Box Score

DAVIS, Calif. - Kayla Wigney scored her fourth goal of the year in the 10th minute of Saturday's non-conference match, the Aggies' defense allowed only four shots to Missouri State all afternoon and Kate Young's blast from 15 yards lifted UC Davis to a 2-1 victory in front of a packed house at Aggie Field Hockey Facility.

UC Davis will return to league action and continue its string of home matches Friday afternoon with a 6-7 overall record, Missouri State will now head to Pacific with a 2-7 mark.

"This team was aggressive from start to finish, which helped us score our first goal early in the match. Once we had that lead, everyone became patient, yet worked hard to create additional scoring opportunities," said UC Davis head coach Tiffany Huisman.

On the first of five penalty corners earned by the Aggies throughout the match, Agustina Singh pushed the ball to her right in an attempt to create a clear shooting lane. On her only swing of the day, she did fire a shot towards the Bears' net, one that Wigney redirected with a well-timed tip to give the Aggies an early 1-0 lead.

UC Davis' lead remained untouched until the team caught an unlucky break in the 23rd minute when Andrea Soler Codina scored from a sharp angle to tie the score. After dribbling alongside the near end line towards UC Davis goalkeeper Erica Cohen and the near post, Codina smacked a pass that initially crossed the goalmouth towards a pack of players. Instead of finding one of her teammates' stick, or that of her opponent, Codina's shot bounced off someone's foot into the back of the cage.

Undaunted, UC Davis returned to the field after halftime and took full control of the match. In addition to outshooting Missouri State, 7-1, and taking four of the five penalty corners earned that half, Young broke a 1-1 tie for good when she fired a rocket on the Bears' cage from just inside the scoring arc.

As was the case throughout the first half, the Aggies' midfield line and corps of defenders frustrated Missouri State throughout the final 35 minutes of action, barely giving any Bears player a clean look on goal, let alone a passing lane anywhere inside the 22-meter line.

"I was very happy with our defensive intensity. Martha Duterte set the tone early by stepping up and making big tackles," said Huisman.

Even when MSU pulled its `keeper for an extra field player, the Aggies completely negated any advantage the Bears possessed with its additional attacker.

Wigney led UC Davis with her three total shots and two shots on goal; one of two shots taken by Young and Jamie Garcia required a save from Bears goalkeeper Feli Heinel. Danielle Koehne, Hannah Drawbridge, Duterte and Singh, who earned her second assist on Wigney's goal, each recorded one shot.

UC Davis will now face America East opponents at Aggie Field Hockey Facility starting with Friday's match against nationally ranked Stanford. Two days later, Cal will hold its "road" match against the Aggies on their own field since the Golden Bears do not have a home facility of their own at this time.


Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-------------------------------
Missouri State...... 1 0 - 1
UC Davis............... 1 1 - 2

SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 9:57 UCD Wigney, Kayla (2) (Singh, Agustina) - Corner starts the play; taken from 7 yds to GK's right, 45 deg. angle.
2. 22:31 MSU SOLER CODINA, Andrea (2) (unassisted) - Scored from a sharp angle to the right of GK, near end line.
3. 36:21 UCD Young, Kate (2) (unassisted) - Taken from 12 yards out at a 45 degree angle to GKs left.

Shots: Missouri State 4, UC Davis 11
Saves: Missouri State 3 (HEINZEL, Feli 2; TEAM 1), UC Davis 0 ()

Missouri State (2-7) vs. UC Davis (6-7)
Date: 09/26/15
Attendance: 391
Weather: Hot, no breeze, 93 degrees at push back.