IRVINE — The Long Beach State women’s soccer team sits atop the Big West Conference — again.
And, anyone who thought LBSU’s tournament title was a fluke last year is probably eating their words after Sunday’s Big West Tournament championship.
For the second year in a row, the No. 2-seeded 49ers avenged a regular-season loss to No. 1 UC Irvine when it mattered the most with a 1-0 victory at Anteater Stadium.
The ‘Niners (15-5-1) clinched a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four years, broke a school record for most wins in a season and snapped the No. 16-ranked Anteaters’ seven-game winning streak. It was UCI’s (14-4-2) first loss since Oct. 2 and just the third time it was held scoreless this season.
“Last year, I told [UCI head coach Scott Juniper] that they were the best team when we shook hands,” LBSU head coach Mauricio Ingrassia said. “I feel like this year we had the best team in the Big West and our stats show it, and I’m just proud of our group mentality-wise and how they’re able to bounce back.”
LBSU and Big West goals leader Nadia Link said that reaching the NCAA Tournament again was a testament to the positive direction that the program is heading in.
“[Getting back to the NCAA Tournament] is a big tribute to our returners and our alumni because I know this means a lot to them,” said Link, who ranks second on the all-time LBSU record books with 15 goals this season. “This is a big deal for the program and I think it’s important now we get a lot of the younger players in on it as well to carry the tradition over so they can get the feel of it. … It’s going to be good for the future of the program.”
Senior forward Jazz Strozier scored the game-winning goal in the 13th minute. Sophomore midfielder Kelsey Wilson sent a free kick to the far post from the right sideline when senior defender Alex Balcer headed it back across the box to Shawna Gordon, who also got a head on it before the ball was batted out by UCI goalkeeper Jennifer Randazzo. Strozier then collected the rebound in front of the net and finished it off with a header of her own. It marked Strozier’s fourth goal of the season.
“I’d put that goal in the middle of the top of the pack as far as ranking all the quality of amazing goals we’ve had this season,” Balcer said. “That was a great service from Wilson. … I thought the goal was nice. I would say it ranks in the top five.”
Balcer was also named the most valuable player of the tournament after she played an instrumental role from the defensive side of the field. She anchored the 49ers’ backline, which registered back-to-back shutouts in the tournament.
“Seriously, I was blown away,” Balcer said of receiving the honor. “I thought our entire defense played amazing. … I couldn’t ask for a better backline. I’m just so proud as a defender that I can represent all of us.”
The 49ers nearly struck again in the 34th minute when senior forward Nicole Sweetman delivered a corner kick to Nicole Hubbard, whose header clanked off the post.
Trailing 1-0, the Anteaters went into the second half with a sense of urgency as they fired off a total of 10 shots — four of which came on goal — during the period.
UCI goals leader Natalia Ledezma gave the Anteaters an opportunity to even up the score as she flicked the ball over the head of Wilson on a breakaway. Ledezma then retrieved her own pass and fired an open shot that sailed just wide of the post.
“[Ledezma] was a big handful,” Balcer said. “The entire UCI team is extremely athletic and they’re always running at us. I knew I had to put my studs on for this game because if I slipped, they were going to score a goal.”
Tensions ran high all throughout the match as 22 fouls were called and three yellow cards were issued to LBSU forward Nicole Sweetman and midfielder Taylor Nelson, and UCI’s Zuri Walker.
Nelson was nearly ejected from the match after she almost received a second yellow card in the 60th minute. Instead, Nelson was issued a foul after running full speed and colliding with UCI forward Mar Rodriguez on an attempt to steal the ball. Play was briefly stopped as Rodriguez laid face flat on the grass before getting back to her feet, but no injuries were sustained.
As a result of the foul, the Anteaters were issued a free kick from about 25 yards out. UCI defender CoCo Goodson took the kick and sent a bullet through the LBSU wall, but LBSU goalkeeper Kaitlyn Gustaves was able to punch it out with a diving stop.
UCI threatened yet again in the final 30 seconds when it sent a cross to the middle of the box, but Wilson was able to shield UCI midfielder Jenna Pellegrino from the ball while Gustaves scooped it up before any damage could be done.
“That ball went so fast past my face that my body couldn’t react,” Link said. “Kaitlyn [Gustaves] is amazing. She just reacted quicker than I did and I was about 12 feet in front of her. She is an amazing keeper and I think she’s only getting better.”
LBSU will make its third NCAA appearance where it has yet to reach past the first round. The team’s opponent will be announced Monday during The NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer selection show that will air live on NCAA.com at 1:30 p.m. The tournament is scheduled to begin Friday.
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