TURLOCK -- Unbeaten and No. 13-ranked Cal State San Bernardino benefited from an "own goal" by Cal State Stanislaus in the final 31 seconds of the second overtime Friday night to post a 3-2 CCAA conference women's soccer victory over the Warriors.
The unfortunate turn of events for the host Warriors, playing before a crowd of 864 fans in the school's new stadium, came when a Warriors defender, attempting to clear the ball from deep in their end had the ball sail over the goalkeeper's head into the net to end the contest at 1:09.29.
With the victory, CSUSB, ranked No. 2 in the West Region and No. 13 in the nation, improves to 5-0, 3-0 in the CCAA. The Warriors, ranked No. 5 in the West Region, are now 4-1, 2-1 in the conference.
"Wow! I can't believe that just happened," CSUSB Head Coach
Travis Clarke said immediately after the match. "Stanislaus is a great team and their pace gave us trouble. We made adjustments at halftime and we were able to gain some of the game back."
Clarke said he felt Stanislaus dominated the first half and the first overtime. "I thought we had the run of play in the second half and second overtime. What an exciting game involving two good teams."
The Warriors went up 1-0 in the 22nd minute on Karenee Demery's seventh goal of the season but CSUSB got the equalizer in the 38th minute on senior
Unity Beddingfield's first goal of the season aided by assists from Jani Carmona and
Mackenzie Dill.
The Coyotes went up 2-1 in the 59th minute as junior
Kristina Gomez headed in a shot by senior
Jenna Sanchez that caromed off the cross bar.
Demery nailed her eighth goal of the season in the 72nd minute on a scramble in front of the net following a throw-in to make it 2-2 and it stayed that way through the end of regulation and the first overtime.
The Warriors outshot the Coyotes 18-14, including 12-4 in the first half with CSUSB sophomore goalkeeper
Tiffany Mallick making a season high seven saves in the match, five of them in the first half. Millie Brown made five saves for the Warriors.
The Coyotes were called for offsides four times in the match.
CSUSB heads for Chico State for a CCAA match on Sunday.