Long Beach State delivered a commanding performance in a 4-1 home win over UC Santa Barbara on Sunday at George Allen Field, pushing their season record to 6-3-2 and 1-0-1 in the Big West.
The Beach started the game with an aggressive attack while maintaining pressure on defense, keeping Santa Barbara on its heels early on.
The aggressive attacking push led to multiple opportunities for The Beach, which turned into their first from goal.
Senior forward Elysia Laramie opened up the score for the Beach with a finessed goal in the 22 minute off a through ball from senior forward Kassandra Ceja.
Laramie’s goal bolstered her team-leading goal tally, marking her eighth goal of the season.
The Beach outshot Santa Barbara eight shots to two, showcasing the one-sided outlook of the first half.
Sophomore defender Julia Moore and sophomore midfielder Cherrie Cox began the second half with goals of their own. Moore struck an unassisted goal in 49 minute, while Cox found herself one-on-one with Santa Barbara’s goalkeeper, Maddie Buckley, and slid it past her in the 53 minute.
“Getting the ball on my feet inside and running at their backline just opens up the game more,” Cox said. “We have our people go wide and then a lot more gates open for that final pass.”
Laramie, Cox and Moore accounted for eight of Long Beach State’s 16 total shots and three of their four goals.
“I think we’re still growing,” Laramie said. “If you come to any of our games and watch us, we’re still building our connections and getting better and better at finishing those opportunities.”
Sophomore forward Amanda Perez scored a header off the bench for The Beach’s final goal in the 77 minute to make it 4–0.
LBSU’s shutout bid was broken in the 86 minute when Santa Barbara’s junior defender Brenna Madruga netted a header off a corner in the closing minutes, pushing the score to 4-1.
With the scheduling getting tougher down the stretch of the season for The Beach, Head Coach Mauricio Ingrassia emphasized taking it one game at a time.
“We feel good about it [win over Santa Barbara]. Turn the page, go up to Davis, and take it one game at a time. Every game is a final,” Ingrassia said.
Long Beach State and Hawaii are currently tied for first place in the Big West, both with four points.
The Beach will play its next game on the road against UC Davis at Aggie Soccer Field on Thursday, Sept. 28 at 5 p.m.