season. Weaver has yet to score in her last eight appearances.

Junior forward Makamae Gomera-Stevens missed the lower right of the goal, but USC goalkeeper Collins made the save in the 65th minute. Gomera-Stevens saw four opportunities to score during the game, the most for her team.

Graduate student midfielder Averie Collins came out early in the match after an injury in the first 20 minutes.

Washington State will stay in southern California to face the University of California, Los Angeles at noon on Sunday at Wallis Annenberg Stadium in Los Angeles. The game can be viewed on the Pac-12 Network.