Cori Deason scored the match’s only goal in the 11th minute as the Point Loma women’s soccer team upset No. 14 Cal State Los Angeles, 1-0, on Tuesday, Sept. 8.
Deason’s goal capped off a strong start for PLNU (2-1-0) where it controlled most of the match early. She poked in the ball off a cross from Kaiti Freeberg that made contact with the crossbar and came straight down on the far side of the goal. Deason outran her defender to the ball and poked it into the back of the net for the match’s lone goal. It was her first as a Sea Lion.
 
“We started the game very well,” said PLNU head coach Tim Hall. “We controlled the match the first 15 minutes and out of that came a very nice goal. It was a bit of a junk goal but it was set up very well with lots of possession play.”
 
With the lead in their pocket the Sea Lions backed off a bit and were not as dominant as early but still limited the Golden Eagles (0-1-1) to only seven shots in 90 minutes, including just two on goal. Ariel Oriarte earned her second shutout of the season with two saves.
 
“Our defense didn’t play to their standards but they are scrappy and will go down fighting and whenever you can keep a team like Cal State LA off the board we will take it,” Hall added.
 
The Golden Eagles entered the contest as the CCAA preseason conference favorites and the No. 14 ranked team on the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll. This was the first time CSULA had been shutout in the regular season since Oct. 27, 2013.
 
“I know the CCAA is the conference everyone is going after but I really think the PacWest can play with those schools,” Hall explained. “The PacWest is getting better and in the future the differences between the CCAA and PacWest teams will go away. I know they are still probably the standard but we can play with these teams.”
 
“The thing I loved about this match is the way we fought and battled,” Hall added. “We have a lot of new women playing, but they fought hard and we were able to get the shutout.”
 
The Point Loma women’s soccer team will face another CCAA opponent on Saturday (Sept. 12) when they welcome in Sonoma State for a contest at 2:00 p.m. 
 
Watch Cori Deason’s postgame interview: https://youtu.be/9Z7a3bYvJyg