The UCSD’s women’s soccer team followed an impressive 3-0 win over Cal State San Bernardino on Oct. 26 with a 2-0 win in the Tritons’ finale against Cal State Los Angeles on Oct. 29. After clinching their sixth-straight California Collegiate Athletic Association South Division title in the game against the Coyotes, the Tritons used their final win to earn the No. 2 seed in the upcoming CCAA Conference Championships to begin on Nov. 4.
The Tritons came into the game against Cal State San Bernardino realizing the importance of the contest.
“It was a must-win game after our Cal State Dominguez Hills loss, which could have upset our chances at regionals but didn’t,” head coach Brian McManus said.
It was not until the 64th minute that the Tritons got on the board. Junior Alise Malley knocked in her sixth goal of the season off an assist from freshman Natasha Belak-Berger to break the deadlock.
“We switched the players in order to keep our starters relaxed and we really stepped it up,” McManus said.
Junior leading scorer Megan Dickey shoved in the second goal three minutes after Malley’s goal, again with a Belak-Berger assist.
The goal was Dickey’s 11th of the season. Only two minutes later, freshman Kelly Mayo finished off the scoring.
Mayo made a low shot past sophomore Coyote goalkeeper Leslie Rhodes with an assist from Dickey. After that point, the Tritons easily wielded off any attempts by the Coyotes to penetrate their airtight defense.
“We had a very good defense that enabled us to start attacking,” McManus said.
Freshmen goalkeepers Mia Shirley and Jessica McGovern shut down the Coyotes, who finished the season going scoreless in their last five matches.
Cal State San Bernardino was limited to only seven shots in the 90-minute contest, leaving two shots apiece for the goalies to save.
“We had no real superstars in this game, we were just really solid all around,” McManus said.
Standing in last place in the CCAA South Division, the Coyotes finished the season a disappointing 5-12-2 overall and 3-10-1 in league play.
It is the fewest wins by a Cal State San Bernardino women’s soccer team since the program was started in 1988.
The Tritons beat Cal State Los Angeles 2-0 on senior night at home on Oct. 29. The team played following the brief ceremony to honor seniors Heather Szafraniec and Kristina De La Rosa.
The 2-0 finale closed out the 2005 season in which UCSD went 15-3-0 overall and 11-3-0 in CCAA league matches.
The Tritons will face Chico State to start the playoffs on Nov. 4.
