Cal Defeats SDSU in Double OT Thriller to Advance to NCAA Second Round
BERKELEY, Calif. – Arielle Ship took one look as a rocket of a ball from Samantha Witteman careened toward her, and knew she had her chance.
“It was either going to hit the post or the keeper would get her hands on it, so I put my foot on it,” Ship said. “I knew it was in.”
And it was.
“Then we all dog piled and it was awesome and crazy,” she said.
At 104:25 in the second period of double overtime, Cal women’s soccer clinched its spot in the second round of the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament on the back of Ship’s golden goal, defeating San Diego State 3-2 from Goldman Field Saturday afternoon.
In a reverse of what happened in the postseason in San Diego two years ago, Cal rallied back from a 1-0 deficit to claim victory. In the second round of 2012’s NCAA Tournament, it was Cal who took an early lead over San Diego State in Aztec Territory, scoring in the 11th minute and leading 1-0 through the first half before the Aztecs rallied back with two goals to advance to the third round.
“I was at the game two years ago. It was horrible feeling. It was really tough to see our last game be won where they came back from being behind,” Witteman said.
This time, San Diego State got on the board at 10:21 on a volley from Aliya Utush. Up to that point, Cal had yet to settle into the game and failed to get a shot on the board.
“The team was up for what we knew was going to be a great battle. San Diego State had incredible belief in their team and we had to match that,” said Golden Bear head coach Neil McGuire. “The first 10 minutes were a challenge for us because SDSU came out with good intensity but I thought after that we did a very nice job.”
The Aztec goal was all the Bears need to organize and settle down, and less than three minutes later the Bears evened it up. Taylor Comeau sent a corner kick into the box to Grace Leer, who tapped it into the far post at 12:57.
The Cal shots kept on coming, with three from Celeste Boureille less than three minutes after Leer’s goal. At 15:44, Cal found net again when Witteman made a run toward Boureille, who tapped it over to her. With Aztec goalie Melanie Vaughn out of the box, Witteman volleyed it in to the right post to even the match.
“When San Diego State first scored, I got a little bit worried, but when we calmed ourselves and just settled down the game became easy and we just found our rhythm and got what we needed to do done,” Witteman said.
Cal finished the first half with a 2-1 lead and 15-7 shot advantage.
Just as McGuire predicted, the Aztecs came back from halftime with no less belief or intensity than in their first 45 minutes. Cal edged SDSU offensively until the Aztecs earned a free kick near the 57-minute mark. Meggie Gulczynski capitalized with the set piece to net her team the equalizer.
With the game evened up, the all-out war spilled into double overtime. Finally, 104 minutes after the match started, Witteman found Ship for Cal’s second golden goal of the season.
The Bears put 10 of 27 shots on frame. The Aztecs took 13 shots with seven shots on goal. Cal goalie Emily Boyd tallied four saves in the effort, while Vaughn made six saves.
Cal will play the winner of Mercer and No. 2-seed Florida. The Florida-Mercer match will be played Sunday at 11 a.m. PT in Gainesville, Fla.
Head Coach Neil McGuire’s Take
McGuire says: I thought the team was up for what we knew was going to be a great battle. San Diego State had incredible belief in their team and we had to match that. The first 10 minutes were a challenge for us because SDSU came out with good intensity but I thought after that we did a very nice job.
Golden Bear Goals
13’ – Grace Leer (assisted by Taylor Comeau) – tapped in at the far post off a corner kick
Leer says: We just ran our corner play like we always do. Taylor sent a great ball into the box, which went over the SDSU keeper, and I was right there to tap it in the net.
16’ – Samantha Witteman (assisted by Celeste Boureille) – volleyed to far right post with keeper out of net
Witteman says: The ball was working its way to the opposite side and we were pretty close to the net, and then the ball got to Celeste. I was making a run to her left side and she tapped it to me and I just found an open space and put it in the net.
105’ – Arielle Ship (assisted by Samantha Witteman) – Tapped in with a cross from left side of field
Ship says: I know Witty (Samantha Witteman) got the ball and shot and I followed the ball. The goalie tried to save it and then I was there to poke it in.
San Diego State Goals
11’ – Aliyah Utush (assisted by Katie Perry and Haley Locker) – volleyed via a cross from the left side of the field
58’ – Meggie Gulczynski (unassisted) – Free kick set piece
Next Up
Cal awaits its next opponent, which will be determined Sunday, Nov. 16. The Golden Bears will play the winner of the No. 2-seed Florida-Mercer match.
News & Notes
- Cal is now 14-5-2 overall for the season, and 15-20-3 overall in the NCAA Tournament postseason.
- It was the first time Cal hosted an NCAA Tournament game since 2000, and Cal’s first win when hosting the NCAA Tournament since 1988.
- This is Cal’s first season advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament since 2012.
- Arielle Ship’s golden goal was the second golden goal for the Bears this season. In the first game of the season, the Bears beat then-No. 10 Santa Clara, 2-1, with a golden goal in the first overtime period.
- Grace Leer scored her sixth goal of the season. It was the fourth goal of the season for both Samantha Witteman and Arielle Ship.
- Arielle Ship scored her third game-winning goal of the season.
- Both Taylor Comeau and Samantha Witteman logged their team-leading seventh assists of the season. Celeste Boureille now has five assists.
- Emily Boyd is 13-5-2 in goal for the Bears.
- Neil McGuire now has 98 wins as California’s head coach.
On the Box Score
1. 10:21 SDSU UTUSH, Aliyah (6) (PERRY, Katie;LOCKER, Haley) - Volleyed via cross from left flank
2. 12:57 CAL LEER,GRACE (6) (COMEAU,TAYLOR) - Far post tap-in from CK
3. 15:44 CAL WITTEMAN,SAMANTHA (4) (BOUREILLE,CELESTE) - Volleyed into far post with keeper out
4. 57:55 SDSU GULCZYNSKI, Meggie (3) (unassisted) - Scored from a set piece
5. 104:25 CAL SHIP,ARIELLE (7) (WITTEMAN,SAMANTHA) - Tapped in from cross from left flank
Shots: San Diego State 13, California 27
Saves: San Diego State 7 (VAUGHN, Melanie 6; TEAM 1), California 5
(BOYD,EMILY 4; TEAM 1)