Washington State soccer opens NCAA Tournament with AAC champ Memphis

Washington State learned Monday that it punched its ticket to its eighth NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament in nine years.

The 24th-ranked Cougars (12-6-1) entertain American Athletic Conference champion No. 14 Memphis (17-2-1) in the first round Friday at Lower Field.

WSU, which finished sixth in the soccer-rich Pac-12, hopes the Palouse weather – it’s expected to be rainy and chilly – can be an advantage when the Tigers make the 2,065-mile trek from Tennessee.

“We got a tough draw. Memphis is a good team,” WSU coach Todd Shulenberger said. “They have a unique style but have to travel a long ways. It’s a little colder here.”

Memphis ranks seventh in the country in scoring (2.7 goals per game) and total goals (54) and is ninth in shots (8.8 per game).

The Cougars have allowed 1.16 goals per game and have posted seven shutouts.

Morgan Weaver leads WSU with 11 goals and 26 points, while Brianna Alger has a team-high nine assists.