Creighton University
1-4-1
Arizona
2-2-0
Creighton falls to Arizona, 3-1
9/2/2012 10:25:00 PM | Women's Soccer
OMAHA, Neb. - The Creighton women's soccer team suffered a 3-1 loss to Arizona on Sunday, Sept. 2 in Morrison Stadium.
The loss dropped the Jays to 1-4-1 on the season, while Arizona climbed to 2-2-0 overall.
Creighton got blitzed early as Arizona scored goals in the 13th and 17th minutes to quickly nab a 2-0 lead.
The Wildcats' Susana Melendez gave Arizona a 1-0 at the 12:47 mark by one hoping a shot from 25 yards out over Creighton keeper Katie Jo Swanson. Melendez lofted her shot from the left side of the field after taking a pass from Hannah Wong.
Wong set up another teammate, Jazmin Ponce, just a few minutes later. Wong fed Ponce for a startling goal as she fielded Wong's pass 40 yards from the goal in front of the left post. Ponce turned and fired the ball into the back right corner of the net, boosting Arizona's lead to 2-0.
Staggered by the 2-0 deficit, the Jays gathered themselves and began to fight back. For the remaining of the first period it was Creighton that dominated possession, leading to goal from junior Kelsey O'Donnell in the 26th minute.
O'Donnell gathered a pass from freshman Alyssa Jara just beyond 20 yards outside of the right post. She faked a pass toward the middle then fired a rising shot into the back of the net near the right post.
The score remained 2-1 as the two teams went into halftime. Arizona held a 9-3 edge in shots and a 6-3 lead in corners in the opening period.
Creighton continued to control the ball through the opening 10 minutes of the second half, but the Bluejays were unable to push home the tying goal.
As play moved into the middle of half number two, the Wildcats began to even out possession. Finally in the 84th minute, Ponce put the match in the books with her second goal of the night, taking a pass from Krisitn Strother and sending it into the net from 20 yards out.
Arizona closed the game with a 17-8 edge in shots and an 11-4 advantage on corners.
Swanson finished the game with six saves for the Bluejays, while Gabby Kaufman nabbed four saves for Arizona.
Creighton will be back in action on Friday, Sept. 7 as Creighton faces Nebraska Omaha at 5:30 p.m. at UNO Field.
Team Stats
Melendez,Susana (2)
Assisted By: Wong, Hannah
One hoped over the gk, into net
12:47
Ponce, Jazmin (2)
Assisted By: Wong, Hannah
40 yard loft from left side
16:41
O'Donnell, Kelsey (1)
Assisted By: Jara, Alyssa
Fired shot from 20 yards out
25:26
Ponce, Jazmin (3)
Assisted By: Strother, Kristin
Unassisted
83:40
