Sept. 9, 2005
FULLERTON, CA -
Cal State Fullerton senior midfielder Lisa Kosena scored twice, including the eventual game-winner in the 60th minute, to help lift the Titans to a 3-2 victory over Gonzaga on Friday evening in the first match of the 2005 Santa Clara adidas Classic in Santa Clara, Calif.
The Titans extended their winning streak to four straight matches in improving to 4-1 overall on the season. The Bulldogs suffered their first loss of the year in falling to 2-1-1.
Fullerton trailed early after Gonzaga's Jamie Blanche gave the Bulldogs the lead in the 39th minute, taking a pass from Ashley Sarro and scoring on a low drive in front of the net for the 1-0 advantage.
The Bulldogs' lead lasted for the remainder of the first half and the first five minutes of the second half when Fullerton's offense awoke to score three unanswered goals and take control of the match.
Senior defender Marlene Sandoval got things started in the 51st minute, converting on her second penalty kick in the span of a week, knotting the score at one goal apiece.
The Titans' offensive barrage continued as Kosena gave Cal State Fullerton the lead for good in the 57th minute, taking a pass from junior Lauryn Welch and blasting a rocket from 30 yards out at the top of the box to make it 2-1.
Just over three minutes later Kosena struck again, with a little help from the Gonzaga defense, as her drive went off a Bulldogs' defender and past goalkeeper Ashley Haugen for the 3-1 lead.
However, the Bulldogs made it interesting in the 88th minute as Nanda McCormick headed home a chip from Traci Dallas in the box past Fullerton keeper Karen Bardsley to make it 3-2.
That would be as close as Gonzaga would get, however, as the Titans' defense held the Bulldogs without a shot for the final two minutes to escape with the victory.
Cal State Fullerton outshot Gonzaga, 14-3, for the match, and had 11 corner kicks to the Bulldogs' three. Kosena led the Titans with five shots on the night while GU keeper Haugen kept her team in the match with six saves.
The Titans return to action on Sunday (Sept. 11) with a stiff test against No. 6 Santa Clara at 1:30 p.m. at Buck Shaw Stadium. The Broncos will face top-ranked Notre Dame in Friday's nightcap.