Long Beach State University
BYU
49ers Suffer Third-Straight Top-25 Loss
9/11/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
49ers Suffer Their Third-Straight One-Goal Loss
PROVO, Utah-- Long Beach State (2-3-0) suffered their third-straight one-goal loss to a top-25 team, dropping a 1-0 decision at No. 24-ranked Brigham Young, after having to play the final 20 minutes a man down. Despite being a man down, LBSU tied the match in the 87th minute, before the goal was neglected due to an offsides call. The match ended a string of three matches in six days, which spanned three different states and went from the team's home base in Long Beach to the Carolinas, back to Long Beach and then to Utah. "We're glad to be coming home after being on the road for a great deal of time," said Head Coach Mauricio Ingrassia. " I feel our team learned some valuable lessons and although we didn't get the results we wanted, I feel we are a much stronger team. I feel that these lessons will help us out the rest of the year. I saw a lot of character last night over the final 20 minutes, playing a man down and still attacking and attempting to score. I thought we had that last one, but it was called back. BYU was a very strong team, as was Wake and Clemson, and I thought we competed very well and now it's time to win." The winning score was setup following a breakaway by the BYU offense, after the 49ers controlled the tempo for much of the second half. Following a hard tackle and red card by freshman defender Tara Corcoran, Katie Larkin converted on a penalty kick to give BYU a 1-0 lead at 70:22. Corcoran was trailing the play, caught up to Larkin and made a tackle, which referee Tyler Ploeger called a red card giving the Cougars the penalty shot and go-ahead goal. Kristen Kiefer nearly tied the match with three minutes remaining, as her first shot was blocked and her second shot, which found the back of the net, was called offsides following a scramble in the box. BYU outshot The Beach 14-to-6 in the contest. Larkin nearly broke down the defense for the third time on the night, missing a shot from 10 yards out in the 60th minute. The 49ers had a chance on a give-and-go in the 57th minute when Mariko Strickland controlled it deep in the 49er end, but Nikki Myers shot rolled just wide to the right to keep the match scoreless. Neither team could find the back of the net in the first half following a fast paced first 35 minutes. Larkin had two chances to give the Cougars the lead midway through the first half, as shots in the 15th and 20th minutes were each saved by Liz Ramos. The final 10 minutes of the half slowed down to a more intermediate pace. BYU outshot The Beach 6-to-2, as Ramos made three saves. The 49ers will return home to host Oklahoma on Friday at 5 p.m. and Baylor on Sunday at 1 p.m. NOTES: First team All-Big West forward Sahar Haghdan was available for the first time this season (leg) and played limited action for LBSU... the 49ers fell out of the national rankings despite back-to-back losses to two top-25 teams last week at Wake Forest and Clemson... BYU was as high as No. 24 in Soccer Buzz' weekly ratings, dropping from No. 19 a week ago... it was the home opener for BYU. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
