Cougars Fail To Take Next Step Area Roundup

They’ve learned how to compete against the Pacific-10 Conference’s top women’s soccer teams. The next step for the Washington State Cougars is figuring out how to beat the best.

The Cougars’ latest ever-so-close-to-positive outcome came Friday afternoon in a steady rain against UCLA, a team ranked as high as seventh in the polls. Just 65 seconds into the match, UCLA’s top offensive player, Tracey Milburn, booted a close-range goal from the left side past WSU keeper Lindsey Jorgensen.

The players’ uniforms were still clean and dry, but the visitors already enjoyed a 1-0 lead. Ninety minutes and 22 soaked and muddy uniforms later, the score remained the same. The win improved UCLA to 12-1-1 and 3-0-1 in conference matches with a showdown against No. 3 Washington set for noon Sunday.

The Cougars dropped to 10-5, 2-3. One impressive conference win was 1-0 against Arizona State, ranked 18th in one of three closely watched polls.

Two of Washington State’s conference losses were to Cal, 2-1, and Stanford, 1-0 in double overtime. Both teams are ranked in the top 15 in the polls. Neither match could have been much closer.

“We know we can beat these teams,” said Jorgensen. “It’s just a matter of coming out on the field and playing all 90 minutes. We’ve been really close and as long as we perform at our highest, we’ll be beating these teams.”

After Jorgensen gave up the goal at 1:05, she settled in nicely, saving nine shots. The Bruins outshot the Cougars 19-13.

Milburn’s goal was her 12th of the year. The senior forward from Moorpark, Calif., is coming off a week in which she had eight points in two matches to earn her the honor as Pac-10 player of the week.

But on this particular Friday, the play of the match occurred off the field when UCLA’s second-year coach, Jillian Ellis, fainted and quickly recovered. Ellis, standing on the sideline, fell to the ground with 5 minutes left in the first half. Within seconds, she was back on her feet. She took it easy in the second half, sitting on the bench, and let her assistants take over.

“I’ve been sick lately and was in the hospital last week, but I’ll be all right,” Ellis said.

“Both teams played hard,” said Ellis, who also was in Sydney as an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic team. “They (WSU) created some chances.”

But UCLA keeper CiCi Peterson put an end to those chances. The junior from San Diego, who finished with eight saves, recorded her conference-leading 10th shutout and lowered her goals-against average to a skimpy 0.31.

Most of the Cougars’ chances came in the second half. Their best opportunity to score in the first half was at 27:42 when freshman midfielder Rachel Rodrick’s shot clanked off the crossbar.

“If we clean that up, or the ball goes in, or we’re a little better framing the goal, we’d be 1-1 at halftime, and obviously it’s a different ballgame,” WSU coach Dan Tobias said.

WSU’s most feared player, Deka DeWitt, had a few good looks in the second half, especially at 78:37. The team’s leading scorer put herself in a 1-on-1 situation and finished with a clean shot that was smothered by Peterson. Junior midfielder Liz Duncan also made things exciting from the right flank late in the match.

If it weren’t for Angela Ichinose, the Gonzaga Bulldogs would have posted their first West Coast Conference victory of the season.

Ichinose scored two goals and assisted on the game-winner as Loyola Marymount rallied for a 3-2 victory on rainy Martin Field.

Ichinose put the Lions (10-4-1, 3-0) up 1-0 just 46 seconds into the match.

But Sara Streufert helped the Bulldogs (3-13, 0-6) take a 2-1 lead at the half with a pair of goals, both on assists from Kelly Leffel.

Ichinose found the net at 69:37 to tie the score at 2 and fed Laura Trask at 81:51 for the winner. Gonzaga has dropped eight straight matches.

Erin Rummens had a goal and an assist to propel Northern Arizona (6-12, 4-2) to a 3-0 Big Sky Conference win over Eastern Washington (7-9, 1-5) in Cheney.

Chrissy Walsh scored three goals to lead North Idaho (11-2-2, 10-2) to a 3-0 NWAACC win at Bellevue.

Keeper Serena Primmer made three saves in posting the shutout.

Jenny Kiebel’s header just before halftime helped the Idaho Vandals (9-6-1, 3-2-1) earn a 1-1 Big West Conference double-overtime tie with Pacific (7-6-2, 2-3-1) in Stockton, Calif.

Men’s soccer

Abbas Faridnia headed in Justin Franson’s crossing pass at 21:51 for the only goal as Gonzaga (8-4, 3-0) edged San Francisco (7-8-2, 1-2) 1-0 in West Coast Conference play at Martin Field.

Women’s volleyball

Janelle Ruen and Angie Hall combined for 14 kills and nine digs as the Eastern Washington Eagles (10-8) crushed the Portland Pilots (5-13) 15-2, 15-6, 15-0 in non-conference action in Cheney.

Kristen Turner totaled 26 kills and Abby Jo Hornstein and Lindsey Wagstaff each had 17 digs to propel the Whitworth Pirates (13-7, 8-3) to a 15-5, 10-15, 16-14, 15-11 Northwest Conference victory over Linfield (12-6, 9-2) in the Whitworth Fieldhouse.

Beth Vercic had 10 kills and 10 digs to spark Community Colleges of Spokane (21-16, 5-2) to a 15-6, 15-1, 15-13 Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges victory at Yakima Valley.

Arizona State defeated Washington State 22-20, 13-15, 5-15, 15-8, 15-6 in Pac-10 action in Tempe, Ariz.

Amanda Burbridge was the driving force for ASU (13-7, 5-5 Pac-10). She finished with 39 kills, 28 digs and five blocks.

LaToya Harris topped WSU (12-7, 3-7) with 24 kills and Zanda Bautre chipped in with 20 kills.

Fifth-ranked Arizona (16-2, 9-1) cruised past Washington 15-1, 15-5, 15-13 in Pac-10 play in Tucson, Ariz. The Huskies are 5-12, 1-9.