After a narrow defeat at the hands of Stanford on Thursday night, the Miami Hurricanes soccer team (3-5-2) was unable to end their West Coast trek with a victory, falling to the California Golden Bears (10-1-2) by a score of 3-2.
With a 1 PM Pacific Time kick in Berkeley, where the Hurricanes football team will square off with Cal football next Saturday, the ’Canes got off to a blazing start. With two corner kicks in addition to three shots in the match’s first eight minutes, it looked like the ’Canes may take control early. However, they were unable to convert any of these opportunities, and Cal would make them pay with a goal to open the scoring in the 21st minute.
This lead, however, would not last for long. Star freshman midfielder Giovana Canali received a pass from teammate Kyla Gallagher and tied the game in the 26th minute off a turnover. Canali had two goals on the day, which marks the second occasion of the 2024 season where she had multiple goals in one game.
Before the break, Cal’s Julia Leontini was able to put her team ahead once again, with her second goal of the season coming in the 41st minute to put the Bears up 2-1 at halftime.
Miami used the deficit as a chip on their shoulder, and they came out in the second half with something to prove. They dominated the first 20 minutes of possession, and eventually Canali found her second goal of the game in the 68th minute. Off of a pass from Ciara Alarcon, Canali recorded her seventh goal of the season and tied the game.
In the 77th minute, the ’Canes once again faltered and allowed a goal from the Bears, this time from Malia McMahon who notched her first goal of the season.
Although the ’Canes were relentless trying to draw even in the final moments of the match, they were unable to do so. Head Coach Ken Masuhr was pleased by the effort of his team but noted that the team needs more than just moral victories.
“I mentioned on Thursday that this team was capable of a result, and coming back twice with two goals shows that,” Masuhr told Hurricane Athletics postgame. “However, wanting to get a result and doing what is required to actually earn one is still something that this team is learning. This team is scoring goals and they fight nonstop, but games are won and lost inside the 18-yard box, and at the moment we are not decisive or disciplined enough in defending ours and that needs to change.”
With a return to Coral Gables in sight, Miami fans can look to the evident progress from the team as a potential sign of future victories to come. The Hurricanes’ next outing will be on Thursday, October 3, as they are set to duel with the Virginia Tech Hokies in an Atlantic Coast Conference clash. Kickoff is set for 8 PM Eastern Time at Cobb Stadium.