USAF ACADEMY, COLO. – The San Diego State women’s soccer team wrapped up its road trip on Sunday with a match at Air Force. After trailing 2-0, Grace Goins got the Aztecs on the board in the first half before a Dori Savage goal with less than three minutes remaining in the match secured a 2-2 draw.
Air Force (5-5-3, 1-3-2 MW) got on the board quickly when Annika Jost booted a shot past Alexa Madueno into the bottom left corner of the goal just seconds into the tenth minute. Julia Tierney was credited with an assist. San Diego State (4-7-3, 2-2-2 MW) had a scoring opportunity seconds later, but Emma Gaines-Ramos’ shot on goal was saved by freshman keeper Jenica Opdahl, who was making her collegiate debut. The Falcons struck again late in the 23rd minute on a score by Addie Doyle.
Seven minutes later, Trinity Coker took a corner kick for the Aztecs, firing in a pass to Grace Goins, who tapped the ball across the plane to cut the SDSU deficit to one. In the waning minutes of the first half, Air Force made a push, forcing a pair of Madueno saves.
Early in the second half, Savage put a shot on frame, but Opdahl made the save to keep the Falcons in front. Coker had the same result when she had a shot on goal in the 66th minute, as did Logan Nidy five minutes later. Madueno returned the favor with a save of her own later in the 71st minute on a shot by Kendall Rippley towards the top of the net. Opdahl made yet another save on a Carlin Blake shot in the 73rd minute. Seconds later, Air Force’s Hailey Ramos was assessed a yellow card for unsporting conduct. Madueno made one more save on another shot by Rippley in the 76th minute.
After Air Force had what appeared to be an insurance goal taken off the board due to offsides, SDSU was able to keep the ball deep in Falcon territory for most of the last few minutes of the match. It finally paid off for the Aztecs when they got a free kick following an Air Force handball in the 88th minute. On the free kick, SDSU passed the ball into the box, where it ricocheted off the head of Charlie Gerson and up into the air. Savage leaped and headed the ball into the back of the net to tie the score late. The match finished with the 2-2 score and the Aztecs continued their streak of not losing to the Falcons since 2001, a 22-match unbeaten streak.
San Diego State put up more shots (21-19), shots on goal (7-6) and corner kicks (6-4) while Air Force tallied more saves (5-4).
Madueno totaled four saves to increase her program record career tally to 380. She will look to break the tie with Aubree Southwick atop the school career shutouts record (26) next week.
After coming into the season without any goals in her career, Goins’ goal today was her second of the year. She also scored in the 1-1 draw against Weber State.
At the other end of the spectrum, Savage finished second on the team in goals last season with six, but her score today was her first goal and first points of the season.
San Diego State returns to America’s Finest City this week to play San Jose State at 7 p.m. on Thursday and Fresno State at noon on Sunday. Both matches are free to attend, and Sunday’s match will be broadcast on the Mountain West Network.