USC faces Arizona in first Pac-12 matchup
The USC women’s soccer team is firmly focused on its Pac-12 opener this Friday, when the team will travel to take on the University of Arizona. The No. 21 Women of Troy (6-1-2) are coming off of a tough loss to then-No. 12 Pepperdine last Sunday. Though opening the conference season on the road will be a tough task, head coach Keidane McAlpine sees the trip as a great opportunity for the team.
She’s the man · Junior striker Megan Borman has been a consistent offensive threat for USC this season. Borman has 12 shots on goal so far. – Brian Ji | Daily Trojan
“This game comes at a very good time for us,” McAlpine said. “Sometimes it’s good to get out on the road and bond as a team. It allows us to lock things down away from some of the pressure and distractions of playing at home.”
The Women of Troy know they will have their work cut out for them to tame the Wildcats on the road. Arizona enters Friday’s matchup with a 6-1-1 record after an excellent nonconference slate. The squad’s only hiccups came in a 2-1 loss to a stout Florida Gulf Coast team on Aug. 24 and a 2-2 tie against then-undefeated Texas A&M on Sept. 5.
“Arizona is a very legitimate team,” McAlpine said. “They have some great new freshmen who are playing really, really well. They are very aggressive, straightforward and in your face, so it will be a tough game.”
Among those Arizona freshmen are forward Charlotte Brascia, who is third on the team in both shots on goal (seven) and total shots (14), and standout midfielder Gabi Stoian, who leads the team in shots on goal (16), goals (seven), and assists (four). Though standing just 5-foot-5, Stoian plays much bigger than her frame and will make an impact if USC does not keep her marked throughout the game.
The Women of Troy, on the other hand, will look to lean on their more experienced players for strong play. Senior midfielder Alex Quincey leads the team with 12 points on six goals, and junior midfielder Jamie Fink has 11 points on five goals and an assist. Junior forwards Megan Borman and Katie Johnson are also good bets to find the back of the net, as they are tied for the team lead with 12 shots on goal apiece. Scoring chances might come off well-placed crosses from junior midfielder Reilly Parker, who has a habit of getting behind the defense with quick runs up the sideline.
Redshirt sophomore defender Dominique Randle will help anchor the Women of Troy’s defensive line in front of senior captain and goalie Caroline Stanley. Sophomores Mandy Freeman and Kayla Mills and junior Erin Owen will also contribute on defense. When asked about the trip to Arizona, Randle expressed confidence in the team’s preparation.
“We’re ready for conference play,” Randle said. “We are trying to build off what we did in the non conference season by going over everything we’ve learned and making sure we are fine tuning things we’ve had issues with in order to better execute our game plan. We are also making sure to stay hydrated because we know it will be hot.”
Randle also expressed that her team has moved on from a tough loss to Pepperdine.
“The loss definitely hurt,” Randle said. “However, we’ve learned that we can overcome adversity when the occasion arises, as long as we are able to put our chances away.”
McAlpine agreed with Randle’s statements, expressing confidence that if the Women of Troy are able to execute a little better, they are poised to conquer the Wildcats.
“We are hoping to carry over some things from the last two games, particularly in the second half,” McAlpine said. “We were very good about putting pressure on our opponents in the second half the past few games. We are looking to start with that same intensity, particularly in our defending, but then be able to settle down a bit and not have to play from behind.”
The match will kick off Friday at 2 p.m. PST and will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Network. The Women of Troy will then take a much-needed break, returning to action on Oct. 3.