Check out photos from the match! (Credit Denis Concordel)
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Looking to bounce back, No. 16 Santa Clara women's soccer had a comeback win vs. Fresno State by a final of 4-3. The win puts the Broncos at 3-2-0 on the season while the Bulldogs are 1-5-0.
Santa Clara returns to the field Fri., Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. vs. Dayton.
"I thought we played well in both halves but our backs and goalkeeper could have made better plays," said Santa Clara head coach Jerry Smith. "Credit to Fresno State for sticking away their chances in the first half. We made no adjustments at half but in the second half we finished our opportunities better. This is the first time this year we dominated a game statistically and I'm really happy about that."
Santa Clara outshot Fresno State 23-5 and shots on goal were 8-4 in favor of the Broncos. Sofia Huerta led the way for the Bronco offense with a hat trick while Kat McAuliffe collected two assists with Brittany Ambrose scoring the game-winner. Andi Tostanoski picked up one save in net.
"We didn't play our best in the first half but we knew we would get chances in the second half and we were able to capitalize," said Huerta. "My goals wouldn't have happened without the great passing of my teammates who set me up so well today. It was also great to see Brittany come through with the game-winner. We all knew we had to step up to make the comeback."
"Sofia was the difference in the game today," added Smith. "It was a good team performance with a lot of chances created. It was a big step in the right direction."
Fresno State scored first in the seventh minute off the foot of Jaycee Bingham. Bingham took a ball that went over the defense and finished a one-on-one with the goalkeeper to make it 1-0.
Kat Uhl made a nice move down the sideline and into the box where she passed to McAuliffe whose shot was saved. Moments later Huerta had a chance to score on a header but another great save kept it 1-0 Bulldogs.
Huerta evened the score in the 30th minute on an unassisted goal. She gained possession in the box and dribbled before floating a shot past the keeper to make the score 1-1.
Bingham scored her second goal of the match in the 38th minute to put Fresno State back on top 2-1. Bingham took a beautiful shot from the right side of the box that curled in and gave Tostanoski no chance to make a save.
A failed clear by the Santa Clara defense with 30 seconds left in the half led to the third Bulldog goal of the day. Tostanoski was out of position after a clear and Alyssa Holsworth got the ball from 30 years out. Her one-time shot ended up in the net and the teams went to the locker room with the score 3-1 Fresno State.
Santa Clara outshot Fresno State 10-4 and shots on goal were 4-4 in the first half. Huerta led the way for the Bronco offense with a goal. Tostanoski picked up one save in net.
Santa Clara got an indirect free kick from the six-yard box just out of halftime when Kat Uhl was taken down. A tap to Huerta and a hard shot went off the defense to keep the score the same.
In the 50th minute Huerta scored her second goal of the match to get the Broncos within one. McAuliffe took control of the ball and dribbled in the box where she laid it off for Huerta who was able to beat the goalkeeper one-on-one.
Huerta and McAuliffe hooked up again in the 80th minute to tie the score. McAuliffe sent a beautiful through ball to Huerta in the box who took a touch before slipping it past the goalkeeper to make it 3-3.
Two minutes later B. Ambrose put Santa Clara on top for the first time in the game. She gained control of the ball just outside the top of the box and rocketed a shot right past the goalkeeper.
