Aug. 28, 2009
Box Score
Stockton, Calif. - Sophomore Angelica Figueroa (Linden, Calif.) led the Tigers past Portland State, in front of a 535 strong home crowd, by sparking the 5-0 scoring rally just shy of the one-hour mark in the game, at 59:56.
The win improved Pacific to an even 1-1 on the year, as Portland State dropped down to 1-2 overall.
Although both teams headed into the locker room tied 0-0 after the first half, Pacific started an aggressive style of play that found the Tigers out-shooting Portland State 5-4 after the first 45 minutes.
Pacific was then able to carry that momentum well into the second half, when they posted the first goal of the game less than 15 minutes into the second half. Pacific then rattled off four goals in a row, within a 10-minute span. Figueroa came sprinting down the middle after one of Pacific's three corner kicks found a Viking defender. Sophomore Laura Hogan (Poway, Calif.) regained possession of the ball for Pacific and found Figueroa from the left side of the pitch. Figueroa took a good look and then launched the ball right up the middle to give Pacific the lead early into the second half, in the 60th minute of the game.
Bolstered by the 1-0 lead, Pacific's sophomores persisted by regaining control of the ball again in the 66th minute, when sophomore Alex Topp (San Diego, Calif.) found the back of the net after a shot off a yellow card. The card issued to Portland State at the 65:24 mark started when Figueroa poked the ball towards the right side of the field. Topp, who was perfectly placed right in front of the goal, saw the scoring opportunity and gave Pacific the 2-0 advantage.
The third sophomore to send one home for Pacific was last year's leading scorer and 2008 Big West Freshman of the Year, Kristina Wavomba (Encinitas, Calif.). Wavomba sprinted down towards the goal from midfield with the ball, saw a wide open shot option from the left side and landed Pacific's 3-0 goal at 68:28.
Just a little over one minute later, at 69:55, Figueroa netted her second goal of the night, when junior Kim Hargrave (La Palma, Calif.) carried the ball up the field and passed to Figueroa from five yards in front of the goal. Figueroa then tapped it in as Pacific jumped up 4-0 on the scoreboard.
The Tigers' final goal came near the end of the game, at 84:14, when freshman Lauren Olvera (Seattle, Wash.) launched in a throw from 30 yards out on the sideline that made its way into the goal, after hitting the head of a Portland State defender to find its home in goal. The Vikings' own-goal ended Pacific's perfect 5-0 scoring run to secure the victory.
Defensively, the Tigers dazzled on the other half of the field, as junior goalkeeper Jill Medigovich (San Diego, Calif.) tallied two saves on the evening. Prior to the Tigers' first goal, Topp gave Pacific a chance to come back and get on the scoreboard first, when she halted a prime scoring opportunity for Portland State that had the potential to change the game's momentum.
Emily Rohde pushed the ball towards the open goal, but Topp dove between her legs and stole the ball out of Portland State's possession and into the Tigers' control in the 54th minute.
Pacific finished the night outshooting Portland State 19 shots to 11, as they the Tigers took 14 shots on goal, to the Vikings' two.
The Tigers next return to action on Sunday, Aug. 30 when they host Albany at 12 p.m.
