By snoadmin
After the final whistle in Long Beach State’s 3-win over Cal State Northridge this weekend, the 49er players embraced each other and celebrated. They had reason to do so. It was the squad’s second win of the weekend, and it gave the 49ers a perfect record through two matches in Big West Conference play.
Although the match turned out to be a success, it was almost a disaster.
Early in Sunday afternoon’s match between LBSU and CSNU it looked as if the 49ers were going to cruise to an easy win.
The speedy Sahar Haghdan gave LBSU (10-2, 2-0 Big West) the lead just three minutes into the match, and 15 minutes later Haghdan again found the net when she banged home a Dana Farquhar cross.
Up 2-0 at home, I thought the flood gates were going to open and LBSU might win the match by a touchdown.
I was wrong.
CSUN, which looked flat-footed and out-classed in the opening 20 minutes, woke up after falling behind and it seemed LBSU fell asleep.
The Matadors began dominating the match and their pressure on the 49er goal was rewarded when a wide open Kristal Phillips easily slid home a shot from the middle of the penalty box to cut the 49er’s lead in half.
CSUN continued to play well through the rest of the first half and into the second. Unlike early in the game, LBSU wasn’t able to hold possession of the ball and attack down the flanks with their outside midfielder.
Then in the 56th minute, Phillips recorded an assist by setting up Susie Mischenko for a Matadors goal, tying the match.
After the goal, LBSU head coach Mauricio Ingrassia walked as close as he could to the field and almost pleaded with his team.
“Let’s raise our energy level,” Ingrassia said. “It’s a new game. Let’s go, let’s go.”
The 49ers did go. Just like CSUN started to play better after it yielded two goals so did LBSU.
LBSU’s best all-around player, Hayley Bolt, started to impose her will on the match. The center midfielder began anchoring the 49ers’ offense and in the 69th minute won a free kick from 35 yards away from goal.
Kim Silos, who until this point had a quiet game, sent a perfect chip pass in the middle of the penalty box and Bolt was able to flick the ball with her head, leaving little chance for the CSUN goalie and scored what turned out to be the game winning goal.
“I think Hayley played her best match as a 49er today,” Ingrassia said.””She was fantastic.”
Bolt was fantastic and she has been all year. But if LBSU hopes to win the Big West this season the 49ers are going to need other players to continue to progress and play well.
One player that has been a pleasant surprise is Sara Strohl.
The 6-foot-1 freshman, the tallest player on the team, has played very well in the midfield and on the back line. Her presence was felt Friday, when she scored the opening goal in LBSU’s 2-0 win over Pacific.
The 49ers might be the favorite to win the Big West this year, but they are going to have to learn to play the full 90 minutes against their conference foes, and not have a let-down like they did Sunday.
LBSU was able to recover against CSUN, but giving up two goal leads and scoring late in the match to salvage a victory should not be a habit the 49ers should get used to.
