TUCSON, Ariz. - The Wildcats will be under the lights at Mulcahy Stadium this Friday night at 7 p.m. MST to take on the Cal State Fullerton Titans in the last non-conference match of the season. Arizona is currently on a six-match winning streak after knocking off Baylor 3-1 on Sunday.
Neat and Tidy
After allowing a goal in the opening match against Albany this season, the Arizona back line has really locked things down. Through seven games, Arizona has allowed just two goals to their opponents and had a stretch of 523 minutes where they didn't allow a single goal, keeping five-straight clean sheets for the first time in school history. The Wildcats are tied for first in the Pac-12 in goals allowed and are also tied for seventh nationally.
The Burd Cage
Lainey Burdett leads all goalkeepers in the Pac-12 in goals against average (min. 300 minutes played) with a mark of 0.29. Additionally, she ranks second in the Pac-12 in save percentage (.905) and has recorded the most clean sheets in the conference (5). Burdett became Arizona's first goalkeeper with at least 21 shutouts earlier this season and currently has 22.
Jada's Clutch Gene
Of Arizona's six wins,
Jada Talley has scored the game-winner in three of those matches. Three game-winning goals is tied for the most in the Pac-12, while her 28 total shots is second in the conference and her four goals is tied for third. In 2017, Talley scored just one goal and took 13 shots in 18 games played.
A Fast Start for the Freshman
Emily Knous leads all Wildcats with 10 points and is tied for the team lead in goals with four to go with two assists through just seven matches. The last freshman to record at least 10 points was
Gabi Stoian in 2014, who finished the season with 33 points. Through Stoian's first seven games, she scored seven goals and dished out four assists for 18 points.
The Young Guns
Arizona's six top point scorers through seven games are all underclassmen.
Emily Knous (10 pts, Fr.)
Jada Talley (8 pts, So.)
Brooke Wilson (7 pts, Fr.)
Jill Aguilera (5 pts, RSo.)
Sabrina Enciso (5 pts, So.)
Amanda Porter (4 pts, So.)
Additionally, of Arizona's 19 goals scored this season, only three have been scored by upperclassmen, all of which are juniors (
Morgan McGarry,
Samantha Falasco and
Taryn Siegele).
GOAT Status
On Sept. 9, 2018,
Tony Amato became the winningest coach in school history with his 59th victory. It took Amato 107 games to become the winningest coach in school history while it took Dan Tobias 135 games to win his 58 games back in the mid to late 2000s. Collecting the most wins in school history is just a sliver of what Amato has done during his time at Arizona.
- Only coach to play in three NCAA Tournaments
- Only coach to have a record above .500
- Only coach to have three or more winning seasons
- Most conference wins in school history (25)
Perseverance Pays Off
Taryn Siegele's journey to Division I soccer is a unique one. Before joining the team in 2017, Siegele had previously tried out for the team but was not offered a spot. However, Siegele was offered a role as a manager, but politely declined and made it a goal of hers to make the team as a player. In 2017, Siegele tried out again and this time was offered a spot on the roster. She scored her first career goal against Boise State on Sept. 7 in the 80th minute to seal the deal and give the Cats a 2-0 lead.
Back to Business
The Wildcats are coming off one of the most successful seasons in program history after posting a record of 11-5-4 in 2017, including a 7-2-2 record in the Pac-12 and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The last time Arizona won 11 games in one season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, they followed that up with a 14-win season and a trip to the Sweet 16 in 2015.
Top Half of the Pac
Arizona won seven conference games in 2017, which is the most Pac-12 wins in school history and was good for a fourth-place finish after being picked to finish ninth in the preseason coaches' poll. There have only been three seasons in which the Wildcats finished above .500 in conference play, and two of those seasons have come in the last three years.
Replacing Some Key Players
With the departure of
Gabi Stoian,
Cali Crisler and
Charlotte Brascia, Arizona will have to find a way to replace their production. Last season, Stoian, Crisler and Brascia accounted for 36% of the team's goals, 48% of the team's assists and 40% of the team's total points. Stoian, who finished her career No. 2 in goals scored (29), assists (22) and points (80), will definitely be missed out on the pitch for the Cats.
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