SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The No. 15 Cal State San Marcos women's soccer team remains unbeaten in its last six contests after a 1-1 tie with Marymount (Calif.) on Thursday afternoon at the CSUSM Multipurpose Field.
Natalie Lara put the Cougars ahead with her second goal in as many games in the 22
nd minute, but Maddie Maurer pulled the Mariners level in the 67
th. Despite having an open look on net in the waning seconds of the second half and hitting the crossbar in double overtime, CSUSM could not find the game-winner.
CSUSM moves to 7-2-2 while Marymount goes to 7-5-1. The Cougars had won their previous five games while outscoring their opponents 17-1 in the process.
In this afternoon's match, CSUSM outshot Marymount 15-3 and won the corner kick battle, 10-3. Credit Mariner goalkeeper Sandra Rodriguez with keeping the Cougars out of the net more than once, as she had seven saves in between the pipes.
The Cougars took the lead in the early stages after winning a series of corner kicks. On the fifth try, Searl played a ball to the top of the six.
Monica Aguilera went up for it with a couple of defenders, but it sailed over their heads to the back post.
A wide-open Lara collected it off the bounce with her chest before placing a left-footed volley into the top of the net.
Marymount saw much more of the play in the second half and capitalized on a dead ball. After CSUSM was called for an innocent clip of the feet about 28 yards out, Maurer had a go at goal from long range. The line drive sailed on CSUSM goalkeeper
Erica Dory and tucked in just under the bar.
CSUSM had a legitimate shot to send the Mariners packing with under 10 seconds to play. The Cougars won a foul outside the right edge of the box and Searl played it to the back post. The flight of the ball fooled Rodriguez and it floated over her outstretched gloves.
It curled to a wide-open
Lauren Rivero, but her header missed the bottom left corner by a matter of inches.
In the first overtime, Dory denied a firm shot to the near post from Hanna Hermansson.
With less than two minutes left in the second extra stanza, Rivero once again got onto the end of a cross from Searl, but this time her header hit the crossbar.
The Cougars return to play Saturday when they take on Bethesda at 1:00 p.m. on the Multipurpose Field.