Oct. 11, 2015
Match Statistics - SJSUvsUSC
Match Statistics - SJSUvsUCSD
Malibu, Calif. ---- Facing two nationally ranked opponents in the opening day of the SoCal Invitational, the San José State Spartans couldn't contain No. 2-ranked USC and forced overtime against No. 15-ranked UC San Diego on Saturday, October 10.
Junior 2-meter defender Blake Grove leads the Spartans (2-12, 0-2 MPSF) with three goals in first day of the two day tournament. Croatian goalkeeper Matej Matijevic has 15 saves in two games.
UC San Diego 14, San José State 12, OT
Playing UC San Diego tight and forcing extra periods with a game tying goal by Alek Dendall with 48 seconds left in regulation, San José State was outscored 3-1 in overtime to fall to the Tritons 14-12.
Finding the back of the Tritons' (8-8, 2-0 WWPA) cage in the first half for the Spartans were Igor Miljan and Grove, with two goals each, while Justin Contreras and Kameron Schlegel added a goal apiece. San José State trailed 7-6 at halftime.
Picking up the Spartans first goal of the second half, Grove led San José State with three goals. With UC San Diego leading 10-7 with 3:23 left in the third period, San José State scored three unanswered goals by John Moon, Dendall, his first of two on the day, and Akos Balazs to tie the game 10-10 halfway through the fourth.
UC San Diego's Tyler Mancuso gave the Tritons a one goal lead before Dendall's overtime forcing goal to close out regulation.
Scoring the Spartans only overtime goal was 2-meter defender Scott Reynolds in the second overtime period. In the cage for San José State, Matijevic made 11 saves.
Leading the Tritons with six goals, including two overtime goals, was senior Chase Cockerill.
USC 16, San José State 3
Keeping the Spartans scoreless in the first half, the University of Southern California Trojans defeated San José State for the second time in two weeks, 16-3.
San José State's defense held USC (14-1, 3-0 MPSF) to only three goals in the opening period before the Trojans surged, adding eight more goals before halftime to lead 11-0.
Parker Blacksten scored two goals for the Spartans in the second half with Contreras adding another.
San José State opens day two of the SoCal Invitational against the Concordia Eagles at 9:20 a.m. at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. The Spartans will be paired with either Ponoma-Pitzer or Loyola Marymount in the afternoon match.
by Brian S. Stanley, SJSU athletics media relations student assistant