Sept. 6, 2009

Final Stats

BERKELEY - With less than five minutes remaining in regulation, California gave up a game-tying goal to Northeastern, and the Huskies went on to defeat the Golden Bears in the second extra period, 3-2, Sunday afternoon at Maxwell Family Field. Cal falls to 2-1, while Northeastern (1-2) picks up its first win of the season. Junior Natalie Nurnberg scored both of Cal's goals.

The Huskies got on the board quickly at the outset of the match. In the second minute of the game, Crystal Poland converted on a penalty corner to give Northeastern a 1-0 lead. It was the first goal allowed by the Bears in 2009.

Nurnberg tied the contest in the 12th minute when she collected the ball after a missed pass from a Husky defender. Nurnberg found herself right in front of the cage and beat the keeper to her left. In the second half, Nurnberg gave the Bears their first lead of the match in the 42nd minute. Sophomore Erin Magill sent in a deep pass and Nurnberg was able to get her stick on the ball and deflect it in the cage. Magill earned an assist on the goal. The two scores were the first of the season for Nurnberg, tying her with sophomore Jessica Kreck for the team lead.

"The second one was really cool because we were practicing that all last week and we accomplished it," Nurnberg said. "I barely touched it, so it was really cool. The first one, I had been talking to Shellie (Onstead) about me not scoring any goals yet, so I was saying that I had scorer's block. I came out and got two goals, so that was pretty exciting, but we still lost."

When it looked as though the Bears might be able to hang on for the win, Poland recorded her second goal of the game to tie the contest at two late in the second period. Within a big pile up in front of the cage, Poland was able to sneak a shot past Cal keeper Maddie Hand, after Hand had previously saved a shot from Poland. Poland led all players with five shots in the match, all of which were on goal.

Northeastern's Carolyn Malloy scored the game-winning goal just over five minutes into the second extra period.

The Huskies doubled up on the Bears in shots, 12-6, and also earned four more penalty corners than Cal (7-3).

The Bears hit the road for the next two weeks. Next Saturday, Cal squares off against Pacific at 1 p.m. in Stockton. Cal returns to Maxwell Family Field on Sept. 27 against Stanford.