Cougars break 49ers' streak

By Hilary Strickland, On-Line Forty-Niner

Wednesday, September 9, 1998

The Long Beach State women's soccer team was unable to fend off the Azusa Pacific Cougars in its second home game Tuesday.

The 49ers were able to hold the Cougars scoreless for the first half.

The Cougars scored the only goal of the game during the second half of the game.

The disappointment over the loss to APU was apparent.

"We didn't play how we've played the last few games," goalkeeper Michaeli Ramage said. "Azusa Pacific came out ready to play today and they deserve the win."

The 49ers took 19 shots on the goal, but were unable to get anything past Cougar goalkeeper Rachel Yanos.

The best scoring opportunity for the 49ers came on corner kick situations, but the necessary contact on headers for the score was not there.

The Cougars' opportunity to score came when forward Melissa Myers found midfielder Rachel Messick open on the right side of the penalty box. With Myers' assist, Messick was able to put the ball in.

"Melissa just laid it right to me, I really didn't have to do anything," Messick said. "It was just right there, she had a nice assist."

Forty-Niner head coach Julie Cochran attributed Tuesday's loss to immaturity on the part of her very young team.

"[They] need to learn that we need to mentally prepare for every game, and every game is just as important as the next," Cochran said. "This is a classic case of immaturity."

The fact that APU women's soccer team is not a Division I team may add insult to injury.

"Losing to a school that's not Division I, not Division II, not Division III is a huge loss," Cochran said. "It makes no sense."

The women's soccer team will return to action Thursday night when it travels to San Jose State for a 7:00 p.m. game.

The 49ers will host Cal State Bakersfield at George Allen Field Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.