Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Eastern Washington
Wildcats fall to Eagles in Big Sky soccer opener
9/26/2015 3:08:00 AM | Women's Soccer
OGDEN – For the Wildcats, it was one of those days.
The Weber State University women's soccer team dominated possession and quality chances, despite playing with a man-disadvantage for nearly 70 minutes, but in the end came up on the short side of a 2-1 result against Eastern Washington in both team's Big Sky Conference opener on Friday afternoon at Wildcat Soccer Field.
Weber State (0-1-0 Big Sky, 4-5-1 overall) controlled better than 60 percent of possession, much of it in the middle and attacking third, but finished the day with just a lone goal late in the first half to show for it.
Eastern Washington (1-0-0, 7-1-1 overall) scored on an opportunistic cross in the 11th minute that Allison Raniere redirected with her body just inside the near post.
After going down a man in the 21st minute, the Wildcats' attack picked up even further, relentlessly attacking the Eagles' goal and senior forward Mackenzie Harrison delivered in the 28th minute when she headed a short cross down to her feet and punched it inside the far post to level the match at 1-1.
The goal was the 20th of Harrison's career, making her just the fourth player in Weber State history to score 20 goals. She currently sits fourth in Weber State's career scoring charts, needing one more to tie for third, and is five away from tying for the school's career record.
Harrison nearly found a second goal in the 54th minute, when she was sprung behind the Eagles' defense, but Eastern Washington goalkeeper Mallory Taylor made a stretching save to deny the shot.
For minutes later, the Eagles' Jenny Chavez caught a fortuitous bounce just outside the box and punched home a hard shot to the low left corner of the net for the winning goal.
Weber State will be back in action on Sunday at Noon when the Wildcats host Idaho at Wildcat Soccer Field.
