LONG BEACH – The UCSB and Long Beach State women’s soccer teams wasted little time getting things started on Sunday afternoon at George Allen Field in Long Beach. The 49ers scored in the second minute and the Gauchos responded with one in the seventh to tie. Unfortunately it was the last time Santa Barbara would find the back of the net as LBSU won the Big West match, 3-1.
Long Beach State (8-3-2 overall, 1-0-1 in the Big West) extended its unbeaten streak to five games and sent the Gauchos (5-5-2 overall, 1-1-0 in the Big West) home with a split of its opening weekend of league play.
LBSU struck early as Nadia Link recorded the quickest goal in program history, notching her team-leading seventh of the season just 1:30 into the game. Shawna Gordon sent a lead pass up the field and over the Gauchos’ back line where Link was able to beat goalkeeper Makenna Henry with a shot to the far post.
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UCSB responded at the 6:10 mark when a misclear by the 49er defense left Kailyn Kugler with the ball in the middle of the box where she delivered it to the upper right part of the goal. It was Kugler’s third goal of the season and the third in her last four matches.
Long Beach responded in the 23rd minut, as Gordon scored what ended up being the game-winner. After a handball was called in the box, Gordon’s penalty kick was blocked by Henry, but Gordon was right there for the rebound, drilling the ball to the lower right corner. The blocked penalty kick was the second of the season for Henry who finished with six saves.
The 49ers held their 2-1 lead for the remainder of the half. Much of the second half was played on Long Beach’s offensive end as the Gauchos were outshot 9-5. The 49ers eventually tacked on one more at the 59:06 mark when Lindsay Bullock headed in her second goal of the year on a corner kick from senior Karina Camacho.
Long Beach State won the battle in shots (15-to-10) and corner kicks (6-to-3). Bullock led the 49ers with five attempts, three of which were on target, while Gordon finished with three shots. Alyssa Benjamin, Alissa Sanchez and Jacqui Simon each had one shot on goal for the Gauchos.
UCSB returns home for its next five matches. To open the home stretch, the Gauchos will host Cal State Northridge on Friday, Oct. 8 at 7:00 p.m. at Meredith Field at Harder Stadium. They will also play UC Irvine on Oct. 10 at 1:00 p.m.
