LA JOLLA, Calif. - Seventh-ranked University of California San Diego needed just one second-half goal to nudge past Cal Poly Pomona, 1-0, in a key California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) women's soccer contest Friday evening at Triton Soccer Stadium.
The match pitted the top two teams in the CCAA standings heading into the third weekend of league activity, and the only two sides who were still unbeaten in conference play. With a fifth consecutive victory, UC San Diego strengthened its grip on the top of the ladder, moving to 8-2 overall and a still-perfect 5-0 in the CCAA. Cal Poly Pomona fell to 7-2-1 overall and 3-1-1 in league play, now in third place.
Junior winger Summer Bales took a right-sided corner kick in the 66th minute that senior Jordyn McNutt (San Diego/University City HS), who starts on the opposite flank for the Tritons, was able to get her head on, with the ball going off senior CPP goalie Ricki Ives' hands and into the upper right corner of the net. It was McNutt's fourth goal of the season, putting her in a three-way tie for most on the team, while Bales earned credit for her third assist, all coming over the last three games.
Redshirt sophomore Angelica Ramos had two saves in the UCSD net for a sixth individual shutout, with seniors Aimee Ellis and Brie Diaz and true freshman Delaney Whittet working just in front of her from left to right. Ives, the reigning CCAA Player of the Week, came up with five stops for CPP. The Tritons outshot the Broncos, 14-4, including 9-2 after halftime.
UCSD almost needed only 62 seconds to take the lead. At 1:02, senior Katie O'Laughlin (Carlsbad/Pacific Ridge School) put strike partner Mary Reilly (Chula Vista/Hilltop HS) in on goal one-on-one, but Ives charged out and smothered the junior's low shot attempt.
In the 58th minute, Reilly expertly took down Bales' long cross from the left with one deft touch, but that effort sailed over the crossbar. A short time later, it was 1-0 in favor of the Tritons. They made it hold up, but not without one danger spot in the 83rd. Junior Bronco midfielder Alison Kung lofted an ambitious ball from near the left sideline that was pretty clearly intended to be a cross, but the right-footer caused some definitive concern and Ramos did real well to slap it off the far post and away for her second save, preserving the 1-0 score.
UCSD continues a season-long four-game homestand this Sunday, Oct. 1, hosting Cal State San Bernardino at 11:30 a.m. The men's game will follow at approximately 2 p.m. Admission is free into Triton Soccer Stadium on North Campus in La Jolla.
Triton Notes: The Tritons have won 19 consecutive CCAA contests and 25 in a row against CCAA opposition in all competitions (CCAA Tournament and non-conference), since a 1-0 loss at Sonoma State on Oct. 18, 2015 ... UCSD has held a 66-6 scoring advantage in those 25 games, and trailed in just one ... Head coach Brian McManus sent out the exact same starting lineup for the third straight game ... The Tritons have allowed just one goal during this current five-game win streak, and that was an own goal at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Sept. 22 ... UCSD remained a perfect 6-0 at home this season, snapping CPP's five-game (4-0-1) unbeaten streak.
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