Sept. 30, 2007
Box Score
Stockton, Calif. - For the first time in 2007 the Tigers suffered a loss at home as the Pacific soccer team fell to the No. 22 ranked team in the nation, the San Diego Toreros, 2-1, on Sunday, September 30. With the loss the Tigers dropped to 5-3-2 overall on the year while the Toreros improved to 7-1-2 overall.
Heading into the contest with San Diego the Tigers' defense had yet to relinquish a goal on their home field, playing five straight games of shutout soccer at Stagg Stadium with four wins and one draw. However, San Diego entered the game riding a five match unbeaten streak and four straight wins over Big West opponents.
It did not take long for San Diego to get on the board against the Tigers on Sunday afternoon as the Toreros capitalized on a counter attack after Pacific lost the ball in the middle of the field on a counter attack of their own in the 10th minute of play. The Toreros' Natalie Vinti stripped the Tigers near the center line as Pacific attacked up field. With the ball and the Tigers' defense forward for the attack, Vinti found Amy Epsten up field, just onside of the Tigers' backline. Epsten fought off Pacific's pressure and hit a bending shot while falling to her right, past senior Jaime Souza (Gig Harbor, Wash.) and into the top left corner of the goal for the first goal of the game.
The strike ended Souza's three game shutout streak and put Pacific down at home for the first time this season.
Down one, the Tigers continued to battle the Toreros, keeping the halftime deficit at one goal. Out of the break the Toreros increased their pressure on Pacific with a constant attack that finally broke through for a second strike in the 77th minute of play. A long shot by Ashley Kirk forced Souza to make a diving save to her left, however the deflected shot went right to Epsten on the back post who settled the ball and fired it home for her second goal of the game.
Souza produced eight saves on the day to keep her team in the contest. She got help from her defense and midfield, particularly from junior Laura King (Livermore, Calif.) who cleared away a number of dangerous balls from the Toreros including picking up a defensive save in the 67th minute when she cleared a ball off the line after a San Diego attacker volleyed back a ball Souza was forced to punch away.
Despite being down two goals late in the game to the No. 22 ranked team, the Tigers refused to fold, striking back for a goal of their own in the 86th minute. A San Diego foul gave the Tigers a free kick from 30 yards out from which King put a shot on goal that Brittany Cameron, San Diego's netminder, punched away for the save. However, just as the Toreros had done nearly 10 minutes prior, the Tigers were waiting for the deflection. Senior Bunny Dickson (Millbrae, Calif.) found herself in the right place at the right time as she volleyed home the deflection to cut the deficit to just a single goal.
The goal was Dickson's fifth of the season while King was credited with her second assist of the year.
Pacific continued to press forward looking for the tying goal, but with just three minutes to play, ran out of time.
The Tigers will look to rebound from their first home loss on Friday, October 5 as they begin conference play with the defending Big West Champion Long Beach State 49ers at Stagg Memorial Stadium. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm.
