Fullerton, Calif. – Four different Cal State Fullerton players found
the back of the net on the evening and freshman goalkeeper Karen
Bardsley (Chino Hills, Calif.) was stellar in net, making seven saves
-- including a diving stop on a penalty kick -- as the Titans handed visiting
San Diego State a 4-0 defeat on Friday night at Titan Stadium.
Cal State Fullerton improved to 5-1-1 overall on the season while San
Diego State fell to 5-2 overall.
It was the 11th consecutive home victory for the Titans dating back to
last season, and marked ust the second victory in the all-time series
for the Titans over the Aztecs with Fullerton's last win coming in 1995,
a 4-2 victory in San Diego. The Titans last
lost at home on Sept. 3, 2001, when then No. 3-ranked Portland edged Cal
State Fullerton, 3-2.
The Titans got on the board midway through the first half off a corner
kick as freshman Marlene Sandoval
(Placencia, Calif.) drove home the first goal of her young career. Senior
Jenny Mescher (Mission
Viejo, Calif.) got things started with a corner kick played neatly to
fellow senior Michele Bannister
(Anaheim Hills, Calif.), whose shot was blocked by a packed-in Aztec defense.
Sandoval then found the ball at her feet and fired far post, beating the
goalkeeper and finding a way through the legs of a defender perched on
the goal line.
Cal State Fullerton didn't let up, adding to its lead in the 39th minute
when Bannister took a ball that was misplayed by the San Diego State defense
and beat the keeper one-on-one for a 2-0 advantage at the half. It was
Bannister's second goal of the season.
The Titans didn't stop there as senior Kim
Houg (Upland, Calif.) took a short through ball from Mescher in the
box and beat the goalkeeper far post for a 3-0 lead.
San Diego State's best chance to score came midway through the second
half as Arinda Alvarez was taken down in the box, setting up a penalty
kick for the Aztecs' leading scorer Kim Castellanos. With Bardsley faking
to her left, Castellanos shot to the right as Bardsley stretched long
to make the save.
Fullerton capped things off with another goal in the 68th minute when
junior Nicole Mularkey
(Long Beach, Calif.) scored the first goal of her Titan career after sophomore
Erica Jacalone (Temple City, Calif.)
chipped it over the head of a defender and found the feet of Mularkey,
who fired it through a host of defenders and the keeper to make it 4-0.
Cal State Fullerton returns to action on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 29) as
the Titans travel south to take on perennial powerhouse San Diego at 12
p.m. at Torero Stadium.
