Oct. 31, 2008
SAN DIEGO -
The San Diego State women's soccer team surrendered two second half goals in a 2-1 loss to TCU Friday afternoon. With the loss, the Aztecs fell to 6-9-3 and 2-4-1 in Mountain West Conference action, while the Horned Frogs improved to 13-3-2 and 4-2-1.
SDSU will now await a bid to the six-team MWC tournament. As of Friday night, San Diego State sits in sixth place with seven points. Wyoming, which has six points, can only leap ahead of the Aztecs with a victory at home against regular season champion Brigham Young tomorrow (Saturday). SDSU owns the tiebreaker between the two schools after shutting out the Cowgirls, 4-0, two weekends ago.
Junior Heather Vandevanter (Alamo, Calif.) scored for San Diego State off an assist from sophomore Cat Walker (Folsom, Calif.). Nikki Wilbur and Lizzy Karoly each scored for TCU.
SDSU had the best chance early when junior Jessica Gordon (Tujunga, Calif.) broke through on the left side, cut back to her right and lofted a shot into the top right corner that was saved by the Horned Frog goalkeeper Kelsey Walters.
Four minutes later at the 21:51 mark, senior Alicia Piz (Morrison, Colo.) made her presence known when she gathered a ball around the 10-yard mark and blasted a shot that was saved once again by Walters.
San Diego State's pressure finally paid off at the 26:45 mark. Walker sent in a corner kick to the six-yard line where Vandevanter one-touched it into the right corner for her fourth goal of the season.
Gordon had another good scoring chance late in the first half when she came down the left side, but her shot from a tough angle was stopped by Walters.
SDSU went into the halftime intermission with a 9-8 advantage in shots, including a decisive 6-1 lead in shots on goal. San Diego State also owned a 6-2 corner kick advantage.
It was TCU, however, which took over the momentum in the second half with a pair of goals five minutes apart. The first goal was set up on Katie Taylor's free kick at the 59:38 mark. The kick hit a crossbar and bounced around in front of the net before Wilbur pounced on it and knocked it in.
Then, in the 65th minute, Karoly grabbed her rebound and shot it 16 yards just over senior goalkeeper Christi Yount's (Mission Viejo, Calif.) head off the crossbar and into the back of the net for the game-winner.
The two chances were all the Horned Frogs would have, as the Aztecs controlled possession the rest of the way.
In the 77th minute, Walker had a good opportunity after taking a cross just inside the 18-yard box. However, her attempt sailed high over the crossbar.
At the 77:23 mark, freshman Taylor Canatsey (Garden Grove, Calif.), who had just entered the game, streaked through on the right side and ripped a shot that was saved by Walters.
Walker had her best chance of the game in the 80th minute when she found herself free from the TCU defense and in a 1-v-1 situation with Walters. Walters was once again able to come up big with another huge save.
For the game, SDSU outshot the Horned Frogs, 18-14, including a 9-4 lead in shots on net. The Aztecs also had a season-high 12 corner kicks to TCU's four.
Vandevanter and Gordon each had five shots to pace the Aztec offense, while Walker chipped in with three attempts.
Yount made two saves for San Diego State. On the other side, Walters was counted on to make eight stops.
The game was the final home match for five Aztec seniors, including Tiphanie Elliott (Porterville, Calif.), Piz, Jillian Riker (Carlsbad, Calif.), Leann Sgobba (Los Olivos, Calif.) and Yount.
If SDSU does make the MWC tournament, it will earn the six seed and will play the same Horned Frogs (No. 3 seed) Wednesday, Nov. 5, at noon in Las Vegas.