FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – UC San Diego goalkeeper
Keara Fitzgerald notched a season-best seven saves and recorded her second career clean sheet as the visiting Tritons earned a one-nil win at Northern Arizona on Tuesday night.
Ava D'Arcangelo's first half goal was the difference for the Tritons (1-3) in the road victory. With the loss, the Lumberjacks are now 0-2-1.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lumberjacks came out aggressively, firing five shots in the first seven minutes of the match. Despite the pressure, only one of those shots was on frame and UC San Diego goalkeeper
Keara Fitzgerald made a diving stop.
Momentum began to shift about 20 minutes in, and UC San Diego pushed forward. In the 32nd minute, UC San Diego got on the board.
Lucy Tang sent the ball into the box where a cutting
Ava D'Arcangelo re-directed it into the back of the net, giving the Tritons the lead.
The Tritons continued to pressure the NAU back line, and
Lauren Rocco fired a shot just over the net as time expired to end the first half with the visitors on top, 1-0.
The Lumberjacks out-shot the Tritons, 11-7, and NAU held a three corner kicks to none edge. Fitzgerald made four first half saves.
In the second half, NAU netted the apparent equalizer in the 58th minute, but the would-be goal was called off as the flag was up and the Lumberjacks were offsides. Ten minutes later, UC San Diego's
Kennedy Carter had a breakaway chance but her shot sailed wide right.
NAU earned a free kick from just outside the box in the 75th minute, but the ensuing shot attempt from Maddie Shafer sailed well high and UC San Diego earned a goal kick.
With time winding down, the Lumberjacks had one last chance to net the equalizer. Morgan Caslin fired a shot from the top-left corner of the 18-yard box, but Fitzgerald re-directed the shot over the crossbar to preserve the win as time expired.
QUOTABLE
"We talked before the game how with their direct play, we'd have our backs up against the wall if we didn't play our game. It didn't need to be the prettiest soccer game, but we had to find a way," said UC San Diego head coach
Kristin Jones '04. "Our game-changers were really good in the first half. Lucy [Tang] did well to get that cross off, and Ava finished."
"There are different ways to win, and we found one tonight. It takes a lot of focus to stay mentally locked in at that point of the game," Jones added regarding Fitzgerald's game-saving stop as time wound down.
TRITON TIDBITS
- D'Arcangelo scored her first goal of the season and the fourth of her career. Tang's assist was the third of her career, and her first helper since 2019.
- Tuesday's match was the first-ever between the Tritons and Lumberjacks.
- Temperature at kick-off was 79 degrees.
- UC San Diego used the same starting lineup for the third consecutive match.
- Graduate student Emily Killeen saw her first action of the season – and first since 2019 after missing last season due to injury.
- The Tritons wore blue for the second time this season, with GK Keara Fitzgerald in light blue.
UP NEXT
The Tritons conclude their three-match road trip on Sunday night when they visit San Diego State at 7p.m. Live video and live stats links can be found on UCSDTritons.com.
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.
