USC soccer will head to the Pacific Northwest in desperate search of its first conference and road win of the season.

After a 2-0 loss against No. 7 Ohio State in Columbus and a 1-0 loss in University Park against Penn State, the Trojans return to the West Coast for the final game of their three-game road trip in a meeting against No. 15 Washington. 

USC (1-7-3, 0-4-1 Big Ten), after a rough start to the season, is looking to finish the first half of the season on a strong note and get its first win in conference play Saturday night.

Washington (8-1-2, 3-1-1) has been formidable at home, having not lost a match in its last 12 games at home dating back to last season, boasting a 10-0-2 record at Husky Soccer Stadium in that span. USC faces an uphill battle against Washington with this opportunity to break the Huskies’ undefeated home win streak.

Road woes linger for USC

Since last season, the Trojans have posted a combined 2-6-3 record away from home in conference play, with their last win coming in 2025.

Sunday’s showdown against Penn State (5-2-3, 3-1-1) proved to be a defensive effort for the Trojans, who failed to register a shot in the game, compared to Penn State’s 15 total shots and six on goal.

From the get-go, the Trojans were unable to find their footing, in part due to the Nittany Lions’ high press. Freshman goalkeeper Josie Biehl was tasked with making a one-on-one save early in the match against junior forward Aubrey Kulpa.

In the 27th minute, Kulpa would yet again have a chance, this time cutting inside the box from a throw-in by sophomore defender Hannah Jordan onto her left foot and sniping one into the top left corner. The goal marked Kulpa’s fifth in the season and her third in the last four games, marking a strong goal-scoring streak.

The match ended with much of the same rhythm. Penn State freshman forward Ellie Kocher followed Kulpa’s team-high four shots with three shots, though none were on target.

The game marked the first time Penn State has held a conference opponent to zero shots in 26 years. The Trojans will look to build upon a poor offensive showing heading into the matchup against Washington.

Huskies look to bounce back

The Huskies are coming off a 3-0 loss against No. 2 Michigan State (8-1-2, 3-1-0) in East Lansing and will hope to get back on track against USC as NCAA Tournament hopefuls in November.

The Huskies are led by redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Tanner Ijams, who sports an impressive six shutouts, tying her at ninth most in the NCAA. Ijams has conceded just seven goals on the season.

The Trojans’ leading scorer, junior defender and forward Lily Biddulph, and leading shot taker, sophomore midfielder Jaiden Rodriguez, will be keen on testing Ijams and the Huskies’ stalwart defense. Washington ranks fourth in the Big Ten in fewest goals allowed, while USC has scored the second-fewest goals in the conference.

Senior midfielder Jadyn Holdenreid is the offensive fulcrum for Washington, leading the team on the season with nine points, 11 shots on goal and three goals.

Though the Huskies are averaging 1.45 goals a game, it’s their stellar defense, conceding just 0.64 goals a game, that has put them squarely in a position to repeat as conference champions. 

Comparatively, the Trojans are averaging just 0.82 goals a game and conceding nearly two goals a game. USC will look to shut down Holdenreid’s play to come out with a win. 

With a stingy backline, the Huskies certainly have no trouble making it difficult for opponents to get on the board with goals; they find no trouble holding onto leads either, with six of their eight wins this season coming with one-goal margins. The Trojans will have their work cut out for them against one of the nation’s best defensive teams.

USC will look to upset the Washington Huskies at 7 p.m. Saturday at Husky Soccer Stadium in Seattle.