Offense explodes against Wyoming

Sunday, October 3

Fresno, CA

12 P.M. PT

Fresno State

5-3-3, 3-0-1

Wyoming

5-6-1, 1-3-0

Wyoming

Fresno St.

Offense explodes against Wyoming

10/3/2021 11:09:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Josh Mitchell / Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

FRESNO, Calif. – When the goals come, they come in bunches. Scoring twice within the final minutes of Friday's contest, Fresno State doubled that tally on Sunday, scoring four goals within a 15-minute stretch in a 5-0 defeat of Wyoming. The Bulldogs' first four goals of the match came less than 30 minutes in following a four-hour delay due to poor air quality.

Sophomore Kassandra Ceja led Fresno State with five points (2G/1A), all coming on the team's first three goals. Jordan Brown added four points (1G/2A) and Sam Tristan had three (1G/1A).

Sitting second in the Mountain West standings with 10 points (New Mexico – 12), the 'Dogs are the highest scoring offense in conference play with 11 goals. They also sit atop the league in fewest goals allowed through the first four games with only two after posting their second straight shutout Sunday.

How It Happened
For the second straight match, Kassandra Ceja got the Bulldogs' offense rolling. In the 16^th minute, Jordan Brown cut back and got past her marker along the outside of the box, sent a cross toward the back post where Wyoming keeper Hannah Lee could only get a hand on it. Ceja cleaned up the lose ball to give the 'Dogs the early lead.

Five minutes later, the sophomore stuck again, and again it came from Brown. Sam Tristan headed down a ball into the path of Brown 25 yards from goal. The senior settled and snuck a pass through the defense to Ceja who calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net before Lee and a Cowgirl defender converged on her.

Ceja returned the helpers less than two minutes later. With space on the right flank, she centered a diagonal cross into the path of Brown in the middle of the box where there senior one-timed the attempt past Lee inside the right post.

Freshman Kaelyn Miller got in on the scoring in the 30^th minute. Following a corner that left players bunched in the box, Sheyenne Hodge managed to slide the ball out to the right to an open Miller who ripped a shot back across the face of goal to make it 4-0 before the game hit the half-hour mark.

Though Wyoming did not let up in its pursuit for a goal, Fresno State's keepers kept the Cowgirls off the scoreboard.

In the waning seconds, the Bulldogs tacked on a final tally after a break that caught Wyoming with players pushed forward. With 10 seconds to go, Katie Dohnel struck a shot from the left side of the box that Lee could only palm away. The rebound fell to feet of an oportunistic Tristan who tapped in her second goal of the weekend.

Scoring Summary
16:02 – FS – Kassandra Ceja (Jordan Brown)
21:51 – FS – Kassandra Ceja (Jordan Brown, Sam Tristan)
23:30 – FS – Jordan Brown (Kassandra Ceja)
29:35 – FS – Kaelyn Miller (Sheyenne Hodge)
89:52 – FS – Sam Tristan (Katie Dohnel)

Notes

The Bulldogs extended their program record home unbeaten streak to 14 matches (11-0-3), a mark that dates back to Oct. 3, 2019.
Fresno State's 3-0-1 record through its first four matches in conference play is tied for its best four-game start to a conference season in program history (1999).
Fresno State is currently on a three-match winning streak. The 'Dogs have outscored their opponents 10-1 during their last three games.
The Bulldogs earned their fourth combined shutout of the season, and fifth overall.
The 5-0 win was Fresno State's largest win ever over a Mountain West opponent.
Sunday marked the second time this season that the Bulldogs had scored five goals in a match (UCSB, Wyoming). Prior to this season the 'Dogs hadn't scored five in a match since Oct. 10, 2004 versus Nevada (5-1).
Fresno State has now earned two victories by five-goal margins this season. The Bulldogs hadn't had one game with a five-goal margin since Sept. 12, 2004 versus Sacramento State (5-0).
Fresno State has not had multiple five-goal games in a season since 2004. It is only the third season that a Bulldog team has recorded more than one game with five goals or more (2003, 2004).
Kassandra Ceja recorded her fifth and sixth goals of the season.
With five points on Sunday, Ceja is up to 16 points on the year.
Jordan Brown tallied a career-high four points (1G/2A).
Brown recorded her first career multi-assist game.
Sam Tristan scored her third goal of the season and second in as many games.
Tristan had a season-high three points on Sunday.
Kaelyn Miller scored her third goal of the season, and second in conference play.

Quotes
Brian Zwaschka, Fresno State Head Coach
On the mood of the team regarding a four-hour delay due to air quality…
"It was a long enough period of time that we let everyone just check out and I'm pretty sure all of them just went home and then we tried to recreate the normal warm-up and pregame. I'm sure there were all of the normal feelings of being annoyed, any player wants to play and just get it going, but it was the right thing to do."

On what was most impressive…
"We should talk about the midfield because they connect the two. Honestly, really impressed with all sides of the ball. We used the width well. We stretched well. We connected well. We covered each other well, and that's a really threatening team, especially in the first half. They threw a lot at us and even though we got the goals, we knew there was danger, so we had to stay on our toes."

Up Next
The Bulldogs head back out on the road next weekend with matches at Utah State (Oct. 8) and Boise State (Oct. 10).

"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in life. To become a BDF member, please visit bulldogfoundation.org.

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