No. 12/10 Cal Downs St. Mary’s 4-0 for Third Consecutive Shutout
MORAGA, Calif. - The No. 12/10 California women’s soccer team notched its third consecutive shutout after downing St. Mary’s, 4-0, on Friday afternoon at Garaventa Field. Along with a stingy defense that allowed the Gaels just six shots, Cal used goals from four different Bears to earn the win and improve to 5-0 on the season.
This is the first time since 2000 that Cal has won five games to start the season.
Taylor Comeau put the Bears on the board first after executing a successful free kick from 20 yards out that found the upper right corner of the net in the 27th minute of action. Kelly Fitzgerald added an insurance goal with eight minutes left in the first frame, and the Golden Bears closed out the half without allowing St. Mary’s a single shot.
Guro Bergsvand got the first look after the break, and landed her first collegiate goal with a header off of a free kick from Lorin Hom to extend the Bears’ lead, 3-0, just three minutes into the half. The Gaels made some noise early in the second period, but a huge stop from Emily Boyd in the 59th minute held St. Mary’s scoreless.
Both teams were held without a goal through the remaining bulk of the half, but rookie Melissa Lewis logged her first-career goal with less than four minutes to play to give Cal another dominant win.
After a four-game Bay Area road trip, the Bears now return to Berkeley to host Cal Poly at 4 p.m. Sunday on Goldman Field
HEAD COACH NEIL MCGUIRE’S TAKE
We made a point to discuss how important our defensive quality was today. St. Mary’s is a very good team and they play good soccer, and they were going to create good chances. We’re pleased with the shutout.
GOLDEN BEAR GOALS
27’ – Taylor Comeau (unassisted) – free kick
Comeau says: We got a free kick at the top of the box. We were close enough with me and (Thelma Einarsdottir) on the ball and one of us was going to shoot it. I decided to curve it on the outside of the wall and it went it.
37’ – Kelly Fitzgerald (assisted by Victoria Bolden) – Bolden crossed the ball to Fitzgerald, who nailed the ball to the lower left corner from 10 yards out
Fitzgerald says: Tori had the ball down the right side of the line, and she crossed it into the box. I ran into the box and slid and kicked it into the goal.
48’ – Guro Bergsvand (assisted by Lorin Hom) – header from inside the box five yards off a free kick
Bergsvand says: We had a free kick outside the 18-yard box. I was sprinting into the box, and Lorin Hom looked up at me and crossed the ball in the air. I jumped and headed the ball in the goal. It was a perfect ball from Hom and it felt awesome to score my first goal.
86’ – Melissa Lewis (assisted by Heather Walleigh) –pass crossed in front of the goal just eight yards out
Lewis says: I saw the play developing on the right side of the field as Heather was driving up the line. As I was crashing the goal, she sent a perfect ball across the face of the box and I volleyed it over the keeper with my right foot!
NEWS & NOTES
• Cal has outscored opponents 17-2 through five games, and is averaging 3.40 goals per game.
• The win marked Cal’s third shutout of the season.
• Guro Bergsvand and Melissa Lewis tallied their first collegiate goals.
• Taylor Comeau and Kelly Fitzgerald each notched their third goals of the season.
NEXT UP
The Golden Bears return to Goldman Field on Sunday, Sept. 7, for a 4 p.m. contest against Cal Poly that will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks.
ON THE BOX SCORE
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 27:16 CAL COMEAU,TAYLOR (unassisted)
2. 37:40 CAL FITZGERALD,KELLY (BOLDEN,VICTORIA) - cross sent into box from 10 yards straight out
3. 48:40 CAL BERGSVAND,GURO (HOM,LORIN) - header in box from 5 yards off free kick from 27
4. 86:35 CAL LEWIS,MELISSA (WALLEIGH,HEATHER) - cross into box, 8 yards out
Shots: California 18, Saint Mary's (CA) 6
Saves: California 5 (BOYD,EMILY 5), Saint Mary's (CA) 3 (MCDONALD, Julia 2; TEAM 1)