Nov. 10, 2006
Los Angeles, Calif. - Cal State Fullerton got goals from Erica Janke, Kristen Boujos, and Brianna Buffington to help lift the Titans to a 3-0 victory over Loyola Marymount in a first-round NCAA Tournament women's soccer match on Friday night at Drake Stadium on the campus of UCLA.
Fullerton, winners of a season-high four-straight matches, improved to 12-7-2 overall on the season and advances to face the host and No. 2 national seeded Bruins (18-3 overall) on Sunday at 1 p.m. UCLA routed UNLV (9-11-3 overall) in the evening's first match by a 6-1 score.
Loyola Marymount finished its season with a 10-3-6 overall record.
The Titans became the first Big West school to win an NCAA Tournament match in back-to-back seasons and improved to 3-2 overall in postseason play since 2001. Fullerton also improved to 8-0 in neutral site matches dating back to last season - including a 4-0 mark this year.
Janke and Buffington had early chances for the Titans as Janke's shot from just outside the box curled into the keeper's hands 18 minutes in, but the rebound fell to Buffington, whose chip shot from three yards sailed just over the crossbar to keep the match scoreless.
Fullerton the got on the board 10 minutes later as Janke, the 2006 Big West Defensive Player of the Year, got the Titans on the board first at the 28-minute mark as she headed home a corner kick at the back post from senior Desiree Flint for the 1-0 advantage.
The score remained that way until the second half when Boujos gave Fullerton the 2-0 lead in the 51st minute off a misclear from the LMU defense. The ball was sent across the box where Buffington and the Lions' goalkeeper collided, knocking the ball out to Boujos, who fired into an open net for her fifth goal of the year.
Buffington and Flint each had chances with just under three minutes to play as Buffington broke away on a 1-v-1 opportunity, but LMU keeper Joslyn Slovek made a sprawling save and also blocked Flint's shot off the rebound.
However, Buffington made good on a second chance, adding the final tally with just under two minutes remaining as freshman Tanya Slusser drove down the right side, drawing the goalkeeper out trying to cut off the pass.
Slusser then touched the ball around the keeper to Buffington on the right post, who fired home to an open net for the final 3-0 score. It was her team-best eighth goal of the season.
The Titans outshot LMU, 15-6, for the match, including an 8-1 margin in the first half. Fullerton also dominated possession, taking six corners to the Lions' one.
Buffington, Flint, and Janke each had a match-high three shots while senior goalkeeper Karen Bardsley logged her eighth shutout of the year, making three saves.
The shutout was the 26th of Bardsley' career, just two shy of Pacific's Kim McCaskey, who holds the Big West Conference career record with 28 clean sheet from 1997-99.