USC
San Diego
No. 19 USC Soccer Edged In Home Opener
August 20, 2010 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 20, 2010
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - The No. 19 USC women's soccer team took a frustrating loss in its season opener at McAlister Field today (Aug. 20). After a scoreless first half, visiting San Diego managed a score off a header in the 54th minute to edge ahead, and the Toreros held on to post a 1-0 win over their hosts. The loss puts the Trojans with an 0-1 start to the year.
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Five freshmen started today's home opener for USC, including goalkeeper Shelby Church, who tallied her first save as a Trojan barely three minutes into the match. Church's impressive stop on the Torero attack was one of a pair of saves made by the freshman on the day. Her fellow freshman Haley Boysen managed to tally the third USC save of the match when the speedy midfielder knocked a Torero shot away from the goal line on a San Diego shot set up by a corner kick. That was in the 41st minute of play, and helped preserve a scoreless first half by both teams.
USC had two starters knocked out of the match by injuries, changing the look of the field for the Trojans as both Samantha Johnson and Chelsea Buehning were injured in the game. Striker Johnson was hurt in the 35th minute, and defender Buehning went down in the 53rd. San Diego's goal came shortly after that, as Stephanie Ochs got deep in Trojan territory and sent a cross from the left side. Devany Savage got to the ball in the box with a diving header to knock it through and put the Toreros on the scoreboard in the 54th minute of play.
The Trojans were able to put several shots on frame as the second half went on, but the equalizer would not come. Carly Butcher fed freshman Elizabeth Eddy with a through ball that Eddy put a strong foot on, only to have it go just wide in the 66th minute. In the 82nd minute, Alyssa Dávila got a head on a setup cross from Autumn Altamirano, but the shot was saved by San Diego goalkeeper Courtney Parsons. Parsons made one last impressive stop in the waning minutes when Butcher blasted a shot to the corner, but Parsons leaped to lock it in and keep San Diego ahead 1-0.
USC's next step in 2010 action takes the Trojans to Texas next week. USC will visit TCU first for a 7 p.m. CT game on Friday (August 27) before going to Texas to play the Longhorns at 1 p.m. CT on Sunday (August 29).
San Diego 1, #19 USC 0
USC 0 - 0 = 0
USD 0 - 1 = 1
SCORING:
USD: 53:29 - Devany Savage (Stephanie Ochs)
SAVES: Shelby Church (USC) 2, Team (USC) 1, Courtney Parsons (USD) 6.
SHOTS: USC 8, USD 10
CORNER KICKS: USC 2, USD 5
FOULS: USC 7, USD 13
