By Updated Aug. 21, 2017
After losing senior Ashley Gonzales in 12th minute after she banged knees with an opponent, she was helped off the field due to the injury that forced her to miss the rest of the match. Without her, the No. 24 Long Beach State women’s soccer team fell 5-1 to No. 6 UCLA squad.
UCLA’s team has more depth compared to the 49ers as well as a plethora of national team players on its 2017 roster.
“I think the third goal was the backbreaker,” head coach Mauricio Ingrassia said. “I felt we were closer from tying the game… it’s unfortunate because it’s a deceiving score but I’m super proud of the group. We came out and gave up an early goal and were playing a super talented team. That’s bringing in a lot of talent off the bench but I felt we gave it a very good effort and I think this game is going to help us move forward.”
With Gonzales likely to be sidelined for a couple of games, notching 29 career goals at LBSU, tying her for fourth all-time, has been put on the backburner. She is five goals away from the all-time lead.
In the second half the 49ers came out with a more focused mindset, hoping to pressure the Bruins defense. It made the game easier for LBSU in the 48th minute as freshman Katie Pingel scored her first goal of the season who’s shot was just outside the box.
“This is the best team we are going to play,” Pingel said. “We are getting better as a team so let’s just find our identity that what we said so it was good to keep it rolling and we got those opportunities and we finished one so that was good.”
Moments after the 49ers goal, the Bruins offense unloaded, ultimately putting the 1,912 in attendance back in their seats. In a span of 16 minutes the Bruins got help from every position.
Delanie Sheehan notched her second goal of the night on a well-executed corner kick in the 68th minute. Moments later in the 74th minute senior MacKenzie Cerda moved up in the possession to shoot in the bottom right corner, which saw the 49ers’ junior Imani McDonald dive miss.
The dagger, a shot by junior Julia Hernandez that got the LBSU crowd heading toward the exits, happened in the 84th minute and resulted in UCLA’s fifth goal of the night.
Positives from this game for LBSU are that in the second half Pingel had a shot that hit the crossbar that could have tied the game at 2. Another positive is that with Gonzales missing a couple of games, Ingrassia can ask one of the newcomers like Pingel or a speedy freshman Kayla Cannon to the lineup for Gonzales.
With conference play starting Oct. 1, the team just needs to remain healthy if they want to make the NCAA Tournament for a third straight season.
The 49ers next game will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday against No. 17 Northwestern at George Allen Field.
