Nov. 4, 2005
FULLERTON, CA -
Cal State Fullerton junior Lauryn Welch netted the game-winner in the 85th minute to help propel the host and top-seeded Titans to a 1-0 victory in the second semifinal match of the 2005 Big West Conference Women's Soccer Tournament on Friday night at Titan Stadium.
The victory was the first-ever for Fullerton in four Big West Conference Tournament appearances and puts the Titans in Sunday's championship match against No. 2-seeded UC Riverside, a shootout winner over Long Beach State earlier in the evening.
Fullerton improved to 16-3 overall with the victory, setting a new school record with its eighth consecutive victory. Pacific ends its regular season at 10-9-1, 3-4 in the Big West Conference.
The Titans dominated the shot category, 23-7, including a 10-2 margin in the first half, but could not find the back of the net until just over five minutes remaining in the match.
Senior Marlene Sandoval's free kick from 40 yards out went to the far right post where sophomore Stacey Thompson crossed the ball across the goal mouth to a leaping Welch, who headed the ball in for her sixth goal of the season.
Pacific's Carmen Padilla nearly missed a goal early in the second half, but Titan junior goalkeeper Karen Bardsley tipped the ball just over the crossbar to keep the match scoreless. Nicci Leon had the next best chance minutes later when her bouncing shot nearly got behind Bardsley, who made a diving save.
For Bardsley, it was her ninth shutout of the season and the 11th of the year for the Titans - both extending school records. Senior Rebekah Patrick led all players with four shots on the night, including one off the crossbar that was saved by Tigers' goalkeeper Jaime Souza.