Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
10-8-4
San Jose State
12-8-1
`DOGS WIN THE WAC!
11/7/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Nov. 7, 2010
RUSTON, La. - The Fresno State women's soccer team won the 2010 Western Athletic Conference Tournament in penalty kicks over No. 1 seed San Jose State Sunday afternoon. The Bulldogs head to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in school history. The last time the `Dogs won the conference crown and played in the NCAA tournament was in 2008.
"It's a thrill and exciting to be going on to the NCAA Tournament," said head coach Brian Zwaschka. "It's an opportunity that a lot of players and teams don't get to take. We're going to relish the moment and do our best."
Megan Ashjian took the final penalty shot for the Bulldogs to seal the win. In 2006, the tournament title was decided by penalty kicks and Nevada prevailed over Fresno State. The Bulldogs became the first No. six seed to ever win the WAC Tournament.
"They way it ended up happening was kind of a relief," said Zwaschka. "I thought we played a good game and San Jose State kept plugging away. They really gave us a tough second half. I thought we played well, but you could tell the nerves of the players were there. I t was good that they finally settled down in the end and were calm for the shoot out. I am really pleased and proud of my team."
The Bulldogs took control of the game right out of the gate with Krissy Looney taking three early shots. One of the senior's shot nearly went in the upper left corner of the goal, but the Spartan goalkeeper Meghan Maiwald made a beautiful save preserving the scoreless tie.
Senior Katie Lee, who recorded her first career goal over Utah State on Friday, just missed her second goal of the season as her shot off a corner kick from Looney went wide of the Spartan goal.
The `Dogs dominated possession of the ball in the Spartan defensive half of the field in the first 45 minutes of the game.
In the first half, the Bulldogs outshot San Jose State 7-4 and Looney lead the team with three shots in the half. Also contributing shots in the half were Vanessa Gonzalez, Alex Jensen and Megan Ashjian.
Nicole Duff had a close call on goal as she took a shot that went just over the cross bar in the second half.
Freshman Megan Mossman nearly scored off a corner kick from Bradlee DeShane, but her shot went wide left.
Senior Janna Sadowitz had the Spartan goalkeeper one on one and her shot was chipped over the goal.
Sadowitz had another great opportunity with her shot being blocked creating a better opportunity for the `Dogs with a corner kick.
The Bulldogs outshot the Spartans again in the second half 9-7 with a total of 16 shots in regulation time. First-team All-WAC goalkeeper Kaitlyn Revel recorded four saves in the first 90 minutes.
In the first overtime period the Spartans recorded four shots, but none on goal. At the end of the first overtime period the score remained scoreless sending the match into a second overtime period.
In the final overtime period, Gonzalez and Claudia Cardenas had attempts on goal that sailed just high of the cross bar.
Revel finished the game with a total of four saves and recorded her fourth consecutive shutout. She has 32 career shutouts and has not allowed a goal in 380 minutes.
The game was decided by penalty kicks with San Jose State taking the first shot. Lauren Sanchez went first making her penalty kick for the Spartans. Revel followed by making the first penalty kick for the Bulldogs tying it at 1-1.
Revel went on to block the next three San Jose State penalty kicks, while Cardenas and Ashjian made their penalty kicks giving the `Dogs the win.
Lee was named the 2010 WAC Tournament MVP for her performance on the `Dogs defensive line. Also named to the WAC All-Tournament team was Gonzalez, Kendall VanDine and Lauren Lindstrom.
"The idea that we always stuck to our guns in terms of how we're going to play and refining details," said Zwaschka. "We really put an effort toward playing a solid team game. We played a lot of different players and a few different line ups to find the right combination. We have so many people contributing significantly to a positive result. The idea that team finally got see some results come to fruition with the championship and especially pleased for our huge senior class."
"We Are Your Team" Fresno State will find out on Monday, Nov. 8 at 1:30 PT who it will play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
