LAS VEGAS - Cal State Fullerton was whistled for a foul in the box in the 102nd minute and UNLV cashed in the penalty kick to send the Titans to their third straight loss, a 1-0 non-conference decision at Johann Field in Las Vegas, Nev.
The Titans (3-6-0) have lost three straight for the second time this season and have also been shutout in three straight matches for the second time this year. Fullerton was whistled for a foul inside the area when UNLV (7-2-0) midfielder Sophie Cortes dribbled into the left side of the Titans' 18-yard box. Titans defender Lindsay Stasinis attempted to get the ball away from Cortes and made contact, drawing a whistle from the referee with a penalty kick getting awarded to the Rebels.
Cortes took the kick herself against Titans goalkeeper Morgan Bertsch. The Titans keeper guessed correctly, diving to her left but Cortes' shot was placed perfectly into the bottom corner just out of Bertsch's reach to give the Rebels the 1-0 victory.
Bertsch, who made her second appearance of the season and logged her first start, was solid in net as she totaled four saves in 101:49 of action. Jessie Clark got the victory in net for the Rebels as she also made four saves on the day.
The Titans were outshot 10-4 in the first half including a 4-1 disadvantage in shots on target but had a good opportunity to score as Nano Oronoz hit the crossbar in the 22nd minute. It was one of her four shot attempts on the day, with two on target.
Fullerton picked up the pace in the second half, firing off nine shot attempts including two on target but could not find the back of the net. The Titans defense did not allow a shot on target after halftime until Cortes' penalty kick in the 102nd minute.
Notes: Bertsch and Tatiana Rizzotti got their first starts of the season for Fullerton… The Titans have now been held scoreless for 308:06, eclipsing the 307:34 period when they were shutout in three straight earlier this season from Aug. 19-Sept. 4. The current streak is now the sixth longest scoreless streak in Fullerton history… All six of the Titans losses this season have come by way of shutout. The last time the team was shutout six times in a season was in 2013. They would go on to win the Big West Conference tournament that year to kick off the team's current streak of three straight conference titles… Fullerton is now 2-4-1 all-time against UNLV and 0-3-0 in Las Vegas,