Sunday’s women’s soccer game between Fresno State and University of the Pacific was a nail biter matchup to the final minutes, as both teams were tied with one goal a piece. 

“Play our game guys! Relax,” said senior Chais Wright on the sideline. 

With three seconds left on the clock, Pacific’s Jenae Packard took the final shot of the game, sending a direct shot toward Fresno State goalkeeper Ella Wilson.

With the game on the line, Wilson was able to deflect the shot attempt and save the game for the Bulldogs, keeping it at a draw.­

After an intense final play and seven yellow cards from both teams, the Fresno State soccer team ended in a 1-1 draw against Pacific. Wilson’s save not only prevented another loss to the ‘Dogs season, but it broke their four game losing streak..

“I got good help from my defenders and all the players,” Wilson said. 

Wilson played from start to finish in the game against Pacific, saving three shots from the Tigers. The team was able to finally break its losing streak since the start of its non-conference season against the University of Washington. 

“For us to finish without being beaten today is a step in the right direction,” said Fresno State head coach Brian Zwaschka. 

The Bulldogs were the first to score when Kassandra Ceja found the back of the net just seconds into the first half. As she fought her way through the Tigers goal box, she was taken down which  then led to a penalty kick (PK) and resulted in the Bulldog’s first goal since their home game against Oregon State. 

Fresno State took control of the game from the moment the first whistle blew, controlling nearly 60% of the possession in the first half. Despite the strong start, the team struggled to finish, taking 11 shots to the Tigers’ goal with three in the frame. 

In the final 30 minutes, the Tigers added pressure to the Bulldogs, taking counter attacks at any given chance to get a goal. 

In a shot that shook the stadium, the Tigers’ goal with an hour remaining didn’t count due to an offside. They responded to the call 20 minutes later when Pacific’s Haleigh Wynne took a shot in the low right-to-left corner to tie up the game. 

Despite the goal from the Tigers, the Bulldogs continued the game with haste. The environment helped them succeed in maintaining the draw with the Tigers, according to Zwaschka. 

“The number one thing is [when we’re] playing at home we want to protect our place [and] we want to give our fans something to be proud of. The energy from the fans today was unbelievable,” Zwaschka said. “Even after the goal against [us], the support that the fans showed was a perfect lift.”

With the Red Waves’ cheers and support in the final moments of the game, Sam Tristan and Megan Galvan stole the ball from the Tigers on multiple occasions. The team pushed their defense at the end of the game but it wasn’t enough, as Shantay Tamez was given Fresno State’s fifth yellow card of the evening. 

“It was really nice to get a tie this time. It was nerve wracking, but I would say I am confident in myself and I know I got it,” Wilson said. 

In their match against the Tigers, the Bulldogs put up the pressure that was left out in the beginning of their game against Oregon State. According to Wilson, this was a step in the direction the team has been striving toward. 

“We are playing more to each other and together and I think we have all worked on our weaknesses together. I think we played better as a team right now,” she said. 

The Bulldogs had multiple opportunities to add points to the scoreboard but struggled to kick the ball inside the net. The 11 shots the Bulldogs took went above or on the side of the frame or went straight to the Tigers’ goalkeeper. 

“Everybody on our team is technical enough to finish. There’s a reason they’re here. We just have to keep building that right spirit in that right mentality, so that we don’t rush in that last split second and hopefully clean up some of those finishes,” Zwaschka said.

The Bulldogs now stand at four losses and one draw as they continue on their season.

The team travels to take on the University of California, Santa Barbara on Thursday. Fresno State will return home to play against Colorado College on Thursday, Sept. 22 at 7:00 p.m.

Correction: Sept. 6, 2022

In a previous version of this article, Janae Packard was incorrectly spelled. Her name is Jenae Packard. The Collegian regrets this error.