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Box Score
Facing their second tough NCAA
opponent in three days, Cougar women’s soccer played Cal State
Stanislaus to a 0-0 tie at home on Sunday.
CSUSM is now 2-0-1 on the year.
Momentum in the evenly-matched contest was swung in the 45th minute.
At the end of a tight first half, Cougar forward Clarissa Hidalgo
was given a questionable second yellow card, forcing her ejection
from the game, and requiring CSUSM to play 10-on-11 for the rest of
the match.
But rather than folding, the Cougars confronted the disadvantage
with renewed commitment. CSUSM worked hard for all 110 minutes on
Sunday, hustling to loose balls, challenging hard but not
recklessly, and creating opportunities whenever they had a chance.
“The team gave a terrific, spirited, gutty effort today,” commented
Coach Ron Pulvers. “We’ve progressively gotten better this season.”
CSUSM’s defense proved stout yet again, and remains un-scored upon
in now a total of 290 minutes this season. A big part of that is
freshman keeper Kaycee Gunion, who made a couple huge game-saving
stops Sunday, and who has played like a veteran all season.
“Kaycee has been a very stable piece,” noted Pulvers. “She’s a great
goalie.”
Keying the defense in front of Gunion was Lauren Hernandez, who has
been brilliant this season, and was “absolutely phenomenal” on
Sunday, according to Pulvers. Fellow defender Michele Ramirez also
played very solid, as did the rest of the defense. When CSUSM was on
the attack, midfielder Taylor Ziencina was her usual lively self,
creating many of the team’s scoring chances.
With the game well into overtime and all the players running on
fumes, Cal State Stanislaus produced the contest’s best scoring
chance. In the 107th minute, Stanislaus played a ball into the box,
and got Gunion off her line. The loose ball was kicked towards the
corner, destined for the side netting – when a Stanislaus player
tried to put one last touch on it, and ended up heading it
harmlessly out of bounds. Call it good luck, good karma, or divine
intervention – whatever it was, the Cougars will take it.
CSUSM will look to remain unbeaten at UCSD on Wednesday.
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