LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's women's soccer team turned in an impressive performance Sunday in the regular-season finale against Cal State San Bernardino.
The Golden Eagles scored a pair of first-half goals and went on to beat the Coyotes, 2-1, on Senior Day at University Stadium. Cal State LA (10-5-2, 6-4-2 CCAA) finished in a tie for fifth in the California Collegiate Athletic Association and earned the No. 6 seed for the conference tournament. The Golden Eagles will be at No. 3 seed Sonoma State on Tuesday in a first-round match.
After honoring seniors
Adriana Maldonado,
Stephanie Correa,
Erika Lizarraga,
Meranda Salazar,
Caitlyn Esposito,
Anahie Duran and
Tatiana Zuvic, the Golden Eagles got off to a quick start against the Coyotes (5-12, 4-8 CCAA). Cal State LA got goals from
Adyson Willett and
Madison Mader in a 16-minute span of the first half and made them stand up for the win.
Cal State LA had an 18-12 advantage in shots, including a 12-3 edge in the opening half. The Golden Eagles also had a 7-3 advantage in corner kicks, two of which led to goals.
Cal State San Bernardino scored its lone goal in the 81st minute on a beautiful free kick by Cassandra Bermudez.
Cal State San Bernardino goalkeeper Carly Luna made 11 saves and had a tremendous game for the Coyotes and kept her team close. Several of her stops came when she came out of her net to thwart point-blank attempts by the Golden Eagles. She made back-top-back stops on bids by Ashytn Bracamonte in the first half and she denied Mader on another outstanding bid in the second half.
Willett opened the scoring in the 15th minute after a corner kick by Mendez. The kick came into the box and Willett was able to lunge to get off a shot that she was able to chip in just under the crossbar.
Mader made it 2-0 in the 31st minute.
Yaqualin Garcia sent in a corner kick that
Nicolette Elliott headed toward Mader, who was standing right in front of the goal and headed it into the goal. Garcia picked up her second assist of the season, while Elliott picked up her first.
Maldonado made two saves in her final start and Cal State LA and did not allow a goal. Correa made a pair of saves in the final 22:23 in her first action of the season.
Cal State LA will now head off to participate in the conference tournament at Sonoma State at a time to be determined by the conference later today.