LA JOLLA, Calif. — An incredibly competitive CCAA Tournament Championship ended in heartbreak for the Sonoma State Seawolves as UC San Diego's Natalie Saddic headed home a game-winner with 34 seconds remaining, to take the title match by a final of 4-3.
"It was one heck of a game for both teams and I believe we both gave a performance worthy of a championship game," noted head coach Emiria Salzmann Dunn. "We really felt and believed that this game would be ours but they just had one more goal than us today and that's sometimes all there is to it."
That final goal of the match developed as a serve fell into the six yard box, in a patch of traffic on the goal line. A number of players put a foot on the ball but it was eventually Saddic who pushed the ball through and into the net for the Tritons' game-winner.
UC San Diego opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Mary Reilly converted Alisa Martinez's left sided free kick with a near-post header, but their lead was soon erased when Sarah Lindborg scored her second goal in as many days.
Under pressure on the right line, Paige Martinsen lifted a ball into the center of the box where Lindborg was waiting. With a jump, the sophomore midfielder nodded the ball on to the back post where it snuck in to tie things up.
The teams returned from the break tied at one before Van Wagoner put her side up 2-1. From within the left corner of the box, Alexis Espitia received a ball and cut down the outside before slicing a cross inside. The ball got by Tritons' keeper Angelics Ramos to Van Wagoner, who volleyed the ball in the empty net.
Caitlin McCarthy came back to even the score at two, ten minutes later on a near post header—which held till the final 16 minutes of the half. Under pressure, and with Ramos off her line, Espitia flicked a slow roller from the top of the box which bounced past the keeper and into the net.
However, the lead was short-lived as the Tritons converted another set piece five minutes later.
With the final minute ticking off the board, UC San Diego found the opportunity they were looking for and converted the game winner with 34 seconds left.
For their efforts in the CCAA Tournament, a trio of Seawolves were named to the All-Tournament team: Sara Van Wagoner, Sarah Lindborg and Kristal Luna.
While the Seawolves fall short of their CCAA Championship aspirations, they await their fate—to be determined by the release of the final NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Regional Rankings, Monday at 3pm. In the most recent update, Sonoma State ranked second in the West region, behind only UC San Diego.
Should the Seawolves be selected to participate in the tournament, Salzmann Dunn knows her squad will be ready.
"I know our team has championship caliber and we will be excited to show it if we get the opportunity to in the NCAA tournament."
