LOS ANGELES — Head coach Mauricio Ingrassia will have to wait one more year to see his up-and-coming program take its next leap forward.
In its first-ever NCAA Women’s College Cup tournament appearance, Long Beach State fell, 1-0, to the University of San Diego at UCLA’s Drake Stadium Friday night.
The Toreros’ game-winner came in the 81st minute when defender Ashley Kirk redirected a shot attempt from teammate Christine Mock into a wide-open net.
USD (15-4-2) advanced to the second round and will play Sunday against top-seeded and No. 2-ranked UCLA, which recorded a 5-0 win over Fresno State earlier in the evening.
“I think they did a good job of putting the ball in the right place,” LBSU goalkeeper Liz Ramos said. “It was just an unlucky bounce. It’s just heartbreaking when it’s the last 15 minutes and we worked so hard and we definitely were dominating that half.”
The Toreros’ attack tested Ramos early on, with three corner kick opportunities in the first 10 minutes of the first half.
“There was a lot of emotion so you get off on the wrong foot,” Ingrassia said. “I thought we settled in pretty good.”
After key 49er defender Sara Baca turned her ankle five minutes into the first half, Ramos recorded four saves and tried her best to keep LBSU in the match.
The senior made a save in the 33rd minute on a shot from Torero forward Jen Mello that was on target for the far right post. Ramos, who finished with four saves, denied the USD striker another goal opportunity in the 42nd minute with a diving save to her left.
“[San Diego] came out really strong, caught us on our heels a little bit, but I think the middle of the first half — and definitely almost all the second half — we were all over them,” Ramos said.
After withstanding the flurry of scoring opportunities, the 49ers (14-5-4) created a chance of their own in the 16th minute off a Lindsay Bullock corner kick. Defender Bo Rael had a good look, but her shot attempt was deflected far from goal. Another 49er corner kick in the 31st minute taken by Dana Farquhar led to a Hayley Bolt header that sailed above the crossbar.
The 49er attack began to assert itself in the second half, but still was unable to execute on chances. In the 51st minute, midfielder Kim Silos placed a cross pass 10 yards in front of goal, but Bolt could not get enough of her foot on the ball to place it in the net.
“I thought we did very well,” Ingrassia said. “I thought we probably controlled 30 of those 45 minutes. But, [San Diego] went down the field and did well to stick in. Give them credit.”
On the 49ers’ last gasp effort, Bolt retrieved a pass from forward Kristen Kiefer and headed it near the right post. When the shot trickled wide as time expired, the three-time All-Big West Conference first-team selection fell to the ground overcome with emotion, realizing that this was the end of her decorated career.
“We went down with a fight and I think that’s our story,” Bolt said. “It’s going to take a while for it to really sink in that this was my last game, but I’ve been a part of something so special I can’t even explain it.”
For Bolt, Ramos and the other seniors from Ingrassia’s first recruiting class, it could be difficult saying farewell to a team that they helped put on the map.
“I love these girls, they’re my sisters,” Bolt said. “That’s something I’m definitely going to miss.”
Ramos said her four seasons on the team was the most rewarding experience she’s had in her life.
“We’re going to remember this,” she said. “All my success and all my hard work has been for the girls. I couldn’t be happier leaving them the way that I did.”
This coming-of-age season saw Ingrassia pick up the first conference Coach of the Year nod of his five-year tenure.
“Today was another step for our program,” he said. “It was our first game here [in the NCAA Tournament], and we represented it with class and with a lot of pride. And it was close to our best effort.”
Bolt, Ramos, Bullock, Baca, Kim Silos and Mariko Strickland were each named to the All-Big West first-team.
“The majority of us stuck it out all the way to the end,” Bolt said. “I feel like we’ve accomplished so much that I can still come away with it satisfied.”