(Bryan Brenize -- The Beacon)
By John McCarty, Staff Writer -- mccarty12@up.edu
Despite a relentless barrage of shots from the Pilot offense throughout regulation play, the University of Washington Huskies held the women's soccer team at 1-1 before toppling the Pilots 10-9 in penalty kicks.
After trampling the UT-San Antonio Roadrunners 9-0 on a foggy Friday night, 27 shots in 110 regulation minutes was not enough to give the Pilots a second goal in their heartbreaker against UW. Though the game is technically recorded as a tie, the Huskies advance to the third round of the NCAA playoffs and the season is officially over for the Pilots.
"Obviously it's a really difficult thing being out there, being a senior. Looking at the game anyone can tell that soccer's not a fair game," senior midfielder Keelin Winters said. "Washington played hard, we played hard. I think we outworked them and we outshot them. I think we earned the win, unfortunately soccer's a funny game and the best team doesn't always win."
The Pilots and the Huskies battled back and forth before Washington's Mckenna Waitley came off the bench and secured the first goal of the match off of a header in the 28th minute. Just 10 seconds passed before senior forward Sophie Schmidt was able to return the favor, fooling the keeper with a low shot off an assist by junior forward Danielle Foxhoven. The teams remained locked at 1-1 for the remainder of the match and two 10-minute overtimes before going to penalty kicks.
With one goal allowed and 13 saves during regulation play, Huskies goalkeeper, redshirt junior Jorde LaFontaine-Kussman, didn't crack under the weight of the Pilot offensive and was a major factor in sending the game into penalty kicks.
"It's a cruel game and sometimes the best team doesn't always win," women's Head Coach Garrett Smith said. "I think this is an example of that, as sad as it is."
The first round of the shootout ended with both teams tied at 4-4, and the second round followed suit with each team scoring all five shots. Still knotted up after two rounds of penalty kicks, Washington sent midfielder Kate Deines to put one past Pilot goalkeeper, redshirt junior Hailee DeYoung.
To stay in the game the Pilots had to match with a goal of their own, but Huskies goalkeeper LaFontaine-Kussman managed to stop a shot from senior defender Jessica Tsao.
When asked about Tsao's missed penalty kick attempt, Schmidt said, "This one moment doesn't define her or her career. She is still a great player and a great teammate."
The loss to Washington was Schmidt's second game back with the Pilots after helping the Canadian National team win the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football World Cup qualifier. According to Smith, Schmidt's return to the lineup had a huge impact on the team both on and off the field.
Washington's victory marks the end of the Pilot's four-year NCAA quarterfinal appearance streak and the first time the Huskies have beaten the Pilots since 2004.
The Huskies secured passage to play the Pilots in the second round of the NCAA tournament after beating the University of Oklahoma 4-0 on Friday. The Pilots played later that night, burying the UTSA Roadrunners under a landslide of nine goals.
The Pilots wasted no time scoring against UTSA. In the eighth minute sophomore midfielder Kendall Johnson struck first, scoring from six yards out off a rebound from Schmidt. Two minutes later Schmidt put the Pilots up 2-0 with a 10-yard shot assisted by sophomore midfielder Taylor Brooke. The score was 4-0 at the half after Brooke scored a goal of her own before assisting Foxhoven off a cross inside the box.
Junior forward Halley Kreminski, freshman forward Amanda Frisbie and freshman midfielder Ellen Parker led the Pilot offensive in the second half with the remaining five goals. Though Parker and Kreminski each scored a goal, Frisbie dominated the UTSA defense in the second half with her first career hat trick.
The Pilots outshot the UTSA 26-3, and the Pilot defense was able to keep the Roadrunners from firing any shots until late in the second half when freshman goalkeeper Erin Dees registered two saves to hold on to another Pilot shutout.
Following the 9-0 trouncing of UTSA, the Huskies ended the Pilots' postseason dreams in the third round of penalty kicks.
"I'm proud of the way we played, we dominated," Schmidt said. "We had plenty of chances and just couldn't find the back of the net at the opportune time. I walk away sad as a senior, that the season is over, but I'm proud of how we played today."
(Bryan Brenize -- The Beacon)
