TUCSON, Ariz. – Hannah Stevens scored the game-winning goal on a header after Hayley Estopare flicked it to her in the opposing goal box, giving No. 17 Arizona (8-1-1) the victory over 23rd-ranked California (6-3-2) on Friday, Oct. 2 at Mulcahy Stadium.
“It took us a little bit to figure out what their setup was because they changed their formation,” head coach Tony Amato said. “Once we figured it out I liked the way we looked. I put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure we figure it out for the girls. That's what Pac-12 soccer is and there is going be some stress involved. We made the adjustments and it made a big difference in the second half.”
The defense stepped up again as they recorded their seventh clean sheet of the season and have only allowed four goals in 10 matches. Goalkeeper Rachel Estopare finished the night with a grand total of eight saves, which is a career-high for her and is a season high for all Arizona goalkeepers. Her eight saves were imperative as the Wildcats were outshot for the first time this season as Cal fired 20 shots towards Estopare while Arizona took 13.
Sheaffer Skadsen, Hayley Estopare and Laura Pimienta played all 90 minutes for the Wildcats on Friday. Skadsen has played in every minute of a match for the ninth time this season, while it was Estopare and Pimienta's third time doing so. Gabi Stoian also moved to sixth all time for most shots in Arizona history after taking seven tonight, which is the most any Wildcat has taken all season. She currently has 117 for her career.
The game got off to a fast start as Rachel Estopare was forced to make a key clearance in just the first minute. A dangerous Cal cross was headed towards an attacker, but she lunged out and punched it away.
Arizona's first chance came in the eighth minute when Skadsen booted a ball towards Charlotte Brascia from about 50 yards away. Brascia corralled it and dribbled towards the goal and took a shot, but it was saved by Cal goalkeeper Emily Boyd.
Cal had a golden opportunity in the 14th minute to score as a cross found a Cal attacker just a few yards in front of the goal, but an Arizona defender stepped in and blocked the shot. Just a few minutes later, Kelly Fitzgerald got a shot off and was on target, but Estopare went to the ground and made the save comfortably.
Estopare made a first-class save after a Cal free kick from about 20 yards away was heading towards the side net on the left side of the goal. It was all but in the back of the net until Estopare somehow got a hand on it after diving to her right.
In the 44th minute, Kaitlyn Lopez was dribbling to her left and found some space for a shot. She ripped it with her left foot and forced Boyd to make her best save of the night. Just a few seconds later after a corner kick, Haley Silverberg got her head on a ball that looked to break the seal for Arizona, but it was blocked unintentionally by her own teammate and the first half came to an end.
Estopare was tested early in the second half as she was forced to make three saves in the first 10 minutes, two off of Samantha Whiteman shots.
In the 56th minute, Stoian intercepted a pass and had an open lane to the goal. She took a shot from just outside the goal box and Boyd was there to make the save.
One of Cal's best scoring chances of the night came about five minutes later. From just outside the box, Cal took a shot that squared the crossbar and was then kicked out by an Arizona defender for a corner kick. After the ensuing corner kick, Estopare was forced to make two more top-notch saves to keep the score tied at zero.
It was in the 71st minute when Stevens scored her third goal of the season off of Hayley Estopare's first assist of the year, making the score 1-0 Arizona.
Cal hit the crossbar once more in the 80th minute and then Arielle Ship had the best scoring chance for Cal all night with just under a minute to go. Ship received the ball about six yards away from the goal and had a clear look at goal. She took the shot and Estopare was able to go to ground and make the save, securing the victory for Arizona.
This is the first time since 2005 that Arizona has won their first two conference matches of the season. It is also just the third time the Wildcats have defeated Cal.
Arizona is back in action on Sunday at 11 a.m. PT as fifth-ranked Stanford comes to town. The match will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks.
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