Box Score (PDF)
Burkenroad's Golden Goal (Video)
Diego, Wilson & Batchellor Goals (Video)
FULLERTON, Calif. – Christina Burkenroad's penalty kick golden goal in the 108th minute preserved Cal State Fullerton's unblemished record as the women's soccer team recorded a 4-3 double overtime victory over FGCU on Friday night at Titan Stadium.
The Titans, now 5-0, are off to their best start in program history, while the Eagles (3-1-1) suffered their first loss of the year.
"I couldn't be happier for our players and the program at this point early in the season," head coach Demian Brown said. "We've learned a lot about ourselves through our competition, and we've learned that there is still room to grow and things that we need to do better. But I think in the games that we have played, we've proven that there are certain things that we are very good at, and we are going build on that and correct some things. To be sitting at 5-0 right now is a really good feeling for the program."
For the third time this season, CSF scored four goals in a game, and for the second straight game, the Titans scored three goals in a half. But the match was a tale of two halves, as FGCU scored three second-half goals, including the game-tying score in the 88th minute.
Fullerton wasted little time scoring in the sixth minute as Connie Caliz found Sarah Fajnor open on left side. Fajnor played a cross into the goal box that Ivy Diego was able to get a head to for her second score of the season.
Fullerton doubled its lead to 2-0 in the 21st minute as Rebecca Wilson scored her team-leading sixth goal of the year. The senior one-timed a shot to the low far corner after Fajnor's cross was headed to the top of the box by a FGCU defender.
Morgan Batcheller volleyed in Fullerton's third goal in the 33rd minute as Tatiana Rizzotti played a cross into the box that was played back across the goal mouth by Wislon, finding an open Batcheller just yards from the far post.
In the second half, FGCU's Tabby Tindell beat Fullerton goalkeeper Jennifer Stuart with a header at the far post as Ali Rogers provided the assist in the 57th minute.
Less than two minutes later, the Eagles cut the score to 3-2 as Paulina Speckmaier headed a cross over Stuart at the back post with Camille Knudstrup and Tindell setting up the play.
Minutes later in the 63rd minute, Tindell was issued a yellow card in a challenge that caused a collision with Stuart. The Titans' keeper left the game as sophomore Morgan Bertsch was called into action.
In the 88th minute, an FGCU cross deflected off a Titan defender giving the Eagles the game-tying goal with less than three minutes to play in regulation.
In the first 10 minutes of overtime, Bertsch made a point blank save in the 95th minute, while Wilson's diving header hit the post in the 99th minute.
It was Wilson who broke free in the 108th minute and drew the penalty kick for the Titans before Burkenroad calmly buried her shot in the corner as FGCU goalkeeper Brittany Brown guessed wrong.
The Titans put their perfect record back on the line on Sunday, hosting UNLV at Titan Stadium with kickoff scheduled for 2 p.m.
Notes: At 5-0, Cal State Fullerton is off to its best start in program history besting 4-0 starts in 2008 and 1995…the Titans have scored four goals in three matches this season, and have scored three goals in a half twice in 2015…Friday's match was Fullerton's first overtime game of the year…Fullerton last allowed three goals in a half in a 5-2 loss at Stanford in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 14, 2014 as all five goals were scored in the second period…Rebecca Wilson's 54 career points tie Amy Barnes for fourth all-time, her 21 goals tie Kellie Cox for fifth all-time and her 12 assists tie for 10th in program history…Christina Burkenroad's 18 goals rank ninth in program history and her seven game winners tie for seventh in Fullerton history…Burkenroad's PK was the first of her career…Rebecca Wilson has now scored a goal in four consecutive games and has recorded at least a goal or an assist in five straight matches.