WOMEN'S SOCCER RECLAIMS FIRST PLACE WITH 2-0 TRIUMPH OVER NORTHERN ARIZONA
10/28/2007
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Senior Katie McCoy connected on her fourth game-winning goal of the season in the 10th minute, leading Sacramento State to a 2-0 conference victory over Northern Arizona.
With the win, the Hornets improve to 9-3-5, 3-0-3 in the Big Sky Conference, while the Lumberjacks fall to 7-8-5, 2-3-1 in Big Sky play.
Coming back from Friday's road tie against Northern Colorado, Sacramento State looked like a fresh team on the field, controlling play from wire-to-wire. The pressure was applied early by the Hornets, as in the 10th minute, junior Kara Taylor served a free kick off of the head of sophomore Kim Kemper, who found the right foot of McCoy, who rifled the ball into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead they would take into halftime.
In the second half, the Hornets were again on the attack, as senior Amanda Gray had great chances at net in the 61st and 64th minutes, with both shots bounding just slightly over the crossbar. The insurance goal came in the 88th minute, as freshman Leah Larot took a long pass and dribbled into the corner, where she blew by two defenders and beat Lumberjack 'keeper Elizabeth Winkelblech with a shot to the far post to account for the final margin of 2-0.
For the match, the Hornets outshot the Lumberjacks 21-6, including a 7-2 advantage in shots on goal.
In goal, sophomore Mandy Trojan posted her seventh clean sheet of the season, putting her in a tie with Stacy Hines (1996) for most shutouts in a season in the school’s history. Her nine career shutouts in just two collegiate season rank has the third most in program history.
McCoy’s goal was her 11th on the season, marking the third best single season in school history. She has four goals in the Hornets last three games after going goalless for a stretch of four games, and scoreless for three straight contests.
On Mccoy’s goal, Kim Kemper’s assist gives her seven on the season, which ties McCoy for not only the team lead, but for the best single season performance in Hornet history. McCoy has tallied seven assists each of the last two seasons, but has been held without an assist in the Hornets last seven contests. Taylor’s assist on the goal was the second assist for her in as many weeks. The 2005 Big Sky Conference Co-Defensive MVP, Taylor started the first 54 games of her career without a point.
After today’s match, the Hornets have scored 36 goals on the season and collected 101 team points, both of which set program records. Sacramento State is now 8-0-1 at home this season, 2-0-1 during the conference season. The Hornets are unbeaten in their last 13 matches at home dating back to last season.
The Hornets moved back into first place in the Big Sky following the win, which coupled with then-first place Weber State tieing Montana on the road 1-1.
Sacramento State will play host to third place Portland State (7-8-2, 3-2-1) on Friday, Nov. 2 at Hornet Soccer Field. The team will honor its three departing seniors; McCoy, Gray and Katie Burton prior to the match. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., as the second game of a doubleheader with men’s soccer.
