LA JOLLA, Calif. - Amid a playoff-like atmosphere at Triton Soccer Field, the No. 18 UC San Diego women's soccer team suffered a 1-0 loss to No. 16 Cal State L.A. Friday evening. The Golden Eagles, en route to their first-ever road victory against UCSD, stopped a second-half penalty kick before scoring the game-winner in the 88th minute.
The Tritons, who entered this weekend as the No. 1 team in the West Region according to the latest NCAA Division II poll, fall to 14-4 overall and 11-4 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. CSULA improves to 11-2-2 in league play while taking back first place in the conference's South Division. UCSD will host Cal State Dominguez Hills at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the regular season finale while the Golden Eagles travel to play Cal State East Bay the same day at 11:30 a.m.
In spite of Tritons' sophomore goalkeeper Kristin Armstrong posting a career-high 10 saves Friday, CSULA senior midfielder Kastidi Robles broke through against the UCSD defense for the lone score of the match. After Ann Marie Tangorra slipped a pass to the right side, Robles charged up the box and blasted a shot into the left of the net at the 87:13 mark.
Before and after Robles' late game-winning goal, the Tritons had their fare share of chances. Roughly 30 minutes into the match, UCSD sophomore midfielder and scoring leader Shelby Wong dribbled her way past multiple defenders on the left side. After a low line drive from Wong was batted down by Golden Eagles' goalkeeper Jessie Walworth, Sarah McTigue gathered up the rebound and tried to lift it over the head of the opposing netminder. Walworth reached up and grabbed it, keeping the match even at 0-0.
The continuous pressure put on the CSULA defense led the visiting squad to desperation in the 55th minute as UCSD freshman midfielder Jessica Wi cut her way into the opposition's box. One of the Golden Eagles' defenders dragged Wi down and the referee awarded the Tritons with a penalty kick. The attempt from sophomore midfielder Anne Wethe, a hard shot toward the left corner of the net, was saved by a diving Walworth.
Leading up to the winner from Robles in the 88th minute, the UCSD squad saw its corner kicks bounce through the box and next to the CSULA goalkeeper on numerous occasions but failed to get a touch on it to gain the advantage.
The Tritons, having already clinched a spot in the CCAA Championships, will look to finish the regular season on a high note Sunday when they face CSUDH at home. The Toros, at 10-5 in conference play after defeating CSUEB on Friday, rank third in the South Division.
