One more win is all that stands in between the Long Beach State women’s soccer team and its first Big West Conference tournament championship and an automatic berth into the NCAA tournament.
The second-seeded 49ers (13-5-2) edged No. 3 Cal State Northridge, 2-1, in a Big West Conference tournament semifinal match Thursday in front of a roaring crowd of 460 fans at George Allen Field.
Senior forward Nikki Myers delivered the game-winning goal in the 80th minute. Marysol Rosas fired a cross into the box for a trailing Myers, who then drilled a one-touch shot in mid-air that dropped into the net to give the ‘Niners a 2-0 lead.
“I recruited Nikki [Myers] because she scored over 125 goals or something like that in [high school],” LBSU head coach Mauricio Ingrassia said. “She understands surfaces and times good runs into the box … and for this one to sink in with [10] minutes left to go is great.”
The win propelled the 49ers into Sunday’s championship showdown against No. 1 UC Irvine, which defeated No. 4 Pacific, 2-1, in Thursday’s other semifinal. The Beach will travel to Irvine for a noon match at UCI’s Anteater Stadium.
The 49ers broke the scoreless game open in the 14th minute when midfielder Shawna Gordon tallied her fourth goal of the season. Bo Rael sent a free kick into the box that was punched out by CSUN goalkeeper Cynthia Jacobo before it dropped in front of Gordon, who then finished into the net.
“It’s definitely a great feeling,” Gordon said of the victory, which puts the 49ers one win away from tying the single-season school record (14). “Everybody grew this year … and I think everybody as a team is just really happy about where we’re at right now and excited about where we’re going to go.”
The Matadors (12-9-0) stormed back into the match in the 82nd minute when defender Desiree Cardenas scored off a deflected shot in front of the net to cut the deficit in half. LBSU goalkeeper Emily Kingsborough blocked an open shot from midfielder Erin Kelly before Cardenas collected the rebound and found the back of the net.
“I think we sat in a little too early,” Ingrassia said. “We were up two; we should of closed the game out. We shouldn’t have made the game so interesting, but it’s good that we held on until the end.”
CSUN nearly tied the match at two apiece with four minutes left to play. Forward Farryn Townley was left unmarked in the box when she received a cross and fired a shot that sailed less than a foot over the crossbar.
The Beach controlled possession and found good looks throughout the entire contest as six of its nine shots were on goal. CSUN kept the match close with seven attempts, but were held to just three shots on frame. The ‘Niners also held a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks.
LBSU defender Chantel Hubbard sat out the contest with what appeared to be a left leg injury and was seen in a walking boot and crutches. However, Ingrassia said he expects Hubbard to be back in the lineup for Sunday’s championship match.
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