USC wins 2016 Women’s College Cup

by J.R. Eskilson

December 4, 2016

SAN JOSE, California - After six games of 1-0 results in the NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Tournament, the offense finally opened up in the final game on Sunday at Avaya Stadium in front of 6,612 fans. USC and West Virginia combined for four goals in a 3-1 USC win.

Southern California claimed their second NCAA Championship in Women’s Soccer. The Trojans previously won in 2007.

The Trojans enjoyed a positive start with a goal less than two minutes into the game. Midfielder Morgan Andrews headed home the opening goal 80 seconds into the game.

West Virginia could not get a controlled touch on the ball before it was 1-0 USC. The Trojans started with the ball and played it back in hopes of drawing the Mountaineers out of their defensive shape. A pair of clearances from Kadeisha Buchanan could not turn away the Trojans and eventually Morgan Andrews found the ball near the right corner flag and earned a corner kick.

The service was cleared only 12 yards from goal where Savannah Levin nodded it back toward the net. Andrews was there to head home the floated ball back into the center of the six-yard box. The early goal was only the 10th West Virginia has conceded this season.

West Virginia had the best run of play from any team in College Cup following the goal and through the first half. The Mountaineers took advantage of their speed on the wings and created a number of chances for an equalizer. USC goalkeeper Sammy Jo Prudhomme finished the first half with four saves, but was much more involved in the play than the low number of blocks would indicate. West Virginia goalkeeper Rylee Foster did not make a save in the first half.

USC struggled to keep any semblance of possession after the goal. The Trojans lacked movement off the ball and center back Mandy Freeman’s direct balls into the attacking half played into the hands of West Virginia’s strength in Buchanan’s aerial abilities. The Trojans lack of possession made it difficult for the Pac-12 side to apply pressure or keep shape. With the Trojans off balance, West Virginia took advantage of numerical advantages in the flanks.

The Mountaineers looked likely to pull back the goal within the first 45 minutes. However, Prudhomme made the timely saves, and the USC defense was there for the block when the goalkeeper could not get to the ball.

The Trojans held the 1-0 lead at half, but West Virginia had the better run of play for almost all of the opening stanza.

USC settled into the game in the second half and seemed at least on level footing with the Mountaineers in terms of controlling where the game was played through the first 20 minutes of the second half.

However, the Mountaineers found their equalizer in the 66th minute off of the foot of Ashley Lawrence. The Canadian received the ball from Easther Mayi Kith in the left channel. Lawrence cut in and ripped a shot near post. The USC defenders acted as a shield and Prudhomme tracked the shot late. The hard rip found the inside of the near post.

USC answered back nine minutes later when Katie Johnson tucked home her second goal of the weekend. The forward was in the right place at the right time and showed great composure to put the ball away with only Foster to beat for the goal.

The sequence for the USC goal started with Andrews. She, along with Mills, cleaned up a cross into the USC defending third. Andrews sent a long ball to Leah Pruitt on the left wing. Pruitt won the battle against Kith.

Pruitt’s solo run pulled Buchanan off Johnson and the USC forward wisely slotted it to her teammate for the easy finish.

West Virginia sent star defender Buchanan into the attack with only 15 minutes left in the game and down a goal. The presence of Buchanan in the attack nearly opened up the USC defense immediately.

The Mountaineers strung a nice passing sequence together that ended with Heather Kaleiohi getting a clean look on goal from eight yards out. Prudhomme made a great save on the close blast and kept the Trojans in the lead.

Johnson sealed the win with a tremendous strike in the 87th minute. Prudhomme started the play with a long goal kick that found Nicole Molen. The midfielder played it to Johnson who pushed her first touch into space and then hammered home the insurance goal from 20 yards out.

Prudhomme finished the game with eight saves, as she put in a performance for the ages on the biggest stage for women’s college soccer. Her eight-save effort limited the Mountaineers to only one goal, and helped USC claim the trophy on Sunday.

2016 Women’s College Cup All-Tournament Team (as voted on by the media): Chloe Knott (Georgetown, Hanna Gardner (North Carolina, Ashley Lawrence (West Virginia), Rylee Foster (West Virginia), Sh’Sh'Nia Gordon (West Virginia), Katie Johnson (USC), Sammy Jo Prudhomme (USC), Mandy Freeman (USC), Morgan Andrews (USC), Kayla Mills (USC), Leah Pruitt (USC)