Women of Troy defeat Pacific, tie UC Irvine


A third of the way into the 2014 campaign, the USC women’s Soccer team continues to evade defeat.

The No. 14 Women of Troy beat Pacific 3-0 Friday afternoon and left Orange County with an extra-time draw against UC Irvine Sunday evening, improving their record to 5-0-2.

Sole goal · Junior striker Katie Johnson came up with USC’s only goal in Sunday night’s 1-1 extra-time draw at UC Irvine. The Monrovia, California native has two goals so far this season, pushing her career total to 10.  - Samuel Chang | Daily Trojan

Sole goal · Junior striker Katie Johnson came up with USC’s only goal in Sunday night’s 1-1 extra-time draw at UC Irvine. The Monrovia, California native has two goals so far this season, pushing her career total to 10. – Samuel Chang | Daily Trojan

Another successful weekend began with a tough first half against the Tigers that saw USC struggle to score.

Despite a number of opportunities, head coach Keidane McAlpine was displeased with the team’s first-half performance.

“[The first half was] sloppy,” McAlpine said. “I didn’t think we were sharp in our movements and our passing, especially around the box and around the goal.”

The first-year coach’s halftime messages and adjustments have already proven to do wonders for this team, as the Women of Troy continue to turn tough first-half deficits into stellar second-half performances.

Just two minutes into the second half against Pacific, junior forward Tamara Mejia finally put the Women of Troy on the board. Mejia, who entered the game as a substitute, finished her run down the left flank by netting her first-ever career goal as a Trojan into the lower left side of the net.

Sophomore defender Kayla Mills followed up with a beauty of a shot into the upper left corner at the 63-minute mark, giving the team room to breathe and giving herself her second goal in two games.

“I do what I gotta do for the win,” Mills said. “I just do what the team needs me — drop back [or] push up when they need me.”

Senior midfielder Alex Quincey finished off the win with a clinical header off of junior Reilly Parker’s corner kick. Coming off a hat trick against UC Riverside, the midfielder added to her team-high season tally of five goals and capped off the much-improved second half that Coach McAlpine wanted.

“I thought our response in the second half was pretty good,” McAlpine said.

More importantly, McAlpine was impressed with the defense’s ability to shut out Pacific, one of the primary goals this squad looks to achieve in every single match.

Senior goalkeeper Caroline Stanley was also thrilled about the shutout, but she credited her hardworking defensive front for it.

“The defense definitely earned it today,” Stanley said. “They single handedly got the shutout themselves.”

Though the shutout kept their winning streak intact, the Women of Troy were forced to forget the win against Pacific quickly and travel to Anteater Recreation Center Field to take on a UC Irvine squad that had won three straight games.

The Sunday night match between the Women of Troy and the Anteaters was a clash of winning streaks, but it also quickly became a clash of defenses.

McAlpine was finally given the fast start he has been looking for all year when junior forward Katie Johnson scored her second goal of the season in the seventh minute off a Mejia cross and a flick by junior midfielder Natalie Donaldson.

It looked like the Women of Troy were well on their way to their fifth straight win, but the Anteaters would not go down that easily, and the match suddenly evolved into a defensive battle.

USC relentlessly sought the match’s all important second goal, but the UCI defense refused to back down.

It was only a matter of a time before great defense turned into productive offense for the Lady Anteaters. Home fans finally rejoiced in the 75th minute when Kiana Palacios put the ball past Stanley, ending the shutout and tying the game.

The late goal — which came off a free kick — pushed the duel into extra time.

Two 10-minute extra periods still failed to separate the two squads, and the Women of Troy could not manufacture a second goal even while dominating the game offensively.

A draw allows USC to retain its undefeated record, but a win certainly seemed within reach. Nevertheless, McAlpine welcomed and appreciated the tough challenge that UC Irvine gave his team.

“This was great preparation for us,” McAlpine said. “Irvine played great and brought good energy. I am glad we got a result in this type of game.”

The Women of Troy return to action during a two-game, non-conference set that pairs them against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Pepperdine on Friday and Sunday at McAlister Field.