SACRAMENTO -- Aubrey Goodwill's first goal of the season from the penalty spot in the 20th minute answered an early UC Davis score and helped the Sacramento State women's soccer team forge a 1-1 draw with its Causeway rival on a steamy Thursday afternoon at Hornet Soccer Field.
The draw gave the Hornets their second point of the year as they moved to 0-3-2 overall on the season, ending a run of three consecutive victories by the Aggies in the series and gaining their first result in the series since a 1-0 win on the road in 2017.
UC Davis moved to 2-2-1 overall on the year with the tie and are now winless in its last three (0-2-1) outings.
With kick-off moved up three hours due to extreme heat forecast in the area, the Aggies wasted little time in getting on the board as Leslie Fregoso found the back of the net just 40 seconds into the contest. Fregoso controlled a loose ball at the top of the 18, dribbled in, and poked a right-footed shot from about 10 yards out that glanced off the hands of the Hornet keeper into the left side of the net for the 1-0 lead.
The score stayed that way until the 20th minute when Abigail Lopez was taken down in the box in traffic off an Aubrey Goodwill free kick near the left sideline, drawing a whistle from the referee and awarding Sacramento State a penalty kick.
Goodwill, who holds the school career record with five makes from the spot, then stepped to the ball and drove a right-footed attempt just off the outstretched keeper's hands to the left side, drawing the Hornets level.
UC Davis turned up the heat after the goal, quickly trying to answer, but could not dent the back of the net. One attempt deflected off the right post in the 24th minute and goalkeeper Mia Shalit was up to the task of denying Sammie Ruelas at the near post nine minutes later.
Madelyn Dougherty had a look through traffic that was easily scooped up by the UC Davis keeper in the 34th minute for Sacramento State, while Darian Louthan and Kalista Hardy each had chances sandwiched around a corner that sailed off target right before the half.
The Aggies again came out aggressively to start the second, butt he Hornet defense was up to the task, while Katie Bessamer had a look for Sacramento State in the 63rd minute, but was turned away.
Lindsey Porter had, perhaps, the best chance for either team in the final 20 minutes, gathering a ball that was miscleared by the Hornet defense and powering a left-footed shot from about 15 yards out that Shalit punched over the crossbar away from trouble. Fregoso then had an attempt off the ensuing corner go wide, keeping the score knotted at one apiece.
Like the temperature, things got heated in the final 12 minutes as expected in a rivalry match as six of the eight cards issued in the match came in that span — including a red against the Sacramento State bench that forced the Hornets to play down a player for the final four-plus minutes.
Neither team could capitalize, however, with only two shots attempted in the final 10 as the horn sounded a draw.
Dougherty, Lopez, and Hardy, each finished with two shots apiece for Sacramento State, while Fregoso and Ruelas had three apeice for UC Davis, which out-shot the Hornets by a 16-9 count for the match. The Hornets took five of the seven corners for the contest, while the Aggies were whistled for 17 fouls — 12 of those in the first half alone.
Thursday marked the end of a season-long three-match homestand for Sacramento State, which hits the road on Sunday (Sept. 4) to take on Nevada at 7 p.m. in Reno. Note the start time, which has been changed from the originally scheduled 1 p.m. due to extreme heat in the forecast for Sunday.
