Sept. 11, 2011
SAN DIEGO -
Long Beach State-San Diego State Final Box
The San Diego State women's soccer team and Long Beach State played to a hard-fought 1-1 draw Sunday afternoon at SDSU Sports Deck. The Aztecs, who were playing without two starters, watch their record move to 4-2-2, while the 49ers go to 4-3-1 on the season.
SDSU's Megan Jurado wasted little time getting off a shot as the forward put one on goal with the game just 15 seconds old. The attempt, however, was saved by LBSU's Kaitlyn Gustaves.
San Diego State had the next best opportunity of the contest in the 12th minute off a corner kick from the near side. Jensen Skinner sent the corner into the box where Cat Walker was waiting. The senior, who was on the far side, headed the ball, but the shot sailed high.
Long Beach State threatened to take the lead in the 27th minute when it attempted consecutive shots. Shawna Gordon enjoyed the first chance, but had her blast blocked by an Aztec defender. The rebound came out to Nicole Sweetman, who looked to find the back of the net, but her shot was blocked as well to end the high-anxiety sequence.
On the other side of the field with the Aztecs attacking, Walker found herself with a clear path to the goal and put one on net. Gustaves, however, was on the receiving end and denied the senior of scoring her sixth goal of the campaign in the 28th minute.
The 49ers had three more dangerous chances to end the period starting with Kelsey Wilson's free kick just outside the box in the 30th minute. San Diego State was hit with a yellow card and Wilson's ensuing kick finished high. Then in the 42nd minute, Gordon's attempt trickled through the box past the outstretched Rachel Boaz and was wide right. With just over two minutes remaining, Nicole Hubbard took a diagonal route to try to tie the score, but a Boaz turned her away.
In the final 11-plus minutes, San Diego State only took two shots, one by Tiffany Hurst and the other by Jurado. Hurst's attempt was wide right in the 34th minute and Jurado's ended up high in the 44th as the half ended in a scoreless tie.
In the 53rd minute, Long Beach State's Hubbard blasted her shot from deep only to hit the cross bar. The ball ricocheted straight down and the ball found Sweetman, who knocked in the game's first goal from two yards out.
Later in the 70th minute, the Aztecs earned a corner kick and the ball was played out to Kory Spotts. The San Diego native took a couple of dribbles and located Hannah Keane. The freshman attacked the ball and cashed in her second goal of the season from 10 yards out past the oncoming Gustaves to tie the score at 1-1.
Just over two minutes later, Walker lined up a shot from 22 yards out and was looking to bury her shot into the right side of the net. Gustaves, however, made a diving two-handed save to keep the game deadlocked.
Over the next nine minutes, San Diego State kept Long Beach State in check and put three shots of its own on goal. Following Walker's laser, Sophie Metz attempted a shot that was saved in the 75th minute and Keane put a header on net in the 76th, but was denied.
The Aztecs prevented the 49ers from taking a shot for 23 minutes until Camille Berg broke the drought in the 86th minute. Boaz made the stop and the game eventually moved into overtime.
In the first extra session, both teams attempted just one shot apiece. Long Beach State's Taylor Nelson took one halfway through the frame and was denied by Boaz. Later, Hurst's attempt just before the 10 minutes expired went wide left.
The final 10 minutes of the game was even more uneventful as the 49ers attempted the only shot of the stanza. Boaz made her fifth save of the game and the non-conference tilt finished in a draw.
Long Beach State held a slight advantage in shots (16-15), but San Diego State finished with a 7-6 lead in shots on goal.
The Aztecs hit the road next week as they are set to play at the UNLV Nike Invitational in Las Vegas, Nev. SDSU will face Hawai'i on Friday, Sept. 16, at 4:30 p.m. PT, before wrapping up tournament action against Seattle on Sunday, Sept. 18, at 10:30 a.m. PT. The Aztecs next home game is set for Wednesday, Sept. 21, vs. UC Santa Barbara at 4 p.m. PT.