LA JOLLA, Calif. – After ninety minutes of hard-fought soccer, the Sonoma State Seawolves came up two goals short of tournament host and No. 1 seed UC San Diego in their CCAA Women's Tournament Championship rematch Sunday afternoon, as the Tritons took the title match by a final of 3-1.
"It's disappointing," said head coach
Emiria Salzmann Dunn after the match. "It's kind of been a battle for us being in this match with UCSD, so it's difficult. They're a great team and they put away their chances and I certainly tip my hat to them."
The Tritons rode a brace performance from Megumi Barber, who was named Most Valuable Offensive Player of the tournament, to put their side up by a pair before the break. Barber scored her sixth goal of the season just five minutes into the game to give the Tritons an early 1-0 lead.
After a ball from Michelle Baddour, Barber converted a low right-footed shot from 18 yards out to open the match's scoring. Then, 23 minutes later, she doubled the Tritons' lead as she drilled a 22-yarder over the Seawolves' defensive line and into the bottom left corner.
"That's a hard shot to defend regardless of whether or not you get out fast enough," said center back
Dayna Dolcini of the Triton's second conversion. "That's a great goal and the best teams in the country are going to have shots like that. That's just what's expected."
With a 2-0 lead, Sonoma State came back in the second half looking for scoring opportunities to get back in the game. However, before they could get on the board, UC San Diego took a 3-0 lead.
On a ball down the right side by Natalie Saddic, Mary Reilly one-timed a shot from the top right corner of the box. Her right-footed attempt to the opposite corner beat a diving Spear and earned the Tritons' forward her 15th goal of the season.
However, the Seawolves refused to lay back, and just two minutes later
Alexis Espitia led her team onto the scoreboard.
On a long ball by
Miriam Bloom from the Sonoma State half, Espitia beat the Tritons' final defender and took a touch around San Diego's keeper, Angelica Ramos, at the top of the penalty area. Losing her mark, Espitia drove past the penalty spot and smoothly put the ball away on the ground to pull her team back within two goals of their opponent.
"I was really pleased with that [response] and the energy," Salzmann Dunn said of the Seawolves' pace and goal. "I think that's something I've always been proud of with my team and the culture of our program. We're always going to fight, we're never going to lay down and die. We're always going to come back, we're always going to push, we're always going to drive."
Despite additional attempts and their hard push through the final stretch, Sonoma State proved unable to find the two goals they needed to equalize with their hosts before time expired in the match.
Kristen Spear—who faced ten shots on goal and made seven saves on the day—was named to the All-Tournament team for her efforts over the past three games, including her notable performance in Friday's semi-final win in PK shootouts where she made three penalty saves in four opportunities.
"That game was definitely one of the best games that will ever come to me that I—that the team—has ever played," Spear said of her team's matchup with Chico. She recalled the mindset that her squad had, to not make the moment bigger than it was. "That's the kind of mentality I went into it with. That our team was going to win and I was going to do what I needed to do to get us there."
With the loss, the Seawolves drop to 11-4-4 on the year and will await Monday's final NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Regional Rankings to determine if their post-season will extend into the NCAA Tournament.
"I feel good that we're going to get into the top seven and I think the key now is figuring out how we find results and continue to grow in such a short amount of time," said Salzmann Dunn of her squad's chances of being selected to the national field. "I'm just excited to get to the NCAAs."
In the most recent update, Sonoma State ranked sixth in the West Region, behind their CCAA Tournament semifinal opponent, No. 4 Chico State, and No. 2 UC San Diego. Seven teams from the West Region will be selected to the regional field, with the number one seed earning a first-round bye and a confirmed home game. The regional field will be announced Monday.
2018 CCAA Women's Soccer All-Tournament Team
Sarah Emigh, Chico State
Jamie Ikeda, Chico State
Madison Watts, Sonoma State
Bella Amyx, Sonoma State
Kristen Spear, Sonoma State
Maddy Samilo, UC San Diego
Kelsey Kimball, UC San Diego
Summer Bales, UC San Diego
Mary Reilly, UC San Diego
Most Valuable Defensive Player: Natalie Saddic, UC San Diego
Most Valuable Offensive Player: Megumi Barber, UC San Diego
