SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Elizabeth Maass converted a penalty kick in the 81^st minute to provide the difference in the Cal State San Marcos women's soccer team's 2-1 victory over Fresno Pacific in non-conference play on Saturday afternoon in The Cage.

Tied 1-1, Kayla Anderson was pulled down inside the box on the right side to hand the Cougars a kick from the spot. Maass, a sophomore forward who hadn't yet scored a goal in a CSUSM uniform, stepped up to take the kick. She sent the shot low and to the keeper's right, tucking the ball inside the left post.
 
The Cougars improve to 2-0-3 overall heading into California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play next week. CSUSM is unbeaten over its first five matches for the first time since 2013.

"This is the best game we've had in terms of generating opportunities and getting into the final third. Scoring two goals was a really nice feature. We had good work ethic and we showed grit and toughness," said CSUSM head coach Bobby Renneisen.

The Cougars took 20 total shots, double the amount of their previous high of 10 against Southern Nazarene on Sept. 8.

CSUSM scored its first goal of the match off a Megan Pfrunder corner kick, a trend that seems to have taken hold with this year's Cougars. Pfrunder sent a corner to the back post that Morgan Simmons met and headed inside the six. Amy Wilson leapt to flick it towards goal, and the ball crossed the line before a FPU defender cleared it out.

For Wilson, it marked her first goal of the season. Pfrunder has had three assists so far this season, all on corner kicks.

Fresno Pacific equalized a few moments later. Mariah Montoya collected a long ball at midfield before taking on three CSUSM defenders on a breakaway. She pounded the ball inside the left post to make it 1-1.

CSUSM had a couple of good chances, including a point-blank look by Sierra Ferrario, and an earlier attempt from Maass.

The Cougars open conference play next Wednesday by hosting No. 6 UC San Diego at 12:30 p.m. in The Cage. CSUSM faces Chico State on Friday afternoon at home.
 
"We're excited about conference. It's going to be a tough couple of matches coming up and will give us a good benchmark to see where we're at," said Renneisen.

FPU drops to 2-2 overall.