Page One

Striker scores two more goals, leads Pac-10 

Striker Laura Schott scored two goals in less than two minutes to lead the Cal womens’ soccer team past Arizona State 3-0 Friday afternoon at Edwards Stadium. 

Twenty-five minutes into the match, forward Kyla Sabo lofted a pass that landed in a crowd in front of the goal that included Schott and three ASU defenders. Schott muscled the ball through the tangle of legs and slid the ball past goalkeeper Erin Reinke for her 19th goal of the season. Sabo was credited with her team-leading eighth assist on the goal. 

“She just keeps pulling them out,” Cal head coach Kevin Boyd said. “The first goal, I don’t even know how she came up with the ball, let along come out with it and put it away.” 

Schott came through with a solo effort as soon as play restarted, as she stripped the ball from ASU’s Jaclyn Clark, who was the last defender on the play. Schott calmly fired the ball past Reinke for her 20th goal, which leads the Pac-10.  

The sophomore now has 41 points on the year, tied for third-most in Cal history. With four games left in the regular season, slong with any possible post-season play, Schott is within striking distance of Joy Biefield’s school record of 54 points in a season, set in 1987 by the current U.S. National Team stalwart. 

Boyd praised midfielder Brittany Kirk for her play Kirk had one assist and controlled the midfield for most of the match. 

“She’s becoming our field general, which is a lot to ask of a sophomore,” he said. “She’s the one that tries to control the rhythm of the game.” 

Kirk roamed the midfield, knocking the ball forward to Sabo and Schott for numerous offensive opportunities, and showed good touch on the ball as ASU defenders looked a step slow all game. 

“I was trying to make an effort to keep possession of the ball and move it around, and to set up our forwards at the same time,” Kirk said. 

The final Bears goal came when a Sun Devil accidentally knocked the ball into her own net off of a Gretchen Vanderlip cross in the 67th minute. 

The starting Cal defense was impenatrable, giving up just one shot on goalkeeper Maite Zabala, who recorded the one of the easiest shutouts on record, extending her school-record total to 25.  

“Maite saves us so many times, it’s only natural that we do our best to help her out by not letting people get good shots,” said senior sweeper Tami Pivnik. 

The only tough Cal save on the day was made by backup Gabby Ronick, who came on in the 78th minute as Boyd removed several starters with a three-goal lead.