After losing three straight conference matches, the WSU women’s soccer team returns to its home turf tonight to take on the University of Arizona Wildcats.

The Cougars and the Wildcats hold identical records of 5-5-1 overall and 0-3-0 in Pac-12 play entering the match.

“We’ve been preparing for the last week,” sophomore defender Maegan O’Neill said, “and I think if we go with the plan, then we are going to perform well and get a win.”

WSU is coming off a tough road trip last weekend that resulted in a pair of losses to ranked teams. The Cougars went head-to-head with No.1 Stanford last Thursday and outshot the conference leaders 25-12 in the match, but Cardinal conversions on shots on goal ultimately led to a 2-1 WSU defeat.

Freshman forward Morgan Weaver scored the only Cougar goal of the weekend in the 89th minute of the match; but with 60 seconds remaining, WSU was unable to equalize the score on a shot from well outside the goalie box by senior forward Kaitlyn Johnson.

“We did a good job at disrupting their possession,” Head Coach Todd Shulenberger said. “We managed our possession and had opportunities. In the first half, we had the two best looks of the game and, unfortunately, they didn’t go in.”

The Cougars then faced No. 17 Cal three days later and fell once more after a late goal off a penalty shot in the 76th minute lifted the Golden Bears to a 1-0 win over WSU.

Riding a four-match losing streak, the Wildcats are in just as desperate need for a win as WSU. Arizona dropped contests to Colorado and Utah on their home pitch last weekend, losing 2-1 to the Utes and 1-0 against the Buffaloes.

In their most recent match against Utah, Wildcats senior forward Paige Crouch scored early against the Utes, sending a shot past the goalkeeper in the 10th minute of play. Utah responded with a pair of goals from sophomore forward/defender Hailey Skolmoski to knock off the Wildcats.

Arizona claimed last year’s meeting with WSU at Lower Soccer Field 1-0. The Cougars outshot the Wildcats 25-12, but it was Arizona freshman defense Jessica Nelson who sent the lone goal of the match past WSU redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Ella Dederick in the 36th minute to decide the contest.

“We know that we have a fight here Thursday night,” Shulenberger said. “The last time we played on this field, it was a loss in the conference when we missed some opportunities, so we want to come back and make a statement in front of our crowd.”

A tailgate and beer garden at Lower Soccer Field opens at 5 p.m. for fans to enjoy before the Cougars kick off at 7 p.m.