Sept. 30, 2007
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The top-ranked Santa Clara women's soccer team dropped its first match of the season Sunday afternoon to No. 22 California 2-0. With eight players out due to injury, the short-handed Broncos fell behind by two goals in the first half and could not get back into the game. With the loss, SCU falls to 7-1-1 on the season, while Cal improves to 8-2-0.
Already playing with a short bench, SCU also lost starters Courtney Lewis and Lindsey Johnson to injury following the team's match on Friday at Cal Poly. Freshman Maxine Goynes got her first career start in place of Johnson, while Tina Estrada moved to midfield for Lewis and Lexi Orand got the start at forward.
The Broncos came out of the gate strong and had a chance to grab the lead in the opening minutes. Freshman Kendra Perry picked up a loose ball at the top of the box and fired a low shot. Captain Brittany Klein was in position to re-direct the shot, but a bad bounce caused it to skip over the end-line for a Cal goal kick.
Bronco goalkeeper Meagan McCray kept the game scoreless with a beautiful diving save nine minutes into the match. Cal's Alex Morgan got in alone on McCray and hit a shot to the far post, but the junior goalkeeper dove and got her right hand to the ball to keep it out of the net.
However, in the 29th minute, Morgan would not be denied. Receiving a ball over the top from Cal goalkeeper Gina Pellegrini, Morgan got behind the defense and blasted a low shot to the far post for a 1-0 Cal advantage.
Just five minutes before halftime, the Bears would strike again. Megan Jesolva found Nikki Schrey 20 yards from goal. Schrey eluded a defender and hit a long shot that found the near post to put Cal up 2-0 heading into the break.
Early in the half, SCU searched for the equalizer, but the Broncos could not break through. Klein and Meagan Snell were both denied on consecutive shots 10 minutes into the second half. Two minutes later, Katherine Reynolds low cross skidded just past Jessie Baddley in front of goal.
The Broncos last opportunity came in the final minutes off the foot of Kiki Bosio. Bosio slipped through two defenders and hit a shot that was deflected and came right back to her. She fired another shot that Pellegrini blocked and then covered up.
Santa Clara gets back in action next Friday, Oct. 5 with a showdown at No. 4 Stanford at 7:30 p.m. PT at Laird Q Cagan Stadium.