CARSON, Calif. – Abby Stretch and Alison Sward each headed home a goal as the Chico State women's soccer team advanced to the CCAA Championship Tournament final with a 2-0 victory over tournament host Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson Friday afternoon.
The Wildcats will face Friday's other semifinal winner, Cal State L.A., which was a 2-1 upset winner over UC San Diego, in the tournament championship on Sunday at 11:30. The winner of that match will earn the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Championship Tournament. The Wildcats likely cemented their berth already with Friday's victory, however.
The Wildcats got on the board first in the 16th minute when Ashley Gunther cracked a free kick from 25 yards out and Stretch headed it far post for a 1-0 lead. It was Stretch's third goal of the season and Gunther's fourth assist.
The Wildcats, who moved to 13-5-1 by beating the Toros in Carson for the second time in less than two weeks, nearly made it 2-0 in the 22nd minute, but Melissa Lindsay was called for running into Cal State Dominguez Hills goalkeeper Alyssa Congdon, nullifying the would-be two-goal lead.
After the break, Chico State’s defense took center stage against an urgent Toros offense, continually intercepting and breaking up CSUDH advances.
CSUC turned its stellar defensive play into a converted opportunity in the 74th minute as Sward headed a Whitney MacDonald feed from about 8 yards towards the Toro net. Congdon, who had attempted to intercept MacDonald’s free kick, was a step too late, allowing Sward’s shot to bounce into the empty net for a 2-0 lead. The goal was the third of the season for Sward, and the third assist of the season for MacDonald.
Chico State goalkeeper Kari Gonzales, who many believe was snubbed in the All-CCAA balloting that took place earlier in the week, collected four saves for her eighth shutout of the season and the 30th of her career.
Cal State Dominguez Hills outshot Chico State 14-13 on the afternoon, but the Wildcats blasted eight shots on goal, compared for the Toros' four.
Soccer Box Score (Final)
2007 CCAA Soccer Tournament
Chico State vs CS Domginuez Hills (Nov 2, 2007 at Carson, CA)
Chico State (13-5-1) vs. Goals by period 1 2 Tot
CS Domginuez Hills (13-4-4) -------------------------------
Date: Nov 2, 2007 Attendance: 157 Chico State......... 1 1 - 2
Weather: CS Domginuez Hills.. 0 0 - 0
Chico State CS Domginuez Hills
Pos # Player Sh SOG G A Pos # Player Sh SOG G A
------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
GK 25 GONZALES,Kari....... - - - - GK 23 CONGDON, Alyssa..... - - - -
MF 3 GUNTHER,Ashley...... 4 1 - 1 D 2 LLOYD, Sandra....... - - - -
F 5 QUAN,Courtney....... 1 1 - - MF 3 LIVERGOOD, Amy...... 1 - - -
MF 7 STERRY,Tracee....... 1 - - - F 9 HIROKAWA, Corrie.... 2 - - -
D 8 DOWNTAIN,Molly...... - - - - MF 12 ROJAS, Krista....... - - - -
D 10 GOULDING,Anjie...... 1 1 - - MF 13 LIVERGOOD, Melissa.. - - - -
F 12 LINDSAY,Melissa..... - - - - D 14 McKAY, Cassie....... - - - -
MF 13 BAGWELL,Katherine... 1 1 - - F 17 MATOSIAN, Kelly..... 1 - - -
MF 14 McINTOSH,Katie...... - - - - D 19 WALDO, Fawna........ - - - -
MF 15 MacDONALD,Whitney... - - - 1 F 21 VASQUEZ, Yvonne..... 4 2 - -
F 17 STRETCH,Abby........ 3 2 1 - F 22 HAYNES, Renee....... 1 - - -
---------- Substitutes ---------- ---------- Substitutes ----------
2 PERLMAN,Ashley...... - - - - 4 CHAVEZ, Jackie...... 2 1 - -
4 IKEMOTO,Kelsey...... - - - - 5 BOSKOVICH, Kristen.. 2 1 - -
11 GREK,Emese.......... 1 1 - - 6 BOYLE, Kristan...... - - - -
16 INSLER,Stephanie.... - - - - 10 STEWART, Ashley..... - - - -
18 SWARD,Alison........ 1 1 1 - 15 MORENO, Natalie..... 1 - - -
Totals.............. 13 8 2 2 Totals.............. 14 4 0 0
Chico State CS Domginuez Hills
# Player MIN GA Saves # Player MIN GA Saves
--------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------
25 GONZALES,Kari....... 90:00 0 4 23 CONGDON, Alyssa..... 90:00 2 6
Shots by period 1 2 Tot Saves by period 1 2 Tot
------------------------------- -------------------------------
Chico State......... 5 8 - 13 Chico State......... 1 3 - 4
CS Domginuez Hills.. 6 8 - 14 CS Domginuez Hills.. 2 4 - 6
Corner kicks 1 2 Tot Fouls 1 2 Tot
------------------------------- -------------------------------
Chico State......... 1 0 - 1 Chico State......... 6 6 - 12
CS Domginuez Hills.. 2 1 - 3 CS Domginuez Hills.. 7 5 - 12
SCORING SUMMARY:
GOAL Time Team Goal Scorer Assists Description
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. 15:46 CSUCW STRETCH,Abby (3) GUNTHER,Ashley header to far post off cross
2. 74:02 CSUCW SWARD,Alison (3) MacDONALD,Whitney long header to far post
CAUTIONS AND EJECTIONS:
YC-CSUCW #12 (22:45); YC-CSUDHW #21 (25:20); YC-CSUDHW #13 (85:48)
Officials: Timekeeper: Dennise Lien; Scorer: Brendan Dally;
Offsides: Chico State 3, CS Domginuez Hills 2.
Chico State will face Cal State L.A. in finals
