Oct. 19, 2007
LONG BEACH, CA - Cal State Fullerton junior defender Jenae Gibbens scored on an uncontested throw-in for the game's lone tally on Friday afternoon as the visiting Titans toppled league-leading and host Long Beach State, 1-0, in a Big West Conference women's soccer match at George Allen Field.
The win was the second straight for Fullerton, which improved to 8-6-1 overall and 3-2 in league play. The 49ers saw their four-match winning streak come to an end as they fell to 10-5 overall and 3-1 in the Big West.
The winning score was set up when Gibbens threw the ball in from 15 yards out, finding its way through a Long Beach State and Cal State Fullerton player and past 49ers goalkeeper Liz Ramos at the 62:10 mark.
The goal was Gibbens' fourth of the year and her first since a 3-2 win at Fresno State on Sept. 30.
Junior goalkeeper Shayla Sabin was forced to make only one save in net for the Titans, earning her team-best fourth shutout of the season.
The two teams played to a scoreless first half with Long Beach State outshooting Fullerton, 6-4. The Titans had two solid chances in the opening period, as Gibbens missed on a header off a corner kick in the 18th minute and freshman Christina Murillo's shot hit the post in the 30th minute.
The 49ers would finish with a 13-8 advantage in shots and a 5-2 advantage in corners. Four different Titans took two shots on the day.
Cal State Fullerton returns to action on Sunday night (Oct. 21) at 6 p.m. as the Titans play host to Cal State Northridge at Titan Stadium.
NOTES: Fullerton improved to 4-1 all-time against Long Beach State in Long Beach in the history of the series and has won five straight matches played in Long Beach when you count the Titans' two wins at the Big West Conference Tournament last season... Fullerton's last eight goals have all come in the second half or later... Gibbens became the sixth Titan this season to notch a game-winning goal... Fullerton improved to 7-1 this year when scoring first.