Aug. 30, 2008

Box Score

STOCKTON, Calif. - California blanked Pacific, 3-0, in both teams' season opener on Saturday afternoon at Brookside Field. The Golden Bears got one goal from senior midfielder Ashley Glosz and two from senior forward Katie Knoche. Senior goalkeeper Kelly Knoche got the shutout. Cal has a 1-0 record after the non-conference victory, while the Tigers open at 0-1.

Cal controlled most of the game, taking a big advantage on shots, 19-2. The Bears outshot the Tigers 8-0 in the first half alone, though Pacific goalkeeper Christina Niccum made three saves to keep the game tied, 0-0, at the break.

Glosz scored off a penalty stroke at the 46:00 mark, sending her shot to the high right of Niccum's goal. Knoche scored her two goals in less than three minutes, deflecting in a shot in the 54th minute and then scoring off a penalty-corner play, with assists going to senior midfielder Andrea Lo and sophomore forward Natalie Nurnberg.

"For the first game and with it being on grass, we did pretty darn good," Cal head coach Shellie Onstead said. "There was improvement from the Victoria scrimmage. It's a whole different show during the regular season. We really were dominating the game.

"Ashley is showing up as the playmaker, creating opportunities, driving the circle and dishing the ball off, some things you'd like to see a right mid do. With Katie, since playing on grass usually means a power game, she did really well as far as battling through with her physical one on one play and muscling into the circle."

The 14th-year head coach also praised the play of senior midfielder Gwen Belomy, now wearing the No. 13 jersey after previously wearing No. 25, and redshirt freshman Erin Magill.

"Gwen Belomy did a nice job in center mid, controlling things," Onstead said. "She did a nice job. Erin Magill got her first start at left half, and she did really well."

Cal returns to action with its home opener against Drexel at 1 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 1, at Maxwell Family Field in Berkeley. The Dragons also opened their season today, defeating Stanford, 3-1, on the Farm.

GAME SUMMARY

Goal Summary
Cal -

Ashley Glosz (pen. stroke) 46:00
Cal - Katie Knoche 53:55
Cal - Katie Knoche (Natalie Nurnberg, Andrea Lo) 56:22

Goals by Period

                  1        2        F
California        0        3        3
Pacific           0        0        0

Shots by Period

                  1        2        F
California        8        11       19
Pacific           0        2        2

Penalty Corners by Period

                  1        2        F
California        4        5        9
Pacific           1        4        5

Att.: 175.