No. 9 UCSD Women Roll to Eighth Straight Win

October 15, 2016

LA JOLLA, Calif. - Ninth-ranked University of California San Diego scored twice within an eight-minute span late to top Cal State LA, 2-0, in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) women's soccer action Friday at Triton Soccer Stadium.

With an eighth straight victory, the last five via shutout, UC San Diego moved to 11-2 overall and a still-perfect 7-0 in the CCAA. The Tritons maintained their hold over first place in the league table, and are now 6-1 in La Jolla in 2016. Cal State LA, which entered the match in a two-way tie for third, dropped to 6-4-2 overall and 5-2 in league play. The Golden Eagles had taken three straight CCAA meetings, all 1-0.

Fourth-year senior Kristen Sampietro came up with the game-winning goal at 72:17, latching onto sophomore winger Summer Bales' left-sided cross toward the near post, and slotting a first-time shot with the inside of her right foot, into the bottom right corner. It was Sampietro's second score on the year and first career decider, as well as Bales' third assist.

In the 80th minute, junior striker Katie O'Laughlin doubled the advantage, dribbling down the left flank before cutting inside and blasting a right-footed effort into the upper right corner. The unassisted strike was her 11th of the campaign, a new career high, as the Carlsbad product (Pacific Ridge School) continues to lead the West Region and CCAA.

Senior Itzel Gonzalez did not have to make a single save, for her league-leading ninth individual shutout, and fifth in succession, as Cal State LA was indeed not credited with a single shot taken, much less a shot on goal. The Tritons produced 25 in a dominating performance. They pressured the opposing goal with regularity before finally finding the goals over the last 18 minutes. Redshirt sophomore Adriana Maldonado came up with five stops for the Golden Eagles.

Senior co-captain Kiera Bocchino almost opened the scoring just 2:18 in, banging a hard, right-footed shot off the crossbar, with Maldonado saving a close-range rebound attempt by Mary Reilly (Chula Vista/Hilltop HS). In the 44th minute, Maldonado went down to her right for another nice denial on Bales.

Around the goals in the second were two near misses via O'Laughlin’s head. She first nodded onto the right post off a deep ball from junior right back Makenzie Brito in the 57th. O'Laughlin and junior Elisa Martinez (El Cajon/Francis Parker School) then combined on what could have been the Tritons' goal of the year had it found the target, in the 78th. Martinez again played a deep ball in the air from the right, and O'Laughlin produced a flying header that went narrowly wide to the right.

Brito, senior co-captain and center back Meghan Berry, junior left back Aimee Ellis and redshirt freshman holding midfielder Natalie Saddic (San Diego/Torrey Pines HS) were instrumental in a lights-out defensive performance for the home side.

Each team finished with 10 players on the field, as Bales and CSULA junior Zarette Munoz-Aguilar were shown red cards after an incident at 89:44. Both players are expected to have to sit out the next two contests as a result. It marked the first card of any color for the Tritons as a team this season.

UC San Diego hosts Cal State Dominguez Hills on Senior Day this Sunday, Oct. 16. Kickoff at Triton Soccer Stadium is slated for 11:30 a.m., after five outstanding seniors are recognized beginning at 11:20 a.m. Parking and admission are free, with a high-definition, pay-per-view video stream available on UCSDtritons.tv.

Triton Notes: This is UCSD's longest win streak since a 10-gamer from Oct. 1-31, 2010 ... The Tritons have posted five straight shutouts for the first time since Oct. 17-30, 2014 ... UCSD's current shutout stretch has reached 475:25, its longest since 2014 (554:25) ... The Tritons kept an opponent without a shot for the first time in over 15 years, going back at least through the 2001 season ... UCSD is 5-0 this season on Friday, with 2-0 victories on three consecutive Fridays ... The Tritons scored two or more goals in nine successive games, now a record streak for the program's NCAA Division II era, since 2000 ... The Tritons previously had an eight-match run of two-plus goals, in that first year in Division II in 2000 ... UCSD has outscored opponents 37-6 this year as the West Region's top offensive side, and an incredible 27-2 after halftime ... Sophomore forward Megumi Barber (San Diego/Mt. Carmel HS) was unavailable through injury for a third straight game.

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