Most of Arizona’s wins have been blowouts, but the Wildcats finished their pre-conference slate the same way they started it—with a 1-0 victory. This time it was New Mexico State that was the victim.

The Wildcats finally took the field at home in Mulcahy Soccer Stadium after three road games. Thursday night’s contest was their only match this week. It was also their lone homestand in a seven-game stretch that has them return to the road for three conference games starting Thursday, Sept. 12.

Arizona took the lead in the 19th minute when senior Nyota Katembo knocked a shot into the air. It didn’t go into the net, but it found fellow senior Marley Chappel just in front of the net. Chappel put it in to score her first goal of the season and just the second in her career. She last scored during her freshman year against Texas Tech.

“Honestly, I was definitely more there for just reassurance purposes,” Chappel said. “I think (Katembo) did a lot of the hard work, but I think collectively, it was a good goal between the three forwards up top. I think we figured out some good movements, and I was there for her second ball, and it worked out. But that’s what happens in soccer.”

That work between the players—forwards, midfielders, and defenders—is leading to more success this season. Last year, Arizona had a total of four assists through its first seven matches. It has a whopping 13 this year. Chappel has accounted for two of them and Katembo had her first against the Aggies.

Working together has led to more scoring, in general. Chappel’s goal gave the Wildcats 16 this season. They had 12 through seven games last year.

“I think playing with everybody’s strength and knowing our teammate’s strength and weakness just helps us be better in the final third,” Katembo said. “Which balls are better for certain people, if you want it in the space or at your feet, I think we can recognize that way easier.”

The Wildcats did not have as much offensive success in the second half.

“I think our first half was strong, and I think our second half, they made some good adjustments,” Moros said. “It was tight to play through. They were jumping on all the through balls that we were trying to slip into kind of our intermediate line between their midfield and their back line, and they were picking those balls off. So we had an opportunity to adjust there where I think we can get better from that when we look at it on film, and I think we’re well prepared going into conference.”

Despite the diminished offensive success in the latter half, the Wildcats still outperformed their opponent. They had 13 shots to five for the Aggies. Six of Arizona’s shots were on goal while NMSU had three on goal.

UA also had more corner kicks than its opponent for the first time since Aug. 22 against NAU. The difference was just one (6 to 5), but it was positive for a team that has given up 37 corners this year while only taking 28.

The defense kept up its end of the bargain to keep a clean sheet after the offense put the team in front.

“We’re still young in the backline, but I think they’re doing a really good job just maintaining and just managing the game whenever we’re up 1-0,” Katembo said.

Two of those young defenders who helped maintain the lead were Zoe Mendiola and Kennedy Fletcher. Both were making their second straight starts. Unlike Mendiola, Fletcher didn’t play the entire game, but she was in there at crunch time.

“Kennedy’s confidence and ability to communicate, especially as a freshman, she’s not intimidated by anything,” Moros said. “She knows the game well, and she’s willing to share information. Very proactive. She plays center back, so she has those good organizational skills. She understands the backline shape really well, so she can help out and compact space at critical moments, force play in the right directions, so that even if the other team gets opportunities they are not as good opportunities as they could be. And she’s very confident on the ball, so she can play out of the back really well. Good in the air, just an all-around, really quality player. Has really good maturity for a very young player.”

Fletcher and Mendiola have broken through. They are not only getting playing time but starting now. Other freshmen are getting considerable time on the field even if they aren’t part of the starting 11. With only one game this week, Moros thinks it’s a good time for those who haven’t broken through to show what they can do as the team gets additional time for training.

“Oh, thank God, we have training,” Moros said. “Pretty much just last week, we’re like, well, we’ve got six training sessions this season that aren’t a match day minus one or a match day plus. So a match day minus one is a taper day. You’re getting ready for a game. Match day plus one, you’re recovering from the day before. Those aren’t real training days. And with the Thursday, Sunday, Thursday, Sunday, Thursday, Sunday, you don’t train. So this weekend is the first time we get to train, basically since preseason. So the team is looking forward to it. We’re looking forward to it. The players who haven’t cracked into the lineup, they’re dying for that opportunity, as well.”

Lead photo by Marison Bilagody / Arizona Athletics

Speaking to voters in Arizona, where the McCains are a household name, Vance acknowledged Trump’s turbulent relationship with McCain, a centrist Republican who died of brain cancer in 2018. But he claimed the two “didn’t let their personal grievances get in the way of serving the country.”

