Northridge Defenseless Against Pepperdine
Two Cal State Northridge women’s soccer teams have played this season. One has given up 17 goals in five games and the other has surrendered two in eight games.
The team the Matadors hoped wouldn’t appear Wednesday against Pepperdine did, and the Waves claimed a 3-2 nonconference victory at Pepperdine.
“Two goals should be enough to win a game. Our offense is putting it together, but the defense is making it hard on us,” Northridge Coach Allison Lee said. “I’m at a loss for words for our defense right now.”
The victory was the second in a row for the Waves (7-4-1), who equaled last season’s victory total.
The Matadors (7-5-1) have lost two in a row for the first time this season. They are 0-3-1 against Pepperdine.
Kate Desmond scored the winning goal in the 61st minute, heading a Stacia Spangler corner kick past second-half goalkeeper Jenny Willemse.
“I was actually marking the keeper. I saw the ball going to the near post and I flicked it with the side of my head,” said Desmond, who scored her fifth goal. “I was really surprised.
“We really wanted to win this game. With this win we tied our record for last season and we are only in the middle of the season. We knew we had to win these kind of games.”
A sluggish defense allowed the Waves to score two quick first-half goals.
The first came in the 13th minute when the Matadors failed to clear a loose ball. The ball bounced to Wave forward Tasha Spangler, whose shot, from just outside the 18-yard box, sailed over goalkeeper Tawni Takagi.
The Waves scored again in less than three minutes, capitalizing on another defensive mistake. Forward Kristi Bissonnette stole the ball from defender Joanna Parker and dribbled untouched before beating Takagi for a 2-0 lead.
“Everyone wants to play offense and nobody wants to get back and play defense,” Lee said. “We do have a lot of young players, but that’s no excuse.”
The Matadors narrowed the deficit to 2-1 in the 18th minute when Erin Broadwell took a pass from Parker and beat goalkeeper Cheri Phillips.
It was Broadwell’s seventh goal this season, tying Becky Andrews’ 1995 school record. Broadwell’s 10 career goals and 23 career points ties her for first with Heather Schou (1995-97).
“I wished we would have won. I’m really surprised I’ve scored seven goals,” said Broadwell. “Today’s loss is going to push me harder to score more goals.”
Paige Andrews tied the score in the 51st minute, taking a through pass from Michelle French and kicking the ball off the post and into the goal.
The Matadors resume Big Sky Conference play Sunday at Cal State Sacramento. They are 1-1 in conference play, having won at Portland State and lost at home to Northern Arizona.
