No. 19 Cal fell to No. 18 USC 0-2 after accumulating a three-game winning streak. The Trojans took the lead of the game instantly when Sophomore Kayla Colbert scored in the first three minutes of the game. Cal goalie Angelina Anderson was drowned in pressure as USC fired shot after shot and found its second goal of the game in the 18th minute as Colbert passed the ball to forward Simone Jackson to seal the win for the Trojans.

Down two goals marked a wake up call for the Bears as they pulled Anderson from the game and brought in Freshman Teagan Wy to hold down the fort. Wy went on in the 19th minute, the earliest she has ever gone on.

“I was definitely ready. I always prepare — I am always ready to get put in right away, and it’s been a good game,” Wy said.

Wy stayed on for the rest of the match to log 70 minutes of playing time and kept the Trojans from scoring a third goal against Cal. Facing seven shots and tallying one save, her skills were certainly put to the test against a ranked opponent.

Anysa Gray and Ayo Oke attempted to get Cal back into the game, but to their dismay, their shots were unsuccessful. In the second half of the match, Cal’s defense and offense came back stronger as the Bears created numerous opportunities with a total of nine shots fired. Throughout the remainder of the game, Cal came really close to tallying goals and the crowds’ cries of agony could be heard far and wide. Karlie Lema and Hannah Cooper attempted three goals each before time ran out for the Bears, leaving the blue and gold with no shots having found the net.

During a heated close up between the Bears and the Trojans, Gray launched a hard ball in the hopes of scoring — but the ball ended up hitting one of the opposing players in the stomach. After a couple of seconds, the game stopped as the Trojan fell to the ground seconds before a Cal attempt to score. The captivated audience showed their heartfelt support to the athlete, who got up shortly after and continued to play.

Sydney Collins emphasized the pivotal role of Cal’s defense as she blocked dangerous shots from getting near the goalpost. The Trojans attempted to acquire another goal, tallying five shots in the second half, but failed just like the Bears.

“We shut down a very lethal offense for the most part. Obviously, we conceded a few goals but I’m really proud of our backline’s performance. We’ve been growing each game, and this is just another game we can learn from,” Collins said.

As the game came to a close, the blue and gold marked their first scoreless game in conference play. Cal now stands at 8-4-3 and 3-3 in Pac-12 play. With only five games left in the season, the Bears will be going on the road one last time to take on the Oregon State Beavers and the Oregon Ducks before rounding out the season with three consecutive home games. Last season, the Bears fell to the Ducks but came out victorious against the Beavers. It remains to be seen how this year’s matchups will pan out.

“For future games, we are just going to keep growing and improving as we work as a team and a unit,” Wy said. “Especially myself, too,  (the team) always (helps) me grow and learn in this environment.”