Box Score
LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s women's soccer team wrapped up its second straight California Collegiate Athletic Association South Division title and the No. 1 seed in next week's CCAA Championship Tournament and it came in dramatic fashion.
Liz Franco scored the game-tying goal with one minute left in regulation and then got the game-winner with 4:25 left in the second overtime period to lift Cal State L.A. to a thrilling 4-3 win over Cal Poly Pomona on Sunday. The Golden Eagles (14-3, 13-3 CCAA) won their sixth consecutive match and will face tournament host Cal State Stanislaus next Friday at 7 p.m. in the CCAA Championship Tournament.
Cal State L.A., the defending conference champions, finished the regular season with 39 points and outlasted UC San Diego, which finished with 38 points.
The Golden Eagles barely survived a stern challenge from Cal Poly Pomona (7-8-3, 5-8-3 CCAA) on Sunday. The Broncos stormed back from a 2-0 deficit with three unanswered goals in the second half, the go-ahead goal coming from Jennifer Rivera with 10 minutes remaining.
The Broncos held the 3-2 lead until Franco scored the second of her three goals with one minute remaining in regulation.
Cal Poly Pomona had a golden opportunity to win the game in the first overtime period, but Brittany Garrett's penalty kick was off the mark and the Golden Eagles had new life.
The winning goal came on a beautiful play.
Ann Marie Tangorra sent a cross to the top of the box and
Alex Conley headed the ball over to Franco, who collected the ball and lofted a perfectly-placed shot just under the crossbar for the game-winner.
Franco, in her final game at Jesse Owens Stadium, had a match-high 10 shots and recorded her second career hat trick.
Cal State L.A. had a 26-13 advantage in shots and a 9-5 edge in corner kicks.
The three goals by Cal Poly Pomona were the most allowed in a game this season by the Golden Eagles.
Cal State L.A. opened the scoring in the 14
th minute when Conley scored her fifth goal of the season.
Stacey Rodwell got the ball to Tangorra, who set up Conley beautifully in the middle of the field. Her shot under some pressure nestled just inside the post.
The Golden Eagles made it 2-0 in the 31st minute when Franco stole a clearing attempt at the top of the box and knocked it in for her first goal of the game.
Cal Poly Pomona came out on fire in the second half and scored just 30 seconds after halftime. Sarah Hanna floated a shot from outside the box just under the crossbar to make it 2-1.
The Broncos then tied it less than four minutes later when Justine Barclay headed in a cross from Hanna.
Rivera then gave the Broncos the lead when she knocked home a rebound of a shot by Garrett with just 10 minutes remaining.
Franco tied it with assists from Rodwell and
Lisa Ohberg, firing in a perfectly-placed shot after a nice set-up from Ohberg.
Franco's third goal of the game then decided it in the second overtime period.
