Sept. 15, 2015
San Jose, Calif. --- The San Jose State women's soccer team drew first blood against San Francisco in a nonconference match at Spartan Soccer Field, but three consecutive goals for the Dons handed the Spartans a 3-1 loss Tuesday afternoon.
Darlene Rodriguez scored her third goal of the season to give SJSU (2-3-2) the 1-0 lead in the 25th minute. Mireya Wathen-Mayorga fired a shot from the top of the box that went off the cross bar, and settled near Rodriguez who punched it in the back of the net. Wathen-Mayorga notched her first point of the season with the assist.
"In the first half we played well and really controlled the tempo of the game," said Spartans' head coach Lauren Hanson. "We generated a lot of the attack through our midfield, which I thought played really well. Unfortunately we gave up a goal that we shouldn't have. It was an unforced error and a mistake that changed the momentum of the game."
USF (6-1-2) controlled the rest of the match, scoring three consecutive goals, including two in the second half.
Samantha Jennings evened the match, 1-1, in the 31st minute with an unassisted goal off of a Spartan turnover near the top of the box. Jennings struck again in the 67th minute with the game-winner on the first of two assists for Amanda Whittle.
The third USF goal, headed in by Sydnie Telson, came on a Whittle's corner kick in the 76th minute.
"When it's the third game in five days you have to control the tempo of the game in the second half, and expend your energy with the ball, not without it," Hanson said. "We are coming together, and while the end result may not show it, I thought we played well today."
Both teams finished with 11 shots, and both keepers in the match ended with three saves a piece. Zoe Makrigiannis falls to 2-2-2 on the season while Madalyn Schiffel improves to 6-1-2.
San Jose State has one match remaining in the nonconference portion of the 2015 schedule. It is set for Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m., at Spartan Soccer Field.
Live video streaming will not be available for the September 20 match, but fans can follow along with live stats or follow the team on Twitter for updates @SJSUSOCCER.