Fullerton goalie Morgan Bertsch scoops up a loose ball in front of LBSU’s Jessica Vincent in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Despite being on the ground, LBSU’s Katie Pingel still battles for the ball from a Fullerton player in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
LBSU’s Nadiyah Siqueiros tries to maneuver between Fullerton’s Atlanta Primus, left, and Connie Caliz in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
LBSU’s Taylor Bistline beats others to a header in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Fullerton’s Samantha Koemans heads the ball away from LBSU’s Alyssa Alvarez in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
LBSU’s Tori Bolden tries to keep the ball from Fullerton’s Tala Haddad, left, and Nano Oronoz in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
LBSU’s Katie Pingel sprints with the ball up the field in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Fullerton players converge on Samantha McKenna after she scored a first half goal in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
After scoring a first half goal, Fullerton’s Samantha McKenna points to her bench in celebration in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Fullerton’s Tala Haddad and LBSU’s Tori Bolden converge on the ball in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
LBSU’s Allie Emmons and Fullerton’s Nano Oronoz fight for a header in front of the LBSU goal in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
LBSU’s Rola Badawiya takes a flying shot at the Fullerton goal in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
After scoring a goal in the first half, Fullerton’s Sarah Fajnor blows kisses to the crowd in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
LBSU’s Rola Badawiya tries to stop a ball in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
LBSU’s Rola Badawiya takes a shot at the goal in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
LBSU’s Hannah Stammer and Fullerton’s Lindsay Stasinis collide on the ball in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Fullerton goalie Morgan Bertsch scoops up a loose ball in front of LBSU’s Jessica Vincent in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
LBSU’s Allie Emmons, right, is announced as a starter in Long Beach on Sunday, October 8, 2017. (Photo by Scott Varley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
LONG BEACH >> Long Beach State women’s soccer held the edge in quantity of shots on Sunday night at George Allen Field, but Cal State Fullerton had more quality in a 2-0 win over the 49ers. LBSU (7-3-3, 1-1-1) outshot the Titans 19-8, and 10-3 in the second half after CSUF (9-3-2, 2-1-0) scored on two of its first four shots.
“It’s one of those games you have to watch again to see where we went wrong because I thought we did a lot of good things,” LBSU coach Mauricio Ingrassia said. “I thought we had the right game plan but we didn’t execute.”
This is the first time since 2014 that LBSU has been shutout in a Big West Conference loss at home. CSUF leads the all-time series 12-8-2, and the 49ers only have one win over Fullerton in the last eight meetings.
CSUF goalkeeper Morgan Bertsch made a couple of phenomenal plays and had six saves in her fifth shutout of the season. In the 14th minute, CSUF midfielder Samantha McKenna stole the ball and slotted it home with her left foot. Ten minutes before halftime McKenna lofted a long diagonal cross to Sarah Fajnor. The senior made a quick move in the 18-yard box and scored into the far side netting. LBSU was without center back Kaitlin Fregulia, but Ingrassia said that wasn’t an excuse.
“It was individual mistakes,” Ingrassia said. “No excuse, we just have to get better. Not taking your chances when they come is just as bad as being on the end of the last final mistake.”
LBSU had a few chances to take an early lead. An ninth minute counter attack was the best chance, but junior Rocio Rodriguez had her shot cleared off the line. Sophomore Taylor Bistline’s header was saved by Bertsch in the 19th minute, and Jessica Vincent’s head a few minutes later went over the crossbar. Substitute Rola Badawiya forced Berstch into a diving save in the 42nd minute, and Katie Pingel’s 44th minute shot across the face of goal went inches wide right.
“It’s frustrating.” Pingel said. “We put up a good fight and battled, we just couldn’t put away our chances.”
Bartsch made strong saves just after the hour mark on guilt-edged scoring opportunities for Tori Bolden and Taylor Bistline.
“This is a wake up call for us,” said LBSU goalkeeper Mia Hummel. She finished with three saves.
LBSU continues Big West action next weekend at UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly.
