The UCSD Women’s Soccer team went into weekend competition ranked No. 5 in the nation. But after a draw with CSU Dominguez Hills last Friday, Sept. 28, and a 1-0 overtime loss to CSU San Bernardino on Sunday, Sept. 30, UCSD will be lucky to remain in the top 20.
On Sunday, tied 0-0 with one minute left to play in the first overtime period, the Tritons gave up a free kick 25 yards from their own goal. CSU San Bernardino’s Michelle Bagheri sent a well-struck ball into the penalty area. Coyote forward Urbano Carmona — man-marked by Triton defender Britnee Chesney for the entire match — found breathing room in the box, and was able to redirect it past freshman keeper Kelcie Brodsky.
The golden goal marked the end of the Tritons’ unbeaten streak.
“We needed a wakeup call, and this was a big time wakeup call,” UCSD Head Coach Brian McManus said. “We’ve got a whole eight games to go, a new season to play for and we just have to hope now that we make the CCAAs.” McManus may be blowing up his team’s homestand skid, but it’s definitely a change from last season. In 2011, UCSD went 12 straight games without a loss.
On Friday, the Tritons settled for a 1-1 tie against CSU Dominguez Hills. UCSD’s only goal came from senior forward Gabi Hernandez, who was able to poke the ball past the Toro keeper to give the Tritons a short-lived lead. Dominguez equalized just eight minutes later off a well-placed shot past Brodsky.
“We are very fortunate to come away with the tie,” McManus said to the UCSD Athletics Department. “We weren’t working hard enough. We would not win the tackles, and we just didn’t believe in ourselves when we got the ball.” Consecutive low-scoring campaigns for the Tritons may expose some holes in this year’s roster. The Tritons certainly miss the outright speed and athleticism of graduated forward Sarah McTigue, who ended her playing career at UCSD with 28 goals and 14 assists.
Now serving the Tritons as an assistant coach, McTigue says the Tritons need to regain their confidence in the front line.
“I don’t think we have anything to worry about,” McTigue said. “I think we just need to get our confidence back in our attack, and the goals will come.”
The Tritons head up North for a two-game road trip, starting with a match against Humboldt State, this Friday Oct. 5 followed by a game against San Francisco State on Oct. 7.
