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Cal soccer – men beat Denver, women tie St. Mary’s

By Jared Green
Monday September 16, 2002

 

Cal senior Pat Fisher scored his second game-winning goal in as many games to lead the Golden Bears to a 1-0 win over the Denver Pioneers at Edwards Stadium on Sunday. 

Fisher scored in the 50th minute on an assist from sophomore Calen Carr. Carr gathered the ball on the flank, juked past two defenders and put a perfect cross right to Fisher’s feet. Cal’s lone senior field player coolly slammed the ball past Denver goalkeeper Brian Lux for the game’s only goal. 

“It was pretty easy for me, I just put the ball in the corner of the net,” said Fisher, who scored his first goal of the season Friday against St. Mary’s. “Calen did all the hard work, so he should get most of the credit. I don’t even know how he saw me.” 

Cal head coach Kevin Grimes, however, praised Fisher for his overall play on the weekend. 

“Pat is definitely capable of coming up with big scores at big times,” Grimes said. “He was in position to score twice this weekend, and both times he knocked it in.” 

Cal had a few more scoring opportunities after the goal but couldn’t put another one away, and Denver rallied for several good shots in the final 15 minutes. Cal goalkeeper Josh Saunders made several nice saves, including a point-blank bullet he deflected away, to preserve his third shutout of the season. 

Sunday’s game was part of the California adidas-Legacy Classic, and Cal clinched at least a co-champion spot with the win. But for the Bears, who started the season 1-2-1, just getting two wins was plenty of reward for a hard weekend of work. 

“These are the games we have to win if we want to make the playoffs,” Fisher said. 

 

• MORAGA – Senior midfielder Brittany Kirk scored a goal with 14 seconds left in regulation to help No. 7 California secure a 1-1 tie at St. Mary’s Sunday afternoon at Garaventa Field. The tie improved the Golden Bears record to 4-1-1, and the Gaels are 1-4-1.  

“We showed great character in getting the tying goal,” said Cal head coach Kevin Boyd. “We battled to the end. We’re 4-1-1, and all six teams we have played so far have either been regionally or nationally ranked at some point this season. We’ve played a really good schedule and feel we’re doing quite well right now. We’re doing a great job playing like a team and getting results as a team.”  

Sunday was Cal’s first road game of the 2002 season and its fifth in a row without starting All-American forward Laura Schott and starting defender Kim Stocklmeir. Schott is nursing an MCL sprain and may return next Sunday against Fresno State, while Stocklmeir is out with a broken collarbone and will be out until at least mid-October.  

Kirk, who also tallied a goal and an assist in the Bears’ 2-1 victory over No. 3 Santa Clara on Friday, headed in the game-tying goal against St. Mary’s with a shot to the left corner following a scramble in front of the goal.  

The Gaels grabbed a 1-0 lead with under nine minutes to play in the game when they capitalized on a counter attack opportunity. Sarah Burgess fired a shot past Cal goalkeeper Sani Post after receiving a pass from Sarah Takekawa.  

In overtime the Bears outshot the Gaels 4-0, but neither team was able to score. SMC’s Ruth Montgomery finished the game with six saves, while Post tallied seven. 

 

Daily Planet Wire Services contributed to this story.