Check out photos from the match! (Credit Denis Concordel)
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Playing its first home game of the regular season, Santa Clara women's soccer beat Long Beach State by a final of 4-0. The win puts the Broncos at 1-2-0 and moves the 49ers to 0-2-0.
Santa Clara returns to the field Sat., Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. at Fresno State before opening an eight-game home stand.
"We have a lot of respect for Long Beach State," said Santa Clara head coach Jerry Smith. "I feel good that we got a shut out today. I feel good that we scored four goals and that a lot of people got to play. We tried something a little different with Julie up front and she scored two goals. The fact that the team played well with the new formation is a good sign for us. I'm also happy for Mariana Galvan who played in her first game for us and scored a goal."
Santa Clara outshot Long Beach State 19-10 and shots on goal were 8-6 in favor of Santa Clara. Julie Johnston led the way for Santa Clara on offense with two goals while Morgan Marlborough added her first as a Bronco. Mariana Galvan also scored her first career goal. Marlborough and Julie Vass each had one assist. Andi Tostanoski picked up six saves in net.
Santa Clara jumped out to the 1-0 lead 41 seconds into the game. Marlborough scored her first goal as a Bronco on an assist from Vass. Marlborough took the pass in the box and knocked it past the goalkeeper.
Less than a minute later Johnston scored her first goal of the year on an assist from Marlborough. Marlborough had her back to the goal near the goal and passed it back out to Johnston who blasted her shot past the goalkeeper to make it 2-0.
The defense failed to clear a ball in the sixth minute and Eileen Maes gained control of the ball right in front of the goal but a spectacular save by Tostanoski kept the Santa Clara lead at two.
Johnston scored her second goal of the match in the 13th minute. Marlborough fired a shot from the left side of the box that was saved but bounced a few inches from to goalkeeper and right to Johnston's feet.
Santa Clara led 3-0 at the half and held the advantage in shots 9-8 but Long Beach State led in shots on goal 6-4. Tostanoski had six first half saves while Ashton McKeown had one.
Katie Speidel had the best scoring chance of the second half in the 83rd minute. A rebound came to her but her attempt to chip the ball over the goalie went high.
In the 84th minute the Broncos added to their lead off the foot of Galvan. A ball off the post rebounded to Galvan who hit a low chopper into the net.
Santa Clara ran out the clock to seal the 4-0 victory.
Game Notes: Attendance was 645 … Santa Clara eliminated Long Beach State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2012 by a final of 2-1 at Buck Shaw … Eileen Maes and Ashley Webb of Long Beach State each picked up yellow cards.
