USC
TCU
Sandoval Strikes For USC Road Win Over TCU
August 27, 2010 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 27, 2010
FORT WORTH, TEXAS -- The USC women's soccer team snagged its first win of the year off the foot of Ashli Sandoval on Friday evening in Fort Worth, Texas, as the redshirt junior appeared in her first game after almost a year on the sidelines due to injury. Sandoval's strike in the 40th minute would stand as the game-winner for a 1-0 USC victory over host TCU. The important road win marks USC's first victory of the year, improving the Women of Troy to 1-1 in the early goings of their 2010 campaign. TCU moves to 1-2 with tonight's USC win.
Sandoval wasn't the only new face on the field for the Trojans today, however. USC welcomed Morgan Morrow to her first appearance as a Trojan after the redshirt freshman missed her first season last year due to injury before arriving at USC. Morrow got the start, as well, joining five other freshmen in the starting lineup. USC showed a fresh energy on top in the game, churning out 12 shots in the first half to keep the Horned Frogs on their heels. Freshman Elizabeth Eddy and senior Alyssa Dávila caused early headaches for TCU with some sharp shots blocked out by defenders, while Haley Boysen buzzed around the front lines as well to help charge the USC attack.
Meanwhile, senior Karter Haug stabilized the USC defense with freshmen Mia Bruno and Allie Harrison in the back along with Ashley Freyer, while freshman goalkeeper Shelby Church hauled in several impressive saves down the stretch. Church's first tough test of the game saw TCU strike a volley from the left side, but Church snagged the shot. Carly Butcher would turn around and fire a rocket at the TCU goal, only to see her shot tipped over the bar to keep things scoreless.
Sandoval checked into the game in the 32nd minute of action, stepping back into her driver's seat in the midfield. She had her first look on goal soon after, as senior Megan Ohai played a nice ball in for Sandoval, but the TCU defense got to it. She would take a long shot on frame later that TCU goalkeeper Kelsey Walters grabbed, but she would not be so lucky the next time Sandoval put her boot on the ball. In the 40th minute of play, Sandoval launched a shot from 25 yards out. The ball nicked off a TCU defender on its way off Sandoval's foot, and Walters was unable to adjust. The ball ripped through to the back of the net, and the Women of Troy were up 1-0 as halftime approached. Samantha Johnson almost had a second score for the Trojans before the break, but her knock was cleared off the line by the Horned Frogs defense, holding things at a 1-0 USC advantage.
Boysen, Butcher and Eddy each had a go on goal as the second half opened, but each was a near miss for the Trojans. Church came out for a bold stop against a charging TCU attack later, and the USC offense continued to create changes throughout the rest of the second half. With TCU pressing to try to find an equalizer late in the game, Church snagged one more diving save to silence the Horned Frogs one last time in the 88th minute, helping to preserve the 1-0 win on Sandoval's game-winning goal. Church finished with six saves in the match, and secured her first career shutout as a Trojan.
USC and TCU were playing tonight's game in front of the second largest crowd ever at TCU's soccer stadium. A grand total of 2,318 showed up at Garvey-Rosenthal Field tonight in Fort Worth, Texas.
USC now turns to take a trip to Austin, Texas, for a 1 p.m. CT matchup against Texas on Sunday (August 29). Live video of the match will be streamed on the Longhorns' web site: www.texassports.com
USC 1, TCU 0
USC 1 - 0 = 1
TCU 0 - 0 = 0
SCORING:
USC: 39:53 - Ashli Sandoval (unassisted)
SAVES: Shelby Church (USC) 6, Kelsey Walters (TCU) 8, Team (TCU) 1.
SHOTS: USC 20, TCU 12
CORNER KICKS: USC 4, TCU 3
FOULS: USC 9, TCU 8
