Bulldogs soar over Sunbirds
in exhibition match
By Kim Anderson
The Collegian
Fresno State women’s soccer
earned a 4-1 victory Saturday in an exhibition match against Fresno Pacific
University.
Junior forward Courtney Sobrero earned two first half goals, giving the
Bulldogs a 2-0 lead going into the half.
The scoring started off in the 23rd minute when Sobrero pressured the
Sunbird defense and after retrieving the ball, snuck past goaltender Audra
Carter to find an open net.
The Bulldogs continued to pressure the Sunbird net and after a series
of fouls from both sides, Sobrero hooked up with junior midfielder Antonea
Lugo to put the dogs up 2-0.
“A strength we have is our ability to possess the ball,” said
head coach Steve Springthorpe. “We try to find a creative way of
getting behind the defense.”
A pressuring Bulldog offense dominated the field with a series of corner
kicks and shots on goal.
With three minutes remaining in the first half, senior forward Kortney
Lewis had an opportunity when she jetted past the defense and made a left-footed
cross which was headed out by the Sunbird defense. A minute late,r Lewis
attacked again with a low shot from the front of the net blocked by the
defense.
“We work very hard in practice and in gam. It’s very intense,”
said Sobrero.
To start off the second half, the Sunbirds came out strong. At about the
50 minute mark, Sunbird junior midfielder Elizabeth Burns scored with
a high shot on goaltender Chelsea Mays for the only Sunbird goal of the
evening.
Junior goaltender Angie Larsen and junior Jeannette Paine also had time
in net for the Bulldogs. 20 minutes later,Bulldog midfielder Yvette Flores
scored on a high corner shot, putting the ‘Dogs up 3-1. Midfielder
Erika Sugano pushed the lead to three on a pass from sophomore forward
Mercedes Splettstoesser.
The ‘Dogs took a total of 22 shots on goal and 11 corner kicks.
“We are going to take it game by game,” said Sobrero. “We
will focus on working on our faults because we have a lot to do come November.”
The Bulldogs begin season play this Friday at home against UC Santa Barbara.
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