LARAMIE, Wyoming (9/17/24) – The University of Wyoming soccer team concludes the non-conference portion of its schedule this week. The Cowgirls host Oregon State on Thursday at 4 p.m. at the Madrid Sports Complex before traveling to Weber State on Sunday for a 1 p.m. game at Wildcat Soccer Stadium.
The Cowgirls – who are 2-2-2 on the year – are unbeaten over their last three contests. Two of those results have been shutouts of the opponent and the offense has really found its form, as well.
Wyoming has racked up seven goals over its last two matches, which is the most in a two-game stretch since 2021. It has also boasted three different Cowgirls recording a brace in each of the last three contests, and that's the first time that has happened in program history.
"We have shown that we can score and score in various ways and threaten in various ways," head coach Josh Purdum said. "We just need to continue to be efficient in front of goal. We are throwing a lot of shots up, but they're not all hitting the target or challenging the goalkeeper as much as we'd like. It's important for us to get multiple people in front of the net, continue to rotate and not rely on just one or two people to score."
Alyssa Bedard has scored the most and is one of those three players with a brace. She's found the back of the net three times this season.
Maddi Chance and
Alisa Bunn are the other two with braces, while
Hadley Linder joins those two, making it three Cowgirls with a pair of goals in 2024.
"You want as many players on the team to score and over their careers score often," Purdum said. "It makes us hard to scout."
Goalkeeper,
Haley Bartel, owns two shutouts in her last three games. For the season she has 28 saves with 11 goals allowed for a GAA of 1.83.
Oregon State lays claim to a 1-6-0 record and has been outscored, 15-5. Megin Turi leads the Beavers offensively with a pair of scores, while Mya Sanchez has started every game in net and has 36 saves and 15 goals allowed for a GAA of 2.14.
Wyoming and Oregon State have met only once before. The Beavers won that 2022 matchup in Corvallis, 4-1.
Weber State is 1-6-3 with a road match at Utah Valley on Sunday. Ali Swensen leads the offensive charge with five goals. Hadley Harris has appeared in all eight matches, with seven starts, at keeper for Weber State, and she's logged 28 saves with 15 goals surrendered for a GAA of 2.31.
The Wildcats own a 6-3-0 edge in the all-time series. The Cowgirls won last year's game, 1-0, in Laramie.
Following the match at Weber State, Wyoming remains on the road and enters Mountain West Conference play. The Cowgirls travel to Colorado College on Sept. 26.
