Forget feeling like you *should* have won. Arizona soccer just *did* enough to win their last match against Dartmouth, but still managed to drop a brutal 1-0 decision. It wasn’t just a loss, it was a gut punch: the Wildcats outshot the Big Green 14-1, with a 5-1 advantage in shots on goal. The only shot Dartmouth put on target? Yeah, that one found the back of the net. Talk about a kicker. This isn’t just a tough break, it’s a glaring symptom of an offense that cannot find its rhythm, and with Big 12 play looming, that’s a huge problem.
Can They Find Space? Because the Numbers Are Ugly
The frustration from that Dartmouth game is real, and it sums up the early season struggles perfectly. Head coach Becca Moros and her squad felt they absolutely did enough to get the victory, but they just couldn’t capitalize when it mattered. The issue? Creating space. Freshman midfielder Emerson Stoft put it bluntly, saying it’s about “realizing when to move, the right time to move” in the final third. She admitted they couldn’t do that against Dartmouth and stressed the need for “being more organized and being more focused in the final third and knowing when to open up and move for other players.” That’s the cold, hard truth of it.
The numbers don’t lie, and they’re not pretty. Arizona currently sits at 2-3-1, with a -1 goal differential, ranking them 188th in Division I. That’s actually “better” than last season’s -6 differential, which had them ranked a dismal 239th. But here’s the kicker: they are still behind opponents in most offensive categories. Last season, they averaged 1.16 goals per game, thanks to five-goal explosions against GCU and UNLV. This year? They’ve managed six goals in six games, averaging just 1.00 goals per game. There haven’t been any blowouts this season either, which means they’re struggling to light up the scoreboard, even against lesser competition.
Time to Get Right Before Conference Play
The Wildcats have two more nonconference matches to figure things out before the Big 12 schedule kicks into gear. First up, they host Northern Arizona (2-3-1), a team they know well from regular season and spring game matchups. NAU comes in with a +1 goal differential, ranked 159th, so they’re actually looking better than Arizona right now. But there’s a glimmer of hope: Arizona edged NAU 1-0 in an exhibition last season and stomped them 5-0 in a regular season match two years ago. This Friday, September 10, at Mulcahy Soccer Stadium, is a prime opportunity to “get themselves right.” After that, they hit the road to face Pepperdine Waves (2-2-2) on Sunday, September 13. Can they finally break through and find the net consistently? We’ll find out starting Friday night.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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