Aug. 27, 2006
FULLERTON, CA - Cal State Fullerton senior Lauryn Welch scored a goal and added an assist and three other Titans found the back of the net as No. 15 Fullerton shutout Idaho, 4-0, on Sunday afternoon at Titan Stadium.
The win lifts Fullerton to 1-0 overall on the year, snapping a two-match losing streak in season openers and extending its home field winning streak to 11 consecutive matches.
Idaho fell to 0-2 overall after losing a 5-0 decision to Pepperdine in Malibu, Calif., on Friday.
The Titans scored three times after the half, to break open a 1-0 match after 45 minutes of play. Senior Desiree Flint got Fullerton on the board first in the 25th minute, settling an Idaho turnover in the box and touching it to the otuside left post from about 12 yards out for the 1-0 advantage.
Junior Candice Byler, a transfer from Oklahoma State, opened the floodgates in the second half, netting her first goal as a Titan in the 70th minute from 10 yards out to the left post on a pass from Welch to make it 2-0.
Seven minutes later, Welch added her first goal of the season in the 77th minute as her ball across the mouth of the goal defelcted off an Idaho defender and in for the 3-0 advantage.
Junior Stacey Thompson added the fourth and final goal in the 84th minute, bending a corner kick from the right corner to the far post and in over the defense to make it 4-0.
Idaho wasn't able to generate much offense in the match save for a couple runs late in each half of play as the Titans' defense, which returned just one starter on the back line from last year's record-setting group, held the Vandals to without a shot in the first half en route to a 26-1 advantage (11-0 in the first half) in the shot column for the match.
The Vandals wouldn't tally their first shot until the 66th minute on a header by Jenny Springer from about 18 yards out that was easily secured by Titans' keeper Karen Bardsley.
Goalkeeper Michelle Jordan made six saves in net for the Vandals while Bardsley extended her school career record shutout total to 19.
Welch led all players with seven shots on the afternoon.
Cal State Fullerton opens an eight-match road trip next weekend as one of four teams at the California Invitational in Berkeley, Calif. The Titans will take on Saint Mary's and the host No. 10 Golden Bears in their two contests on Friday (Sept. 1) and Sunday (Sept. 3), respectively.