Oct. 14, 2007
FULLERTON, CA - Senior forward Brianna Buffington scored twice and freshman Christina Murillo added her third goal of the season to help host Cal State Fullerton to a 3-0 Big West Conference women's soccer victory over Pacific on Sunday afternoon at Titan Stadium in front of 315 fans.
The win snapped a three match losing streak for the Titans as they improved to 7-6-1 overall and 2-2 in league play while defeating the Tigers for the eighth consecutive meeting. Pacific fell to 6-5-3 overall and 1-2-1 in the Big West.
All three goals came in the second half after the two teams played to a scoreless first period. Buffington broke the seal in the 55th minute as Jenae Gibbens' throw-in was headed on by Lauren Cram and saved by Pacific goalkeeper Jaime Souza.
However, the ball popped into the air to Buffington at the far post and she headed it home for her third goal of the year and a 1-0 lead.
Murillo made it 2-0 in the 64th minute as she made a run down the left side and hooked a ball into the far right side netting for her third goal of the year. The goal came just minutes after the Titans had a goal by Cram disallowed after it was ruled a Titan player was offsides.
Fullerton, which was whistled for five offsides on the day, continued to pour on the offense as Buffington netted her second goal of the day off a corner kick by Casey Schostag, slamming home a shot from 18 yards to the left post to make it 3-0.
Pacific's best scoring chance came with just under 16 minutes to go in the first half when freshman Sammi Teramae ran onto a long ball from teammate Mandi Van Dorn, but put her shot off the right post.
The Titans outshot the Tigers, 14-9, while Souza (six saves) and Fullerton goalkeeper Shayla Sabin (four saves) were busy in net. For Sabin, it was her team-leading third shutout of the season.
Buffington led all players with five shots on the day while Pacific's Natalie McCrackin had two to pace the Tigers.
The Titans continue Big West Conference play next weekend as they travel to league preseason favorite Long Beach State for a 2 p.m. kickoff on Friday afternoon (Oct. 19) before returning home to host Cal State Northridge on Sunday night (Oct. 21) at 6 p.m.