Cougars ousted from NCAAs

PULLMAN – Natasha Howe’s goal in the 108th minute lifted Seattle University to a 2-1 victory over the No. 23 Washington State women’s soccer team Friday, giving the Redhawks their first postseason victory and first win over the Cougars.

WSU’s season began and ended against Seattle. But while the first match was an ultimately unimportant exhibition win, the second was a season-ending double-overtime loss in the opening round of the NCAA Division I tournament.

The Redhawks came out on fire in the well-below-freezing Pullman night and were clearly the aggressors early against a Pac-12 team that they had not beaten or tied in their previous 10 attempts. It was WSU’s first defeat in its last 27 home games against unranked, nonconference opponents.

“They came out tonight and they wanted to win, not more than we wanted to, but they played like it,” WSU senior Mesa Owsley said. “Props to them. They did an amazing job today and I’ve never seen a Seattle U. team like that before.”

The Cougars (10-5-3, 5-4-2 Pac-12) have a habit of giving fans free soccer in these opening-round NCAA tournament games. The last four opening-round games for WSU have gone to overtime, and the first three of those ended in penalty kicks.

It was the ninth appearance in the NCAA tournament for the Cougars and sixth in the last seven seasons. The Cougars are 2-7-3 all-time in the tournament.

“I’m so proud of what we accomplished this season,” first-year WSU coach Steve Nugent said. “Our group of seniors had their third coach in four years and provided tremendous leadership. The standard at Washington State is to be an NCAA tournament team.”

The cold night meant a fast turf and SU’s Stephanie Verdoia, who entered the game second in the nation in both goals and overall points, was constantly on the attack and eventually staked Seattle to an early lead with a solo goal in the 33rd minute.

WSU generated 13 corner kicks to SU’s two, but was unable to get past Redhawks goalkeeper Brianna Smallidge, who made five saves.

The Cougars finally scored in the 80th minute when Mariah Powers punched in a goal on a cross from Beau Bremer. The late goal appeared to energize the Cougars and they spent most of overtime on SU’s side of the field, but it was the Redhawks that eventually came up with the golden goal just minutes before the game would have gone to penalty kicks.

The loss ends the career of senior goalkeeper Gurveen Clair, who ranks No.1 in school history in wins, shutouts, save percentage and a number of other categories.

Clair’s senior class has accounted for 48 victories, the most during a four-year span in school history.

“I think what we’ve been able to accomplish is absolutely amazing and I couldn’t be any more proud of this senior class, and the team, to be able to say that we started a tradition here,” Clair said. “It’s known: Every year Washington State will make it to the tournament, and that’s the type of program we’ve developed and we’ve put our entire careers into.”