USC freezes Long Beach State hockey
By Marten Lewerth
Special to the Daiy Forty-Niner
The Long Beach State club hockey team hit
a wall Saturday, losing 12-1 to USC at the Westminster Ice Palace.
Despite an evenly played first period,
the 49ers proved to be no match for the Trojans' strong goaltending, disciplined
execution, stifling defense and offensive firepower.
Coming into the game with a record of 12-4,
USC exhibited all of these characteristics in the win.
"They are a good, solid team," 49er center
Joseph Rizzo said of the Trojans.
"I think we played them strong, but they
buried their opportunities and that's what it comes down to."
In the first period, the 49ers used their
physical presence and opportunistic offense effectively.
After an early Trojan goal, 49er defenseman
Jesse Dahl scored to tie the game.
A late goal for USC made it 2-1, but the
49ers ended the period buzzing around the Trojans' goal.
The tight play by the 49ers displayed in
the first period vanished as USC scored two quick goals in the early minutes
of the second period.
LBSU's Scott Yeske said, "We came out of
the locker room thinking we were still fired up.
We got caught on our heels with those two
goals and got down on ourselves."
A chance came for the 49ers to close the
gap when Yeske was awarded a penalty shot midway through the period.
The rarest and most exciting play in hockey,
penalty shots occur when a player is taken down from behind while attacking
the opponents' zone.
The player then gets to rush in from center
ice and shoot on the opposing goaltender without any interference.
Yeske's opportunity failed, as he was unable
to beat the Trojans' goalie.
The remainder of the second period was
dominated by USC.
The Trojans scored two more goals for a
6-1 edge, while the 49ers scrambled.
In the third period, the Trojans continued
to pressure the 49ers offensively and physically.
Before the final buzzer ended the game,
USC notched six more goals for a 12-1 win.
LBSU Christopher Baumaker was ejected
from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct.
"We were just trying to keep our heads
above water," Rizzo said later of the third period.
With a record of 4-4, the 49ers hit the
road this weekend for games at USC and Cal State Fullerton. |
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