Aug. 29, 2008

Box Score |  Photo Gallery 

BERKELEY, Calif. - No. 15 California led 2-0 at halftime but ended up falling to Cal State Fullerton, 3-2, in overtime Friday in the Golden Bears' home opener at Edwards Stadium. The Bears fell to 1-1 with the setback on day one of the 14th-annual Cal Invitational, while the Titans improved to 2-0.

Sophomore forward Alex Morgan gave Cal a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute. Morgan received a centering pass from redshirt sophomore forward Lisa Kevorkian, dribbled around the goalkeeper and tapped the ball into the open net. The goal was the U.S. under-20 national team member's second of the season, giving her a team-high six points on the year.

Senior midfielder Nikki Schrey extended the Bears' advantage to 2-0 when she headed in a right-sided cross from freshman forward Camellia Senemar in the 36th minute.

Cal State Fullerton began to chip away at Cal's lead with a goal in the 52nd minute off the foot of Christina Murillo.

Kevorkian almost added an insurance goal for Cal in the 64th minute, but her shot was cleared off the line by a defender. The Titans pulled even in the 79th minute when Tamara Dewey converted a penalty kick.

Cal held a 21-7 edge on shots in the game and had several excellent chances to post the game-winning goal at the end of regulation and in overtime. With under four minutes to go in regulation, Katrin Omarsdottir and Senemar combined to find Schrey for a hard-hit shot on goal, but it ended with a diving saving by Titans goalkeeper Shannon Simpson. A couple minutes before, Omarsdottir had a bicycle kick shot saved by Simpson.

In the 96th minute, Cal redshirt junior defender Katherine Daiss, a converted forward, rifled a shot off a corner kick that barely went over the goal's cross bar. Daiss tallied two of Cal's four shots in overtime. Freshman defender Danielle Brunache and Kevorkian had Cal's other shots in extra minutes.

With 10 seconds left in the first 10-minute overtime period, Cal State Fullerton drew a foul on the left flank deep in Cal's defensive third of the field. Jenae Gibbons poked in the game-winning score off of the subsequent free kick in traffic in front of the goal.

Cal looks to get back on track against Saint Joseph's on Sunday, Aug. 31, at 4:30 p.m. as the Cal Invitational concludes. Saint Joseph's lost to Saint Mary's, 2-1, in overtime in Moraga today in the first game of the Cal Invitational. The Gaels will face the Titans in the first game on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Edwards Stadium.

Women's Soccer Result
Cal State Fullerton	0	2	1	--	3
California		2	0	0	--	2

Scoring Summary
Cal	Alex Morgan (Lisa Kevorkian)	30:59
Cal	Nikki Schrey (Camellia Senemar)	35:46
CSF	Christina Murillo (Casey Volk)	51:10
CSF	Tamara Dewey (PK)		78:29
CSF	Jenae Gibbons (Geminesse Martinzez)	99:54

Shots: Cal 21 (Katrin Omarsdottir 4), CSF 7 (7 different players with 1 each).
Shots on Goal:  Cal 10 (Lisa Kevorkian 3), CSF 4 (4 different players with 1 each).
Saves: Cal 1 (Gina Pellegrini 1), CSF 8 (Shannon Simpson 6, Team 2).
CK: Cal 5, CSF 3.
Fouls: Cal 13, CSF 15.
Offsides: Cal 2, CSF 2.
Yellow Cards:  Cal (Nkechi Kanu 99:50), CSF (Jackie Hovda 24:35 , Janea Deas 87:32).
Red Cards:  None.
Records:  Cal 1-1, CSF 2-0.
Attendance: 179.