Fully showcasing its offensive and defensive talents, the No. 11 UCSD women’s soccer team erupted with four second-half goals en route to a 5-0 shutout of Cal State San Bernardino on Oct. 5 at Triton Soccer Stadium.
“The first half of the game tested our patience, but we had a tight offense that played really well,” head coach Brian McManus said.
Junior Kelly Cochran scored the lone first-half goal for the Tritons (10-1-0 overall, 6-1-0 California Collegiate Athletic Association) off a pass from freshman Natasha Belak-Berger. Cochran beat out the Coyotes’ keeper for the 1-0 lead with just under four minutes remaining in the first half. The goal was Cochran’s seventh of the season.
After intermission, the Tritons got back on the board quickly when sophomore Ali Lai scored from only two yards out for her fifth goal of the season.
She was set up by senior Heather Szafraniec, who sent a pass up the left side to Cochran, who dribbled up the sideline and cut in before setting up Lai for the tally at the 46 minute, 47 second mark.
The next two goals for the Tritons came on penalty kicks, the first being the illegal takedown of freshman Kelly Mayo at the 79:13 mark. Belak-Berger netted the penalty shot for a 3-0 Triton advantage. Just over four minutes later, freshman Amanda Borenstein was tackled hard inside the penalty area and calmly made the ensuing penalty shot. The goals were Belak-Berger’s fifth and Borenstein’s first of the season, respectively.
At the 84:43 mark, freshman Amanda Esquivel netted her first goal of the season, taking a feed from sophomore Lauren Segars and beating the keeper on the low side from 10 yards out.
The 5-0 win for the Tritons was their sixth straight, the last five of which have come by way of shutouts.
UCSD freshman goalkeeper Mia Shirley lowered her goals-against average to a miniscule 0.57, while notching her fourth-career shutout.
The team outshot the Coyotes by a 21-6 margin, including a 15-4 advantage in the second half.
“We did tremendously well on defense, and we killed CSUSB off with our offense by the second half,” McManus said.
The Coyotes were stifled by the UCSD defense, as they were limited to just six shots, only three of which Shirley had to save.
The Tritons beat Cal State Monterey Bay 6-0 on Oct. 9 for their sixth straight shutout. Details were unavailable at press time.
Next, UCSD will head out on a three-match road trip beginning Oct. 12 at Cal State Bakersfield.
