The Arizona Wildcats women’s soccer team continued its late‑season surge with a 2‑1 win over Iowa State on Sunday afternoon at Mulcahy Stadium. The victory marks the Wildcats’ second straight league win, following a 1‑0 triumph over Houston on Thursday, and puts the team in a strong position to qualify for the Big‑12 Tournament.
Key moments
Sophomore forward Kyleigh Johnson delivered the game‑winner in the 76th minute, heading in a cross from senior Ella Weathersby. It was Johnson’s third goal of the season, and she had entered the match only minutes earlier off the bench. “Coming off the bench, having that fresh energy, I just knew I had to do whatever I could to get on the end of that and help the team,” Johnson said after the match.
The Wildcats took an early lead in the 26th minute when Mireya Stephenson set up Lainey Swanson for her third goal of the season. Iowa State responded before halftime, but a header from Weathersby was cleared by the Cyclones’ goalkeeper.
In the second half, Iowa State pressed hard, earning three shots in under two minutes. Goalkeeper Laurynn Ziller saved the first two attempts, but Megan Walters capitalized on a rebound to equalize in the 53rd minute.
Coaching perspective
Head coach Becca Moros praised her squad’s resilience while acknowledging areas for improvement. “It’s never too early to watch the scoreboard. You can dig yourself a hole that you can’t get out of,” Moros said. She added, “We had a lot of opportunities in the attacking third that didn’t end up in shots because a pass was too direct down the middle, or the cross came out and we got picked off by the keeper before we had a chance to compete on it. But certainly positive in that aggressive play and being able to get into those box actions, we just need to be a little better.”
Arizona’s defense held firm in the final minutes, with Ziller coming off her line to clear a dangerous ball and senior Trinity Dorsey making a crucial clearance. Johnson stole the ball with 90 seconds left, helping the Wildcats run down the clock and secure the win.
Standings and upcoming schedule
Arizona (5‑5‑4 overall, 2‑1‑3 conference) now matches last year’s Big‑12 win total and sits tied with Colorado for eighth place with nine points. The top eight teams will advance to the Big‑12 Tournament next month, where Arizona will host Colorado on Oct. 22.
The Wildcats return to action on Friday when they travel to face Utah, looking to build on their recent momentum and solidify a postseason berth.
Original reporting: Arizona Desert Swarm (Tucson Sports) — read the source article.
