Sept. 26, 2006
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Any fears of Sunday's women's soccer contest being a "trap game" after Friday's emotional 3-0 defeat of No. 3 UCLA were quickly put to rest by the No. 5 Santa Clara Broncos as they dominated Sunday's contest against the No. 14 CS Fullerton Titans. Outside back Marian Dalmy accounted for both Bronco goals and the defense recorded its seventh shutout of the season in the 2-0 victory at Buck Shaw Stadium.
The Broncos (8-2-0) will continue their current five-match homestand Saturday night, Sept. 30, as they take on the Stanford Cardinal in a 7 p.m. contest at Buck Shaw Stadium. Tickets are available by calling (408) 554-4660 or by clicking here.
"This weekend was huge, I think that we knew we needed to play real well against UCLA, and we did," Dalmy, one of the team's captains, said of the momentum that the weekend's wins give the Broncos. "To carry it on is such a big part because we're moving deeper into our season now and playing well every game and getting better is what we need to focus on."
Santa Clara outshot CS Fullerton (4-4-1) by a staggering 23-5 margin Sunday afternoon, getting plenty of solid opportunities from a variety of players as seven different Broncos put at least one shot on frame. Only a gutsy performance in defeat by Titan keeper Karen Bardsley kept the match from becoming a complete rout, as she made nine saves on the day, including a couple from point-blank range.
Dalmy netted her first two goals of the season in the contest, the first coming off of a nice feed from Kiki Bosio on the far side, which Dalmy took in stride and walked in along the far post and beat Bardsley from a tough angle for the match's opening score. For Bosio it was her fourth assist of the season.
"Kiki was able to hold the ball so well that it helped me get around for her pass, and once I took the touch, I looked up, saw I had room and realized that no one was coming at me so I took the shot," Dalmy said of her first goal.
About 15 minutes into the second half, Dalmy again penetrated the box along the goal line, this time coming from the near side, when she was tripped up and taken down and awarded a penalty kick just after the 60-minute mark. Her shot skipped past Bardsley and into the lower-left corner of the goal to give SCU the two-goal advantage.
The Broncos continued to press, outshooting the Titans 16-2 in the second half, but only the play of Bardsley kept them from doing further damage. Lexi Orand had a few chances stopped, while Chioma Igwe got off a bending shot from about 21 yards that looked headed into the upper-left corner but Bardsley got enough of the ball to deflect it just wide. A Brittany Klein shot was blocked wide in the 75th minute, and after a loose-ball scramble on the ensuing corner kick, Kelly Giddings got off a rocket from just inside the top of the box that Bardsley just managed to get in front off and keep out of the net.
Meagan McCray and Julie Ryder each took a half in goal and made a save for the Broncos Sunday, while Carrie Schuler made her first appearance back on the pitch since suffering a knee injury over two years ago on Sept. 5, 2004 at Notre Dame, entering the match and playing on the back line.