Sanchez's Golden Goal Lifts CSUN to 1-0 Win Over UCSB

En Español

NORTHRIDGE, CA---

Cynthia Sanchez's golden goal in the 92nd minute propelled CSUN Women's Soccer (6-3-5, 1-1-1 BWC) to a 1-0 victory over UC Santa Barbara (10-2-1, 1-1-0) on Thursday evening at Harder Stadium. The Matadors posted their 10th shutout of the season and goalkeeper Jovani McCaskill made two saves in net to earn her ninth individual shutout. The game winner for Sanchez was her 16th career goal, which moved her into sole possession of fifth-place in the all-time Matador scoring list.

No strangers to extra time, the Matadors played in their seventh overtime in 14 matches and their third-straight to start Big West Conference play. After suffering a heartbreaking double overtime 2-1 loss last Sunday at Long Beach State, the Matadors again participated in another dramatic end to an overtime match but this time they would be the ones celebrating.

The game-winning shot would develop on a clear out from Nicole Thompson. The long kick traveled across the field to the top of the UCSB box, bringing goalkeeper Brittney Rogers out of her post. Rogers cleared the ball out quickly but the drive struck off Camille Watson's head and back towards the box. Sanchez corralled the loose ball, drove towards the goal and delivered a shot that smacked off the right near post. However, the ball stayed at the goal and slowly rolled across to the left until finally finding its way past the goal line.

Prior to Sanchez's goal, the Matadors had competed in over 114 minutes of overtime action this season without a goal.

Earlier in the contest, CSUN played UCSB to a standstill over 90 minutes of hard fought action. Playing as the agressors most of the evening, the Matadors outshot the Gauchos, 8-5, in regulation and earned five shots on goal.

In the opening half, Watson nearly put the Matadors on top in the 24th minute. Off a Gaucho turnover, Watson gathered the ball and fired a shot that was saved by Rogers on a diving kick save. Kourtney Kutscher and Ariana Tran also put shots on target in the first 45 minutes of play.

Later in the match, Bethany Fitzsimmons also came close to giving her team the lead. Fitzsimmons found herself ahead of the UCSB backline in the 72nd minute and went one-on-one with Rogers. The Matador freshman delivered a low shot but Rogers made a stop going to her left.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Matadors held the conference leader in team goals to only two shots on goal on the night.

UCSB, however, also forced McCaskill to make a strong save to keep the game scoreless. In the 74th minute, Dakota Griggs fired from nearly 30 yards away toward the top of the CSUN goal. McCaskill timed the play just right as she punched the ball over the bar to keep UCSB off the scoreboard.

McCaskill made her second save in the final minute of the second half off another shot from Griggs.

Watson led CSUN in shots with three while Kutscher, Sanchez, Fitzsimmons, Tran, Justine Silvers and Bret Guarino all had one apiece.

In the match, the Matadors handed UC Santa Barbara its first home loss of the season and just its second shutout of 2016. The Matadors' 10 shutouts on the season are the most by a CSUN team since 2012 and one shy of a program record.

By netting her 16th career goal, Sanchez is now a goal away from tying Brianna Monka (2004-05) for fourth place in the Matador record books. Sanchez needs six more goals to reach Farryn Townley's all-time top mark of 22 goals.

The Matadors conclude their three-match road trip on Sunday at Cal Poly. Kick off is slated for noon.

Sanchez's Golden Goal Lifts CSUN to 1-0 Win Over UCSB

Next Event

Team Stats

Cynthia Sanchez

Camille Watson

Kourtney Kutscher

Ariana Tran

Players Mentioned

Bethany Fitzsimmons

Bret Guarino

Kourtney Kutscher

Jovani McCaskill

Cynthia Sanchez

Justine Silvers

Nicole Thompson

Ariana Tran

Camille Watson