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By KRISTEN KELLERUCSB SPORTS WRITER
UCSB Women’s Soccer (0-4-2) was on the hunt for its first win today as it welcomed the Spartans of San Jose State University to Harder Stadium. After 90 minutes of play on this hot September day, the Gauchos finished on par with the Spartans as they concluded the game with their second tie of the season as each team scored two goals.
At the start of the game, the Gauchos came out on fire. They took control of possession right from the start, keeping the ball in their offensive half of the field for the first 15 minutes. This helped sophomore Meg Burling tally the team’s first goal of the match, putting the Gauchos up 1-0 in the 17th minute.
The rest of the first half remained scoreless, but the Gauchos put on the pressure. UCSB registered nine shots in the first half compared to its opponents’ four. This kept the Gauchos in the lead with a score of 1-0.
Once the second half began, UCSB still had control. Their dominance showed when they scored their second goal of the match, this time a header from sophomore Alyssa O’Brien from Brenna Madruga on a corner kick. This gave the good guys a 2-0 lead in the 63rd minute.
However, momentum changed quickly as it favored the opponents. San Jose State scored its first goal in the 66th minute and another goal 10 minutes later, tying the score at 2-2.
From there, neither team was able to push ahead of the other, resulting in a 2-2 draw between the Spartans and the Gauchos.
LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS
– The game’s two goals were the most scored by the Gauchos in a single game this season. Following the opening goal, Burling now leads the team with two on the season.
– O’Brien’s goal in today’s game may be the first of the season, but she’s no stranger to finding the back of the net as a defender. The sophomore received All-Big West Freshman Team honors last season after contributing two goals as a defender for the Gauchos.
– The Gauchos outplayed the Spartans in almost every statistical category. UCSB had 12 shots and 10 corners compared to its opponents’ eight shots and two corners. UC Santa Barbara also had possession of the ball for 67 percent of the game compared to San Jose State’s 33 percent.
UP NEXT
UCSB returns to Harder Stadium on Thursday as it welcomes Fresno State University for another non-conference match. The team will honor those in the community who are first responders. First kick is scheduled for 7 p.m. with a live stream through ESPN+. Live stats will also be available for this game.
Kristen Keller writes about sports for UCSB.
email: sports@newspress.com
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