#30 Brooklyn Smith: 50 MP, 4 SH, 1 G, game-winner vs. San Diego Photo by: Varun Aravind (@vflicks04)
MORAGA, Calif. - The Saint Mary's women's soccer team outshot San Diego 25-3 in a dominant performance Saturday afternoon and walked away with a 1-0 victory for its third in West Coast Conference play this season. The Gaels held San Diego (4-8-2, 1-4-0) to just one shot on frame and found the game-winner in the 70th minute off the left foot of Brooklyn Smith for her second of the season and fifth of her SMC career.
With its third conference victory, Saint Mary's (9-2-4, 3-2-0) moved into a tie for fourth place along with Seattle U. Head coach Theresa Romagnolo and her squad will look to continue to climb the conference standings with four matches remaining leading up to the first ever West Coast Conference Women's Soccer Tournament starting on November 11.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Saint Mary's ranks third in the WCC averaging over 13 shots per game this season and its offensive pressure was on display once again on Saturday, outshooting San Diego 25-3. The 25 attempts went down as a season high and the most in a single-game since recording 26 shots in a 1-0 victory against LMU a season ago.
The Gaels nearly found the back of the net in the 17th minute off a sliding challenge from freshman forward Brianna Jurasek who collided with the Torero keeper. She would hang onto the ball in a bang-bang challenge to keep the game scoreless. Nine minutes later, Brooklyn Smith fired a left-footed shot through traffic that was narrowly deflected and pushed away for yet another save from San Diego's goalkeeper Ilise Medrano. Medrano finished with five saves over the first 45 minutes to keep the game scoreless at the break.
Saint Mary's started the second half with a huge moment, earning a penalty kick off a video review for a hand ball inside the box. Ashlyn Vaughn stepped up for the kick but was denied by another great save from Medrano. The game remained scoreless with relentless pressure from the Gaels, but they finally broke through in the 70th minute with a brilliant counter-attacking moment. Just seconds out of the hydration break, Saint Mary's forward Maren Hoovel dropped back into the midfield to win a tackle and spring the Gaels into the attack. Hoovel carried the ball into the attacking half and played Smith in on goal down the left side of the penalty box. Smith slotted the one-on-one opportunity into the bottom right corner to stun the Toreros and put Saint Mary's up 1-0.
Another solid defensive performance for the Gaels resulted in their 11th shutout of the season, good for the NCAA Division I lead. Kate Plachy needed to make just one save for her 24th career shutout, moving her into second place all-time in program history. Senior forward Maren Hoovel was a great spark plug off the bench for the Gaels, tallying a career high 33 minutes played and her second career assist to aid the one-goal victory. Four field players would play all 90 minutes including defensive efforts from Anna Emperador, Molly Silva and Aleiyah Schexnayder.
GAME NOTES
Smith scored her second goal of the season and fifth of her SMC career with the game-winner in the 70th minute
Hoovel recorded her first assist of the season and second of her career
Plachy moved into second place all-time with her 24th career shutout
The Gaels lead the country with 11 shutouts this season
Saint Mary's tallied a season high 25 shots including a game high five from Ashlyn Vaughn
Saint Mary's lowered its Goals Against Average to a conference leading 0.40
The Gaels now sit in a tie for fourth place at nine points along with Seattle U
LOOKING AHEAD
Saint Mary's will hit the road next week for a South Bay clash with Santa Clara on Saturday, October 24. Kick off is slated for 1 p.m. and all the action can be streamed live on ESPN+.
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