During a weekend where the Long Beach State women’s soccer team welcomed back senior goalkeeper Ashton McKeown, the 49ers lost back-to-back games to the University of San Diego and UCLA.
After missing three games with a shoulder injury, McKeown returned to her starting position but couldn’t save the team from losing.
On Sunday, LBSU faced No. 11 UCLA and lost 2-1 in a game that the team battled to stay close.
The 49ers gave up the winning goal in the 57 minute to senior forward Darian Jenkins.
LBSU’s lone goal was scored by junior forward Tori Bolden in the 48th minute to tie the game at one.
The loss comes on the heels of LBSU’s tough game Friday, when the team gave up three goals in the second half after having a 2-0 lead during its a 3-2 loss to the University of San Diego.
The 49ers (4-3-1) dominated the first half of the game, scoring two goals against the Toreros (4-3-1). USD bounced back in the second half scoring three straight goals.
LBSU sophomore Dana Fujikuni scored in the lower left corner of the goal, which was assisted by junior Ashley Gonzales in the 11th minute of the game.
Later in the first half, Gonzales scored her fifth goal of the season to put the 49ers up 2-0.
Ahead in the half, LBSU looked to control the pace of the game.
In the 60th minute USD’s senior defender Jacqueline Altschuld crossed the ball to teammate senior defender Caitlyn Kretzschmar, who headed the ball past McKeown.
“We were pretty poor in the second half,” head coach Mauricio Ingrassia said.
USD scored during a corner kick which tied the game in the 77th minute at two. Senior midfielder Julia Sherwood found an open Altschuld who scored her third goal of the season for the Toreros.
With minutes left in the game, LBSU’s defense failed to stop a counter attack by the Toreros’, which led sophomore forward Summer Mason scoring off a rebound to give USD a 3-2 win.
The 49ers will be back in action Saturday when they travel to Provo, Utah to take on Brigham Young University.