“I do not believe for a second that if John McCain were alive today, and he sees what’s going on at the American southern border, that he would support Kamala Harris and all the destruction that she’s brought,” Vance said in Phoenix on Thursday.

“I really don’t believe that,” he added.

Jimmy McCain, the youngest son of the late Arizona senator, told CNN that he decided to join the Democratic Party and endorse Harris over an incident at Arlington National Cemetery last month in which a Trump campaign official got into an altercation with cemetery staff.

But the bad blood extends back much further. In 2015, Trump famously doubted that John McCain, a naval officer in the Vietnam War, was a hero since he was captured behind enemy lines.

Their relationship soured again in 2017 when John McCain cast the deciding Republican vote against the “skinny” repeal of Obamacare in the Senate.

The McCain family name still has currency in Arizona, particularly with a segment of independent voters who identified with the senator’s “maverick” streak. Republican Kari Lake antagonized those voters, bragging that she “drove a stake through the heart of the McCain machine,” before losing her run for Arizona governor in 2022.

But Vance dismissed Jimmy McCain’s endorsement as a distraction from the policy differences separating Trump and Harris. He and Trump are betting immigration will drive the outcome in a border state where Harris lags narrowly in public polling.

“I mean, look, who cares what somebody’s family thinks about a presidential race? I care about what these people care about the presidential race,” Vance said of the audience before pivoting to Harris’s running mate, Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), whose brother and distant relatives made known their support for Trump this week.

“I don’t know if anybody noticed, but pretty much every single member of Tim Walz’s family came out and endorsed Donald Trump,” Vance said. “Is that a bigger story than what John McCain’s son said? I think so.”

Walz’s brother, who made the comment on Facebook, has since said he does not want to be involved in the presidential race.

Trump has other critics in the McCain family. Meghan McCain, the daughter of John McCain and a onetime co-host on The View, called herself a “proud member of the Republican Party” but said on Tuesday that she would not vote for Trump or Harris in November.

 She has previously called Trump a “piece of s***” for disrespecting her father.

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Vance visited Phoenix as part of a larger swing through Arizona. One day earlier, he campaigned with Lake, who is now the Republican nominee for Senate, at a church in Mesa.

Lake has since softened her stance on John McCain and attempted, unsuccessfully, to mend fences with his family.

The talk of the Arizona Wildcats offense is often about Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillan. It’s tough to argue against that, too, as Arizona’s star duo might be the best in the country.

However, they find the type of success they do because of the guys up front. Among those players is Jonah Savaiinaea, one of the top linemen in the nation.

Savaiinaea is as good as they get and will be needed just as much as any other player on the roster in Big 12 play. Protecting Fifita and opening up the run game for this offense will be essential in games against conference opponents.

All signs point to Savaiinaea being a first-round draft pick. He could fall to the second round, but most mock drafts currently have him selected in the mid-to-late first round.

Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department released their latest 2025 NFL mock draft, in which Savaiinaea was selected by the Miami Dolphins at No. 21 overall.

The Dolphins’ offensive line has been derailed by injuries over the past few years, meaning there’s a clear need for a player like Savaiinaea.

Brandon Thorn of BR wrote about the potential fit.

“The Dolphins have been and likely will continue to be able to make their offense click despite shaky offensive line play due to their potent scheme and playmakers. Sooner or later, they’ll need to address the unit. Guard will need to be more of a priority. Arizona’s Jonah Savaiinaea is one of the more talented blockers in this class in terms of size (6’5″, 336 lbs), power and quickness, signaling a rising prospect as the season plays out who could help fill a significant hole for the Dolphins.”

Making an impact as a rookie is as tough as ever in the NFL, but the St. Louis high school product would have a good opportunity to do just that.

Savaiinaea has earned multiple honors in his career, making the All-Pac 12 team in 2023. He was also named a Freshman All-American, PFF All First-Team True Freshman, and more during his collegiate tenure.

Arizona’s coaching staff has praised his work ethic, and it’s clearly paid off.

He’ll have plenty of time to prove to evaluators that he should be a first-round pick. Playing well in the Big 12 and Pac-12 would be an excellent sign for NFL scouts.

For now, he’ll focus on bringing Arizona to the promise land.