TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona vs. Columbia // Sunday, Sep. 4 // 11 a.m. PST // Tempe, Ariz. //
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ARIZONA LINKS
Stats // Roster // Game Notes // Schedule
COLUMBIA LINKS
Stats // Roster // Schedule
Denver Recap
Arizona dominated against Denver on Friday night, topping the Pioneers 3-0. The Wildcats outshot their opponents 21-1 in that match, with the Pioneers first shot not coming until the 71st minute.
History with Denver
Arizona's all-time record against the Denver Pioneers is at 1-1-0 with their last match ending in a 3-0 defeat for the Wildcats in 2001. Last season, the Pioneers finished with a record of 4-12-1 (4-4-0).
History with Columbia
The Wildcats and the Columbia Lions have never competed in women's soccer. Last season, the Lions finished with a record of 7-8-1 (3-3-1).
Stoian Returns
Junior Gabi Stoian returns to the pitch this fall, bringing her offensive talent back to the team. In her two seasons with the Wildcats, Stoian has 19 goals (fourth all-time) and 55 points (fourth all-time). Those goals include six game-winning goals (fifth all-time). This season she already has three assists and one goal, putting her at five assists.
Assists from DeGracie-Bailey
Senior midfielder Jaden DeGracie-Bailey is now the school record holder in all-time assists. After her assist at Texas Tech last week, she now has 20 assists overall, seven of which came from the 2015 season. As one of the Wildcats that can execute the flip throw-in, she can create dangerous opportunities in the box for Arizona.
Between the Posts
After succumbing to an illness prior to the season, sophomore Lainey Burdett has yet to take to the cage. Burdett participated in 16 games in the 2015 season and earned over 1,250 minutes of action. She notched 52 saves (.754, 1.22 GAA) and shutout the opponent three times. Her 1.22 GAA is the seventh-best mark for one season in Arizona history.
Eyes on the Prize
In Coach Amato's inaugural season with the Wildcats back in 2013, he led the team to its first winning record since 2005. He has since improved on that, leading the 2015 squad to a 14-6-2 record (second best all-time) and has made two runs into the NCAA Tournament, last season's into the Round of 16.
Continuing a Legacy
With 20 players from last season's record-breaking squad, Arizona has a lot of talent remaining in the program. This senior class has 35 wins as of today, only five shy of the highest mark for a senior class. The Wildcats will look to their veterans to lead them to another successful season in 2015.
Ranking Trends
In the NSCAA preseason poll, the Wildcats were ranked 20th after finishing their 2015 season at No. 19. They fell outside of the rankings after their defeat at Pepperdine, and have yet to check back in. Additionally, in the coaches' poll from the Pac-12 Conference, the Cats were picked to finish fifth in the conference. In the TopDrawerSoccer.com rankings, Arizona checked-in at 18th in preseason and have since settled at 25th.
#ExperienceIt
Attendance at Mulcahy Stadium has been growing rapidly over the last several years with last year's average attendance finally settling at 917. The Wildcats drew a crowd of over 750 in their exhibition match and are looking to expand further.
Newcomer Talent
Arizona is bringing in 12 newcomers in this season. This includes 11 incoming freshmen, and one junior transfer. The team will look to these players to step-up and provide energy and
depth to their already strong and proven roster.
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