SAN DIEGO – With rain coming down throughout the match, San Diego State women's soccer earned a 2-1 comeback win over UTEP on Sunday morning at the SDSU Sports Deck. After conceding early, Dori Savage scored a brace to lift the Aztecs to their second win of the weekend.
In tricky weather conditions with winds gusting to about 20 miles per hour the match got underway, and it was UTEP who was on the front foot early on. The Miners nearly pounced on the Aztecs in the opening minute of the match when a shot by Cayman Tamez was punched over the bar by Alexa Madueno to set up a corner kick. Then just 20 minutes into the match, the Miners opened the scoring when Ashlyn Neireiter put the visitors in front off a shot that nestled into the top left corner.
The goal woke up the Aztecs attack, who in total had 26 shots on Sunday, including nine that were on target, forcing the UTEP keeper into seven saves. Directly after the Miners goal, Emma Gaines-Ramos picked up the ball and cut inside but her shot was just wide of the goal, and UTEP clung to their 1-0 advantage.
Later in the half Savage had her effort blocked, before Denise Castro fired just wide in the 27th minute, but the breakthrough was coming. In the 37th minute the Aztecs earned a corner and off the ensuing corner, Castro had her shots blocked, but the ball ricocheted back to her and she then lifted the ball across the face of goal to a wide open Savage who headed home the equalizer for SDSU, tying the match at 1-1. The goal was Savage's first as an Aztec.
Just four minutes later SDSU found what would turn out to be the match winner, and it was Savage again. After some nice buildup play by the Aztecs, Alexys Ocampo found Alyza Eckhardt on a quick give and go, and Eckhardt fed the ball across the box to Savage who fired it into the back of the net to give SDSU a 2-1 advantage.
In the second half, the Aztec defense showed their experience as they limited the Miners to one shot. The centerback pairing of Grace Goins and Kiera Utush stood tall all half and mopped up any potential counters, as the Aztecs pressed forward in search of a decisive third goal.
SDSU put the Miners under pressure for the majority of the half, and fired off 14 shots but could not find the back of the net. Castro had efforts saved in the 52nd and 54th minutes, while Gaines-Ramos and Trinity Coker both had shots saved in the half as well.
With time winding down UTEP threatened one final time in the 81st minute, but the shot was saved comfortably by Madueno, and SDSU earned the 2-1 come-from-behind win.
Game Notes:
- Dori Savage scored her first and second goals as an Aztec.
- Dori Savage scored two goals in one game for the first time in her career.
- Alyza Eckhardt earned her first career assist.
- Alexys Ocampo dished out her first career assist.
- SDSU limited UTEP to a season-low 3 shots.
Up Next: The Aztecs continue their homestand with a match against Pepperdine on August 24. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT.