USC
San Diego
No. 25 USC Skids In Loss To San Diego
August 21, 2011 | Women's Soccer
Aug. 21, 2011
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. -- The No. 25 USC women's soccer team took its second home loss of the season and third straight to San Diego with the Toreros' 3-1 finish over the host Trojans. Stephanie Ochs had a hat trick for San Diego, including a penalty kick finish that put USC in a 3-0 hole in the 82nd minute. USC went down to 10 players in the 60th minute when Morgan Morrow was dealt her second yellow card of the game, and although USC got a last-ditch goal from Erica Vangsness with five ticks to go, USC was well short of a win. The Trojans are now 0-2 overall after a rough opening weekend at McAlister Field, while San Diego starts up 2011 with a 2-0 record.
It's the first losing weekend at McAlister Field in program history for the Women of Troy, who last opened the year with a pair of losses in 2009.
The Toreros took a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute with a long boot from goalkeeper Courtney Parsons that got through the USC defense for a charging Ochs. Ochs slotted the ball past oncoming USC goalkeeper Shelby Church to take Sad Diego ahead 1-0. USC's Brittany Kerridge had helped generate several USC looks on the Torero goal, including a nice touch from Carly Butcher that went just wide, and a couple dangerous set plays for the Trojans. Haley Boysen would find Elizabeth Eddy for a slick back-heel to Samantha Johnson in the 21st minute, but Johnson's booming blast was hauled in by San Diego keeper Parsons to keep USC off the board. Parsons would be called on for a few more snags before the first half came to a close, and the Torero lead was intact for the second half.
Eddy earned a corner for the Trojans in the early goings of the second half, sending the ball in for Johnson, who found Ashli Sandoval for a strike that was saved. Then, in the 55th minute of play, Ochs was on the receiving end of another smooth through ball -- this one from teammate Elissa Magracia -- for another one-on-one finish to take San Diego ahead 2-0. Five minutes later, Morrow was dealt her second yellow card of the game, putting the redshirt sophomore midfielder on the sidelines and leaving the Trojans a player down for the last 30 minutes of regulation.
USC held strong despite having only 10 on the field, until Ochs went on another break and was taken down in the box by USC defender Allie Harrison, putting Ochs on the line for a penalty kick. She finished the chance, notching a hat trick for the U.S. Under-23 team player, and putting San Diego up 3-0 in the 82nd minute of play. The Women of Troy managed to avert a shutout in the last gasp of the game. Freshman Jessica Musmanno slipped a ball central to junior newcomer Erica Vangsness, and Vangness delivered with the score just five second before the final buzzer.
USC's next chance to get in the win column comes next weekend with a trip to San Diego, where the Trojans will face Kansas at 5 p.m. on Friday (Aug. 26) and then take on Pacific at 2 p.m. on Sunday (Aug. 28) at Torero Stadium.
August 21, 2011 -- McAlister Field (Los Angeles, Calif.)
San Diego 3, #25 USC 1
USC 0 - 1 = 1
USD 1 - 2 = 3
SCORING:
29:19 -- USD: Stephanie Ochs (Courtney Parsons)
54:02 -- USD: Ochs (Elissa Magracia)
81:28 -- USD: Ochs (penalty kick)
89:55 -- USC: Erica Vangsness (Jessica Musmanno)
SAVES: Shelby Church (USC) 0, Team (USC) 1, Courtney Parsons (USD) 3.
SHOTS: USC 9, USD 8
FOULS: USC 15, USD 12
CORNERS: USC 6, USD 4
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