Home schedule ends with defeat
By Eric Boyum
Daily Forty-Niner
When the roar from the planes flying over
campus is more common than the roar from the home crowd, it usually means
the 49ers didn't play good.
This was the case Tuesday afternoon when
the Long Beach State women's soccer team allowed three goals in the second
half and finished the home-season schedule with a disappointing 4-1 loss
to Pepperdine at George Allen Field.
"It's the same old story, we sucked in
the second half," an agitated LBSU Head Coach Julie Cochran said.
The 49ers again played decent in the first
half and were deadlocked with the Waves, 1-1.
The lone 49er goal came when freshman forward
Nicole Palo scored unassisted just before the half to tie the game.
After the intermission things unraveled
quickly for the 49ers. This continued a cycle in which the opposition has
outscored LBSU 26-6 in the second half of games this season.
A lack-luster defensive effort by the entire
team resulted in 22 total-game shots on 49er goaltender Jihan Elgazzar.
Although four goals were scored on Elgazzar,
teammate Jennifer Reott said it could have been worse.
"We have been outscored so heavily in the
second half this year it's unbelievable," Reott said. "It could have easily
been 8-1 today."
After Pepperdine took a 3-1 lead
on Cara Calescibetta's second goal of the game, the Waves continued to
direct shots towards the 49er net, but missed on several attempts that
sailed over the crossbar.
After a Pepperdine goal was waived off
by an offsides call and they attacked the 49ers in waves again, several
49er players began bickering at one another on the field.
"Its pretty embarassing," Cochran said.
"I don't have a clue as to what is going on."
Cochran said the bickering was uncharacteristic
of her team and she was hesitant to use the excuses of having a young team
as to why her team continues to play so poorly in the second half of games.
"I thought by the end of the season we
would be physically fit enough to last 90 minutes and strong enough mentally,
but apparently that is not the case," Cochran said.
The loss gives LBSU a 6-12 overall record
for the season and 4-5 in Big West Conference play.
The 49ers will play their final two games
of the season on the road in Utah. Thursday, the 49ers will take on No.
23 ranked Brigham Young University. The season will conclude Saturday when
they face Utah.
Shreya Bhakta contributed to this story. |
![[Sports]](http://www.csulb.edu/~d49er/Icon/sports.gif){kind=icon}
![[opinion]](http://www.csulb.edu/~d49er/Icon/opinion.gif){kind=icon}
![[news]](http://www.csulb.edu/~d49er/Icon/news.gif){kind=icon}