Bulldogs Stopped By Pacific 2-1

Tuesday, September 19

Fresno, CA

7:00 PM

Fresno State

6-2-1

Pacific

6-1-1

PACIFIC

Fresno State

Bulldogs Stopped By Pacific 2-1

9/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Sept. 19, 2006

Box Score

Fresno, Calif. - Coming into Tuesday night's game having given up two goals all season, Fresno State gave up two more in a 2-1 loss to Pacific. The Bulldogs (6-2-1) scored first in the 30th minute off of a deflection on an Andrea Salvador shot, but the Tigers evened the score and took the lead in the 48th minute on a Kelsey Nagel goal to improve to 6-1-1 on the year.

In a game marked with opportunities from both sides, the action was slow in the early going, with no shots until the 12th minute, when Fresno State goalkeeper Angie Larsen made her first of eight saves, stopping a Laura King shot from the center, one of three consecutive shots from the Tiger forward for Pacific. Fresno State answered back with the first real chance of the game, as Pacific goaltender Jamie Souza chased a ball out of the box, and Christina Gilbert sent the ball over her head but hit the crossbar square as the game remained scoreless.

Fresno State was able to earn the first goal of the game in the 30th minute, when a shot by Andrea Salvador was deflected by a Tiger defender and sent into the goal, giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 advantage. That goal was quickly erased, as Pacific's Catherine Betts scored on a Alysse Valenzuela cross from 15 feet out to tie the game at 1-1.

Holding on to the tie for the remainder of the half, the Bulldogs fell behind 2-1 when Kelsey Nagel scored on a tap-in on a cross from Mandy Van Dorn. The two teams traded shots and saves in the next ten minutes before the teams both had superb scoring opportunities.

In the 65th minute, a Pacific corner kick found the foot of Natalie McCrackin, who sent a ball into the north crossbar for the second time of the night, but Fresno State was able to clear the ball and make a run of their own down the field, where a centering pass from the side was sent to the middle for an Andrea Salvador header, but Souza made the save for the Tigers to hold on to the lead.

Fresno State continued to press in the final 10 minutes, taking two corner kicks, but both were cleared by the Tiger defense as the Bulldogs fell 2-1.

"We were down early, but in the last 15 minutes I really though we picked up our tempo and put some pressure on them," said head coach Steve Springthorpe. "Give Pacific a lot of credit, though. They are a good team, and give them a lot of credit for coming in here and putting in a great effort."

Fresno State finishes their four-game homestand with another Big West opponent, as the Bulldogs host UC Riverside on Friday. Kickoff for that game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium. Tickets for that game or any other Bulldog soccer match can be found online a www.gobulldogs.com or by phone at 278-DOGS.