FULLERTON, Calif.– Tears filled the eyes of some of the Long Beach State women’s soccer team’s players as they walked off the pitch after losing to Fullerton 1-0 in the Big West Tournament Championship on Sunday.
It’s the second year in a row the Titans (16-3-1) beat LBSU (12-6-1) in the final, and it’s the third conference tournament win for Fullerton in as many years. LBSU head coach Mauricio Ingrassia said called Sunday a “bad day” as far as performance on the field, but also said he was content with what the 49ers accomplished all year.
“We had a hard time technically on the field, a hard time connecting with each other, and we made one mistake and it cost us,” Ingrassia said. “Other than that, [my team] can hold their heads up high.”
The mistake Ingrassia mentioned occurred in the 56th minute and resulted in the only goal of the game.
Fullerton’s senior striker Rebecca Wilson started the play by evading two 49er defenders and firing a shot to the lower left corner of the net. Freshman goalie Imani McDonald made the save, but left the rebound in the center of the box where CSUF freshman midfielder Alba Barrios was waiting to poke in the game winner.
“I saw [Wilson] do all the work, I know she’s really good at what she does, she’s really dangerous out wide and getting the shot off,” Barrios said. “I knew I had to follow up just in case the ball popped out and it did. It wasn’t a pretty goal, but I had to get it done; I knew I had to get it into the back of the net.”
Fullerton looked much more comfortable throughout the entire match. Even after scoring the goal that gave them the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, the Titans didn’t panic.
“We stayed calm and composed because that’s who we are,” CSUF senior midfielder Christina Burkenroad said. “We’re not a frantic team, we’re a crossing and finishing team, a possession oriented team and staying calm, collected and poised is just who we are.”
The first half didn’t provide much action for the 1,284 spectators present at Titan Stadium. Each team fired off four shots and forced the opposing goalies to make two saves a piece.
Burkenroad, who picked up her second conference tourney MVP award in a row after netting a hat trick in Thursday’s semifinal against UC Santa Barbara, said she told her teammates to remember their style of play heading into the second half.
“We didn’t have a corner kick the whole first half and that’s something we practice a lot, it’s definitely one of our strengths,” Burkenroad said. “The fact that we weren’t playing to our strength; there was a reminder needed.”
The second half looked like it was headed in the same direction as the first, until Barrio’s goal 11 minutes in changed the dynamic. LBSU was more direct after the goal, but never created a concrete chance to tie the game.
Even with the loss, there’s still a chance the 49ers can crack the NCAA Tournament with an at-large bid. LBSU’s win against Fullerton on Oct. 4 and its pair of draws at USC on Sept. 13 and at Cincinnati on Sept. 17 are good results against three teams in the top 50 of the rating percentage index.
LBSU will find out if it will play on during the selection show on Monday, Nov. 9 at 1:30 p.m.
“We’re very hopeful that our season was good enough to get an NCAA bid [on Monday],” Ingrassia said. “We’re hoping [Monday] brings very good news to us.”
Dear Mauricio Ingrassia,
You guys suck. A shameful display and a deserved exit. Enjoy your offseason, losers.
Signed,
Me.