SAN DIEGO, CALIF. – The USC women’s soccer team had a hot start on a hot day in San Diego, breaking through early and ringing up four first-half goals on the way to a 4-0 win over Cal State Fullerton in the USD Nike Classic. On neutral ground at Torero Stadium, USC head coach Ali Khosroshahin’s Trojans took on his former program and posted three goals in the first 20 minutes of play. The shutout win was shared by USC goalkeepers Kristin Olsen and Brittany Massro, as the Women of Troy improve their 2009 overall record to 1-2. Cal State Fullerton moves to 0-3.

Two Trojan freshmen combined forces for USC’s first goal of the game. At the 2:16 mark, Samantha Johnson pushed the ball up to fellow freshman Courtney Garcia on the left side. Garcia unleashed a booming long ball from the left side that bent in and knocked off the far right post and in for the Trojans’ opening strike. That would go on to credit Garcia with not only her first career goal, but also the freshman’s first career gamewinner.

The USC offensive pressure stayed cranked up. Goalkeeper Kristin Olsen faced only a single shot during her first-half stint in goal, while the USC strikers peppered the Cal Sate Fullerton defense with more shots. Nine minutes after Garcia’s early goal, USC struck again. This time Ashli Sandoval drove a long pass into the box. It glanced off Brittany Kerridge’s head and to the feet of Megan Ohai. The junior jumped on her chance and blasted the shot to the back of the net to make it a 2-0 USC lead in the 12th minute. The goal marked Ohai’s 13th career goal, giving her the ninth most career goals scored by a Trojan. Sandoval’s assist also pushed her up the USC all-time ladders. Her first assist of 2009 bumps the junior to 21 career assists for spot at No. 4 all-time at USC.

Even with the insulation goal in the books, Women of Troy weren’t done. This time it would take just over eight minutes to add to their tally. Kerridge delivered the ball to Johnson, and the freshman striker attacked. At 18:41 on the clock, Johnson carried the ball to goal, busted a move and powered her shot to the low left and through, tacking up her first goal to go along with her first assist as a Trojan.

Johnson would make it a four-point game by serving up an assist on USC’s final goal of the half. In the 28th minute, Johnson sent in a cross that the Titans’ goalkeeper couldn’t haul in, and Alyssa Davila was there to put away the loose ball. Her goal matched Ohai’s new career mark of 13 and left Cal State Fullerton far behind the Trojans with USC’s 4-0 lead going into halftime.

Brittany Massro took over the goal in the second half and pulled in two saves. She came out to challenge a late one-on-one attack by the Titans and stuffed the Cal State Fullerton striker to help hold intact the shutout win for USC.

The Trojans stick in San Diego for another game this weekend, taking on Ohio State in an 11 a.m. match on Sunday (Sept. 6) at USD’s Torero Stadium.

USC 4, Cal State Fullerton 0
USC  4 – 0 = 4
CSF  0 – 0 = 0

SCORING:
2:16 – USC: Courtney Garcia (Samantha Johnson)
11:25 – USC: Megan Ohai (Ashli Sandoval)
18:41 – USC: Johnson (unassisted)
27:35 – USC: Alyssa Davila (Johnson)

SAVES: Kristin Olsen (USC) 0, Brittany Massro (USC) 2, Shannon Simpson (CSF) xx.

SHOTS: USC 19, CSF 5

CORNER KICKS: USC 9, CSF 2