Box Score
SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Top-seeded Cal State San Marcos fell short in its quest for a fourth Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) title in the past five years, as second-seeded Ashford (Iowa) escaped with a 1-0 victory that guarantees an automatic berth to the NAIA national tournament.

CSUSM (11-5-3), ranked No. 14 nationally coming into the A.I.I. Tournament, will have to wait and see if it will receive an at-large berth when the field is determined on Sunday. The Cougars have made the postseason in three of the last four seasons.

Hollie Babut scored in the 82^nd minute for the game's only goal. She floated a shot over an outstretched Amanda Sears from 25 yards out to put the Saints in the lead for good. It was her 20^th score of the year.

Despite outshooting the Saints 11-6 and putting seven shots on frame, CSUSM was shutout for the first time since Oct. 17. The Cougars earned five times more corner kicks than the Saints (10-2), but could not put away their dangerous opportunities.

“I though we started really slow. I think it set the tone and let Ashford get comfortable with the game,” said CSUSM head coach Ron Pulvers. “From then on, we were on our front foot. Our service was on point, but we just could not finish.

“Credit to Ashford. That's a good team and I take my hat of to them. They are team deserving of being champions,” said Pulvers.

CSUSM was fortunate to be at 0-0 at the break, as AU had a couple opportunities early on to get one on the board. Babut was freed for a one-on-one breakaway in the middle of the field but missed wide left in the 19^th minute. Gertrund Eggertsdottir found herself open at the top of the box and missed the top corner high in the 29^th.

Out of the half, the Cougars carried the game and forced pressure on the AU net. Shelby Bush collected the ball inside the left side of the box in the 50^th minute before playing a cross to the back of the six. Breanne Searl was left unmarked, but her side-footed volley went out for a goal kick.

In the 62^nd, Dani Porter turned her defender 30 yards out before taking a couple of touches to the edge of the arc. She fired a left-footed shot to the right post, but a fully extended Jessica VanDyke poked it over the bar to keep it nil-nil.

Jacqueline Lara flicked a long throw-in towards the goal mouth in the 73^rd, which was bobbled and caught by VanDyke. Searl then played a cross into the box which bounced at the penalty spot and VanDyke did well to beat Bush to the header.

“Their keeper came up big on a couple occasions, especially on Porter's shot. She pretty much took it out of the upper 90,” said Pulvers.

AU finally got its goal against the run of play off a throw-in eight minutes from full time. Eggertsdottir collected the throw on the right side before playing it across to Babut. She cut the ball to her left before teeing up the shot, which flew past a diving Sears.

“We're going to have to regroup and look forward to the future. I think one thing about this team that I've really enjoyed is they've showed an incredible amount of character and class all year. With the amount of injuries we've had, the girls with the injuries and the team itself handled the adversity well,” said Pulvers.