Arizona women’s soccer head coach Becca Moros praised goalkeeper Laurynn Ziller after the Wildcats secured a 2-1 comeback victory over Gonzaga on Thursday afternoon. Moros said Ziller “keeps everything that she should keep out of the net out of the net,” a sentiment echoed by the team after Ziller denied a late penalty attempt by Gonzaga forward Amelia Severn.
Second‑half turnaround
The Wildcats fell behind early, conceding in the 29th minute when a turnover in front of their own goal led to Gonzaga’s opening goal. Arizona responded in the second half with two decisive strikes from freshman forward Mireya Stephenson. The first, in the 68th minute, came after sophomore Whitney Reinhardt delivered a long ball that Stephenson controlled and finished, tying the match at 1-1. The assist marked Reinhardt’s first career point.
Just five minutes later, sophomore Lily Boydstun earned a free kick near the sideline. She placed the ball perfectly, and Stephenson guided it into the net for the go‑ahead goal, giving Arizona a 2-1 lead that held until the final whistle.
Key contributions and statistics
Arizona outshot Gonzaga 12-8, with eight of the Wildcats’ attempts coming after halftime. Stephenson led the game with four shots, three on target, while Gonzaga’s Amelia Severn recorded three attempts. Boydstun added her fourth career assist and first of the season, building on a strong freshman year at Arkansas.
The match featured several challenges. Gonzaga contested Ziller’s penalty save, but video review showed no infraction, and the save stood. Both teams had goals disallowed for offsides, and each received two yellow cards, including a dissent warning for Gonzaga.
Goalkeeping rotation
Arizona employed a two‑goalkeeper system. Sofia Cortes‑Browne started the match and was in goal for the early turnover. Ziller took over at halftime, a pattern she has followed in all three of Arizona’s regular‑season games and the exhibition against UC Irvine. Both keepers noted that the internal competition pushes them to improve, saying, “We’re trying to push each other every practice, making each other better in every job that we do.”
Looking ahead
The victory marks Arizona’s second win of the season after a prolonged scoring drought that stretched back to the previous year. The Wildcats have now scored four goals in their last two contests and posted two straight wins after an 0‑8‑1 stretch dating to last September.
Arizona will have a ten‑day break before traveling to Tempe for a neutral‑site match against LSU at Arizona State University on Sunday, Aug. 30.
Original reporting: Arizona Desert Swarm (Tucson Sports) — read the source article.
