SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The OUAZ women's soccer team held off an early barrage from Southern Oregon before falling to the Raiders, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon at Thorrington Field on the campus of Westmont College.
 
Despite Southern Oregon (1-1) taking five of the game's first seven shot attempts, it was OUAZ (3-2) that recorded the first tally of the contest. Cassidy Chriest played a ball into the penalty area from the right side of the attack where it found Sydnee Busby for the strike and her sixth goal of the season. The goal had the Spirit in front in the 22nd minute.
 
The lead wouldn't last very long as SOU found an answer in the 25th minute when Makena Totushek put a shot away from outside the area to level the match at 1-1.
 
The score remained level into the 54th minute when the Raider's Kiani Pandoliano found a loose ball in the box and finished for a 2-1 SOU lead. Simone Schroder added an insurance goal for SOU in the 63rd minute with her goal inside the area.
 
Trailing by two down the stretch, OUAZ would create eight shots and get three of those on goal. Despite the chances, the Spirit were unable to get any of the deficit back.
 
The late shot barrage closed the game's final tally to 16-12 in favor of SOU. The Spirit had six of their chances on goal and they took a pair of corner kicks.
 
Bubsy would lead the OUAZ attack with seven shots and she put three of those chances on goal. Kiiaweau Aweau totaled two shots.
 
Emily Kriplean made seven saves with one goal allowed during the first half in goal. Addison Riddle played the second half and suffered the loss with two saves.
 
OUAZ will now travel to Torrance, California, where they will play at Marymount California on Monday at 11 a.m. Live video and stats of the game will be available with links at OUAZSpirit.com/live.