SAN DIEGO – San Diego State women's soccer tied 2-2 with Saint Mary's on Friday afternoon on the SDSU Sports Deck. The draw was the Aztecs third consecutive draw this season.
Saint Mary's (3-1-2) started off on the front foot compared to the Aztecs (2-1-4). In the opening 30 minutes it was the Gaels who totaled seven shots, and forced Alexa Madueno in the Aztecs net to make two early stops. San Diego State would grow into the game in the final fifteen minutes of the first half. Rachelle Elve found her way in on goal but her shot was just wide in the 33rd minute. However, it was Denise Castro who opened the scoring for the Aztecs in the 44th minute. Castro was played in on goal by Emma Gaines-Ramos who picked a pass from midfield forward, allowing Castro to run onto it. Castro then rounded the keeper and slotted her shot into the net, giving the Aztecs a 1-0 lead heading into the halftime break. The goal was Castro's fifth of the season.
The Aztecs continued to put the pressure on the Gaels from the onset of the second half. 44 seconds in to the second half, the Aztecs drew a penalty. Castro was dragged down in the box by the Saint Mary's keeper. Gaines-Ramos then stood up to take the penalty. She calmly strode up to the ball and then sent it into the bottom right corner of the net to double the Aztecs advantage, 2-0.
Saint Mary's would then fight their way back into the match. After Elve committed a foul just outside her box, Isabella Santavicca brought the Gaels within one with a free kick goal in the 55th minute. The Gaels would then equalize in the 78th minute off a corner kick. After the corner bounced around in the box, Laura Sanz got on the end of the loose ball and tied the match at 2-2.
Up Next: The Aztecs travel north along the five freeway to take on UCLA on Thursday at 7 p.m. PT.
The Stat: After drawing with Saint Mary's on Friday afternoon the Aztecs have had three draws in a row for the first time in the team's history.
The Stat II: Denis Castro scored her fifth goal of the season on Friday afternoon, which puts her in a tie for 13th in the country in goals scored.
-SDSU-
Aztecs Draw with Saint Mary's 2-2
