Offense Explodes as Titans Close With 4-1 Win

October 30, 2011

Four different players found the back of the net in the first half and junior Ann Marie Tangorra posted a pair of assists on Sunday afternoon as host Cal State Fullerton exploded for a season-ending 4-1 victory over visiting UC Davis in front of 442 fans at Titan Stadium.

 

The four goals tied a season high for the Titans (9-8-3 overall, 3-4-1 in the Big West Conference), matching their offensive output in a 4-1 win over North Texas on Sept. 18. Fullerton, which had scored just four goals in its last five matches combined, finished with a winning mark for the first time since 2007 when the Titans finished 12-8-2 en route to the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

 

After winning five straight, the Aggies finished the weekend winless following a loss at Long Beach State on Friday, ending the regular season at 11-6-1 overall and 4-3-1 in conference play.

 

“This was a perfect way for us to end this part of our season as we now turn our attention to 2012,” Head Coach Demian Brown. “The opportunity for us to return all but one player next year gives us a tremendous leg up in our preparation and adds to our confidence that we were missing, at times, this year.”

 

Junior Jennifer Smith in the 12th minute and freshman Chelsey Patterson in the 26th minute got the Titans off to a quick start in netting their first goals of the year. Smith poked home a rebound off the post from Tangorra and Patterson’s strike off a deflection from Lauren Mellano turned out to be the game-winner.

 

Following Smith’s goal, the Aggies had two golden chances to equalize as Lisa Kemp and Lexi Poppoff had back-to-back shots cleared off the line by Titan defenders after Fullerton keeper Lindsey Maricic was caught out of position charging on a loose ball at the top of the box.

 

Junior Stacey Fox added to the onslaught in the 28th minute, netting her fifth of the year as Tangorra slipped a ball at the endline in her direction near the middle of the six-yard box and finished with a well-timed back heel past the keeper for the 3-0 advantage.

 

The Aggies got a goal back in the 38th minute on a perfectly placed corner by Kirsten Holmberg that was headed home at the back post by Rogan Dolan, but Fullerton put the match away with just over a minute to play in the period when sophomore Nikki McCants’ scored into an open net off touches from Adriana Gjonovich and Rebecca Wilson for the final 4-1 advantage.

 

Fullerton then controlled the second half from the start on both ends of the field, holding UC Davis to without a shot or corner kick in the second 45 minutes, finishing with a 19-7 advantage in shots and a 4-1 lead in corner kicks for the match.

 

Tangorra led all players with four shots on the afternoon as nine different players finished with shots for the Titans. Kemp led the Aggies with three shots while UC Davis’ leading scorer Allison Kelly was held to just one shot on the day.

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