Lindsey Boyd (@lindsboyd3):
SJSU stole the season opener 11-7 against local rival Santa Clara University with an eight point comeback in the second half.
The Broncos came out hard scoring on their first three shots of the game with only six minutes shaved off the clock. The Spartans’ offensive turnovers and weak passing resulted in more points for Santa Clara. By the end of the half, SJSU trailed 6-2.
“We weren’t being strong enough on defense and we weren’t passing very well but we corrected some of those things,” said head coach Bruce Watson.
As soon as third quarter started, the Spartans started nailing goal after goal — seven unchallenged in a row to be exact. Meanwhile on defense, goalie TJ Palmer held the Broncos to only one goal late in the fourth quarter.
“Santa Clara is a really tough team,” Palmer said. “They are our rivals and we haven’t lost to them yet since becoming a new program.”
As the season goes on, Watson hopes his team will increase the tempo of the game even more and play at a faster pace. For now, he was proud that the freshmen and sophomores were able to take back control of the game and fight for the win.
SJSU will hit the road and play again on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 1:00 p.m. against the UC Davis Aggies.
