The CSUN women’s soccer team (1-2) snapped their two-game losing streak Sunday afternoon after pummeling Saint Joseph’s (0-2) in a 4-0 victory at Matador Field. CSUN exploded in the second half, with four different Matadors scoring in a span of 20 minutes.
In the Matadors first win of the year, forward Farryn Townley, defender Desiree Cardenas, defender Brielle Slepicoff and forward Brittanie Sakajian all scored their first goals of the young season.
“We started off (the season) with two losses and to come back and win on home field with family watching is nice,” said freshman Sakajian, who scored her first goal of her CSUN career.
With two losses on their shoulders, the Matadors seemed determined to come out firing in the first half. CSUN had six shots in the first period, with three of them being wide shots from Townley, compared to just two shots from St. Joseph’s.
The game did not pick up scoring-wise until the second half of play. In the first five minutes out the gate, the Matadors had three chances to score their first goal of the match.
Northridge got its first goal when senior Cardenas took her first shot of the game and struck nothing but the net in the 66th minute. The goal was the product of a free kick she took 25 yards away from the Hawks goal.
After the first goal, junior Slepicoff scored in the 74th minute three yards away from the goal. Melissa Fernandez was credited with the assist on the play.
In the 80th minute of play, Townley scored off a header. Sakajian and Amanda Smith were both credited with assist. Next, Sakajian received a goal after she beat the goalkeeper with her kick from 13 yards out in the 84th minute of regulation.
The Matadors combined for 20 shots, four of them being corner kicks, compared to the Hawks racking up just four with one corner kick.
One reason CSUN believes they were able to rack up plenty of shots was due to the team’s chemistry on the field.
“We are starting to come together even more,” Cardenas said. “As we go more into the season, we will get better.”
Besides the Hawks let down on defense, head coach Keith West feels that the trip across the country for St. Joseph’s was an advantage for the Matadors in the second half.
“It’s hard to travel (from Philadelphia to California) and play Santa Barbara on Friday and then to come here Sunday,” West said. “I think around the 70th, 75th minutes they got a little tired.”
Next up, CSUN goes head to head with Pepperdine University at 7 p.m. Friday at Matador Field.
Game notes: CSUN’s Erin Kelley received a yellow card for a push made to a Hawks player in the second half… West stated that Saint Joseph’s is a physical team and they challenged the Matadors to a physical competition…CSUN goalie Cynthia Jacobo recorded two saves while the Hawks goalkeeper Christine Neal had seven… The Matadors were whistled for eight fouls versus the Hawks’ nine.
