BERKELEY – Nineteenth-ranked California hadn't given up two goals in a game all season – until Saturday, when the Golden Bears fell, 2-1, to Santa Clara in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Edwards Stadium.
 
Santa Clara's Kelsey Turnbow – the WCC Freshman of the Year – scored the eventual gamewinner from the corner of Cal's box in the 65th minute, as she fired past goalkeeper Emily Boyd and inside the far post.
 
The Bears were down one player for most of the game, as Indigo Gibson was red carded for a foul in the third minute. The foul set up a free kick from just outside the box for the Broncos, whose Gudrun Arnardottir curved a shot over the wall to give SCU a 1-0 lead.
 
But the Bears acquitted themselves well the rest of the first half despite playing 10 v. 11.
 
In the 27th minute a Santa Clara defender fouled Heather Walleigh inside the corner of the Broncos' box, and the Bears' Miranda Nild converted the ensuing penalty kick to tie the game at 1-1.
 
Santa Clara had a goal disallowed in the 30th minute for offside, and the half ended at 1-1.
 
While Cal was outshot 7-4 in the first half, Santa Clara outshot the Bears 10-3 and had more of the play in the last 45 minutes, resulting in Turnbow's go-ahead goal.
 
Cal's last best chance on Saturday came at 89:37, when Cal midfielder Guro Bergsvand blasted a shot from 30 yards that Santa Clara goalkeeper Melissa Lowder saved.
 
Nild finished the season as Cal's scoring leader with 15 points, passing Abi Kim, who ended the year with 14 points. Nild's goal Saturday marked the junior forward's team-high tying seventh goal of the season and Cal's second penalty kick of the year. Both PKs came against the Broncos, including in Cal's 2-1 win over SCU on Aug. 20 in Berkeley.
 
Cal ends the year with a 13-6-1 record, while the 14-6-1 Broncos advance to play Vanderbilt in the second round.
 
"Even 11 vs 11 it was going to be a tough game," Cal head coach Neil McGuire said. "Losing a player three minutes into the match does make the game very difficult for you. But I thought our players showed great resiliency taking it to 1-1 at halftime."
 
Santa Clara outshot Cal, 17-7, and forced Boyd – the Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Year – to make four saves. Lowder made two saves.
 
"Naturally (the Broncos) were going to create more goalscoring chances, being that they were going to have the ball more," McGuire added. "But I thought we showed great character, the girls fought and they should be very proud of themselves."
 
Cal seniors Boyd, Gibson, Begsvand, Kelly Fitzgerald, Hayley Lukas and Heather Walleigh ended their college careers with Saturday's game.
 
"Anytime you see your seniors cry in the manner they do after a loss, it shows what the program means to them," McGuire said. "We're very proud of everything they've given the program. They're going to be great pros, whether it's in soccer or otherwise. In regards to the season, I thought our team did a very good job this year. Unfortunately, we got a tough call – referees make tough decisions – and we have to improve for next year."