Box Score The Chico State women’s soccer team posted another shutout on a night in which the Wildcats’ offense was good enough to have won a shootout if called upon. Scotie Walker notched her first collegiate brace and Halima Abdelshife accounted for the other goal as the 4th-ranked Wildcats walloped visiting Dominican 3-0 Monday night at University Soccer Stadium.
Walker scored in the 23rd minute and Abdelshife in the 48th before Walker put the match out of reach with her second goal in the 62nd minute as Chico State improved to 2-0 on the season. The Wildcats also stretched their unbeaten streak to seven matches dating back to last season’s NCAA Championship Tournament. Dominican fell to 0-2 with the loss.
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Chico State’s shutout was its fifth in the past six matches. Sophomore goalkeeper Brianna Furner was forced to make just one save and faced only five shots all night (three of which came in the match’s final 20 minutes after the Wildcats had already taken a 3-0 lead). Furner now boasts 15 wins and 12 shutouts – both 7th in Chico State history – in just 27 career starts in goal. Her career goals-against average of 0.74 is the second best in school history.
But Monday was about the Wildcats’ offense, which cracked 20 shots, including seven on goal and two off the crossbar. Carly Singer hit the crossbar from 25 yards in the first half and Shelby Dunlap’s header hit the crossbar in the second half.
The Wildcats took advantage of Dominican’s physical play, capitalizing on free kick opportunities for their first two tallies. In the first
instance a cleared free kick landed at the feet of defender Kelly Skelton, who knocked it right back into the box. Walker was the quickest to it and chipped it up and over the charging goalkeeper from 10 yards to give Chico State a 1-0 lead.
Jennie Barto was fouled at the top of the box and drew a whistle to set up the second goal. Singer drove it toward the far post where Abdelshife took a touch to control it before sending it home from point-blank range for her second career goal.
Less than 15 minutes later Walker added a goal that defied logic. The speedy striker gained possession near the top of Chico State’s box and looked to counter. But as she dribbled down the middle of the field picking up speed, no defender stepped in to intervene. So Walker turned on the jets in an effort to go coast-to-coast if allowed. She got near the top of the box before a Dominican defender peeled off to attempt to stop her. But Walker was too fast to get an angle on, and once the goalkeeper committed, Walker beat her with a shot into the corner at the far post.
The Wildcats will be back in action Friday and Sunday when they host Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills, respectively, to open California Collegiate Athletic Association play.
