Cougars close non-conference against Boise State

From staff reports

Come Sunday, the Boise State Broncos will be another pit stop for the WSU women’s soccer team on its push toward the NCAA Tournament.

The Cougars (4-2-1) will face the Broncos in Pullman on Sunday and the Broncos will look to turn their season around after losing their last six matches since winning their season-opening match against Idaho State on Aug. 19.

WSU has not dropped a match against BSU in its program history, holding a 3-0-1 all-time record over the Broncos.

Though the team has consistently outshot its opponents, scoring goals has been a struggle for Boise State. The Broncos have scored just three goals through their first seven matches. Redshirt junior forward Baylee Blaser and freshmen Kristina Serres and Raimee Sherle are the Broncos lone goal scorers on the season having scored one apiece.

WSU hopes to add a second weekend win to its record after this weekend’s slate of matches.

The Cougars faced Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, Texas, last Friday and played to a 1-1 draw after a late goal by freshman forward Morgan Weaver tied the match in the 88th minute. The match was testy, as the Cougars and Horned Frogs combined for 36 fouls over the course of 110 minutes, with WSU committing 23 and TCU 13.

The Cougars held off the Broncos when they last met on the pitch in Boise last season in a 2-1 victory. WSU then-senior Cara Wegner launched a shot past the Broncos goalkeeper off a ball that rebounded off the crossbar for the match’s first goal.

The Broncos responded in the 33rd minute when sophomore midfielder Michelle Reed took a shot from 20 yards out and scored even out the match.

WSU broke the tie in the 52nd minute for good when senior Nicolle Marlow centered a pass from then-senior Kourtney Guetlein and shot the game winner for the Cougars.

Attendance for WSU soccer games have been at an all-time high so far this season, with an average attendance of 1,690. That number puts the Cougars atop the Pac-12 conference for match attendance and at fourth in the nation.

The match will kick off at 1 p.m. on Sunday at the Lower Soccer Field in Pullman. Live coverage will be provided by the Pac-12 Networks.

Reporting by Payton Dineen.