Sept. 11, 2009
FULLERTON, CA - Cal State Fullerton junior Tamara Dewey and freshman Brisa Gonzalez each found the back of the net on Friday afternoon helping the Titans to their first victory of the 2009 season, a 2-0 shutout of Michigan at Titan Stadium.
Fullerton, which had endured three consecutive shutout losses, improved to 1-4 overall on the season while the Wolverines, who had won two straight, fell to 3-4 in the first match of their two-game West Coast road swing.
The two goals on Friday doubled the Titans total on the year after they had been held scoreless since scoring in the 67th minute of the season opener against Utah on Aug. 23.
Michigan had a golden opportunity to take the early lead just three minutes into the match, only to have it snuffed out by keeper Shannon Simpson. Holly Hein was taken down inside the box near the end line on the right side, drawing a penalty kick. Hein, however, was thwarted in her attempt as Simpson went to the ground to the right post to save the shot and keep the match scoreless.
Fullerton then answered with the first goal of the match on a penalty kick of its own to take its first lead of the 2009 season. Sophomore Casey Volk was taken down at the top of the box, drawing an attempt from the spot for Dewey, who converted for her second goal of the year (both on PK's) and the 1-0 lead. The goal moved Dewey to a perfect 4-for-4 from the spot for her career and snapped a 327-minute scoreless streak for the Titans with the tally.
It looked as if the Wolverines would tie things up with just under 13 minutes to play in the period after tempers flared and saw both Dewey and Michigan's Amanda Bowery sent off with red cards after a scuffle in the Titans' defensive third.
Now, with both teams playing with 10 women apiece, the ensuing free kick from midfield found the feet of Courtney Mercier, whose shot banged off the left post right to teammate Kelsey Rogind, who launched what appeared to be the equalizer into the top netting. However, the assistant referee's flag went up and judged her to be offsides on the shot off the post, negating the goal and preserving the 1-0 Fullerton advantage.
Fullerton made it a two-goal lead in the 59th minute as sophomore Caitlin Mellano made a long run down the left side and sent a well-struck cross into the box to the head of Gonzalez, who caught the Michigan keeper out of position and looped a header into the upper left corner to make it 2-0.
The Wolverines outshot the Titans, 10-8, including a 5-4 advantage on frame, but the Titans applied the most pressure on the day, notching five corners to none for Michigan. Fullerton junior goalkeeper Shannon Simpson made five saves on the afternoon in recording her first clean sheet of the year while Michigan keeper Kristen Keane was credited with two saves on the day.
Offensively, four Wolverines finished with two shots to lead their side while Mellano had two shots to pace the Fullerton offense which had seven players tally shots on the afternoon.
Cal State Fullerton continues its three-match home stand on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 13) at 1 p.m. as the Titans host San Francisco at Titan Stadium.