FULLERTON, Calif. -- The Cal State Fullerton defense was up to the task once again Sunday afternoon, holding off 12 shots from visiting Utah State to log its fifth shutout of the season as the Titans and Aggies battled to a scoreless double-overtime draw in front of 258 fans on Sunday afternoon at Titan Stadium.
The draw kept the Titans (3-2-2 overall) unbeaten in five matches at home this season (3-0-2) and in their last six home contests overall dating back to 2012. Utah State, which suffered its first loss of the season on Friday night, rebounded to move to 4-1-2 overall on the year.
"I'm again, very, very, happy with our team defense," Head Coach Demian Brown said. "We will, however, need to refocus our efforts on our attack. If we don't score we can't win."
Cal State Fullerton, which has allowed only four goals in seven outings this season, held a 17-12 shot advantage, allowing just seven shots in regulation before the Aggies turned up the heat in the extra periods. Erica Mazeau and Summer Chavez each finished with a match-high three shots, sharing honors with the Aggies' Kylie Dibb and Jessica Brooksby.
Only five of the Titans' 17 shots were on frame, however, including another by Mazeau that clanged off the right post from 25 yards in the 69th minute.
Senior goalkeeper Lindsey Maricic stopped three shots on the afternoon in recording her fourth clean sheet of the year and the 15th of her career to solidify her hold on the No. 2 spot on the school's all-time list. She also got some help in the closing minutes of the second overtime as a shot by Dibb was cleared off the line by a defender to preserve the draw.
Jeannie Woller was also up to the task for Utah State, making five saves for her fourth shutout of the year.
Fullerton finished with eight of the 11 shots in the first half, including a pair of nice chances midway thorough by junior Adrianna Gjonovich. Her first, a curling shot to the far post in the 23rd minute, sailed just high while another one-timer at the doorstep off a cross by Mazeau off a throw in in the 31st minute went over the crossbar.
The Aggies had a golden chance in the 35th minute off a throw in as Brooksby shed a defender, spun around, and took a chance, but Maricic was there at the right post to make the save.
Utah State came out with the best chance in the second half early just eight minutes in as Lauren Roundy received a nice pass in the box, but put it just wide at the right post.
After a somewhat uneventful first overtime, where the only pressure coming in the final two minutes when a foul outside the box gave the Aggies a free kick from 20 yards that was just high, Utah State almost ended it with less than four minutes to go. Mari Miyashiro found her way in and took a chance from eight yards that was saved by a diving Maricic, leaving the net open for Dibb, whose chance was knocked away by freshman Jazzmin Mancilla to keep it scoreless.
The two teams were whistled for a combined 37 fouls without a card on the afternoon -- 27 of those called against Fullerton, which also held a 7-1 advantage in corners.
Another three-match homestand comes to a close next week as the Titans will split their weekend against a pair of Pac-12 foes. Fullerton first hosts Washington State on Friday night (Sept. 20) at 6 p.m., before heading to Los Angeles to take on USC on Sunday (Sept. 22) at 3 p.m. at McAlister Field.
NOTES: Sunday's scoreless draw was the second for the Titans this season (vs. Utah on Aug. 30) -- the first time that has happened since 2009 (vs. New Mexico and CSU Bakersfield)... Maricic's fourth shutout places her in a tie for 10th on the school's single-season list -- just six back of record-holder Karen Bardsley, who had 10 shutouts in 2005... Sunday's draw was the first in the 11-match history with Utah State... Cal State Fullerton has scored only five goals in seven matches this season, with a season-high two scores against Montana on Sept. 1... five of the Titans' seven matches this season have been decided by one goal or fewer... dating back to the second half of the season opener against BYU, Fullerton has allowed just one goal in its last 592:01.