Soccer
wins crucial game at Fullerton
Amber
Oliviera
Abie
Curry
By
Daniel Frias
Daily Forty-Niner
With
the Big West Conference women's college
soccer season winding down to its final
games, every game is a must win for teams
trying to get into the Big West Tournament.
Long Beach State (9-8, 5-3) is one of those
teams vying for one of the four spots in
the tournament.
That
is why Friday's 2-1 victory over Cal State
Fullerton (8-8-2, 2-5-1), a team it beat
last year when Abie Curry scored the game
winning goal with time running out to give
the 49ers their first win over a nationally
ranked opponent--the Titans were ranked
25th last season, was so important.
"This was huge," said 49er head
coach Peter Reynaud. "Not only did
we get the win, but it keeps us in the race."
Prior
to the game the 49ers shared a fourth place
tie with UC Irvine in the Big West. The
win put the 49ers in second with 15 points
behind first place Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
who has 17 points.
The
Beach didn't wait until the game was almost
over to light up the scoreboard this time.
Just five minutes into the contest Curry
put her team up 1-0 when she used her speed
to take the ball away from Titans' defender
Marlene Sandoval in the penalty box and
put in past the Titans' goalkeeper.
"It
was a difficult game," said Sandoval,
a member of the Mexican women's national
team. "We were trying hard not to lose
because last year we lost to them in the
last 20 seconds. We were playing our hearts
out. It just wasn't going our way."
A
few minutes later Curry had a chance to
double up the score for The Beach, but her
shot went over the top crossbar after receiving
a nice pass on the right side from teammate
Kristin Travis. Rain began to fall
off and on throughout the first half which
caused the tempo of the game to slow down
at times.
Despite
the rain showers Fullerton managed to move
the ball well and got passed the 49ers'
defense several times. Fullerton had its
first opportunity to tie the game in the
21st minute of play when the Titans took
the ball away from 49er defender Lauren
Doffing and headed towards the 49er goal
before 49er goalkeeper Tara Gotthardt came
out for one of her career high seven saves.
Gotthardt wasn't so lucky the next time
around when a shot from Sandoval slipped
out of her hands and was put in by the Titans'
Lauryn Welch for the tie.
"I
hate playing in the rain," said Gotthardt.
"The ball slips and it makes it difficult.
I took the wrong approach on the play. The
ball was slippery and I didn't expect the
girl to go behind me."
In
the second half both teams were taking shots
at each others nets and just when it looked
the game was at a stand still The Beach
came up with a magnificent goal from freshman
Amber Oliveira with 16 minutes left on the
clock.
Oliveira
received a perfect pass from Travis just
outside the penalty box. As soon as Oliveira
brought the ball down with her right foot,
she turned around and her volley shot hit
the right post and went in behind a diving
Fullerton goalie for what turned out to
be the game winner.
"I
was shocked," said Oliviera. "I
didn't know what to do. It was my first
college goal. It was exciting to make the
game winner,"
With
less than a minute to play the Titans took
several shots once they got inside the 49ers'
penalty box, but its shots were saved by
the 49ers defense including one that was
about to cross the goal line until freshman
midfielder Erin Empting cleared it out to
preserve the 49er win.
"I
can't compliment the girls enough,"
said Reynuad. "They played as hard
as they could from beginning to end."
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