SJSU sophomore defender Kyah Coady drives down the pitch in the first half of Spartans’ 2-1 loss to the Aggies on Thursday. l Photo by Mat Bejarano
San Jose State women’s soccer (0-2-1) continues to search for their first win of the season as the Spartans lost 2-1 to U.C. Davis (2-0) Thursday night at home.
Despite outshooting their opponent in SJSU’s second-straight game, the Spartans’ offense could not find the back net.
“I think it was a matter of a goalkeeper error and (the Aggies) scored on a good set piece,” SJSU head coach Tina Estrada said. “Other than that, it was a pretty even match.”
Sophomore Drew Novaes got the nod at goalkeeper for the Spartans, but couldn’t contain the Aggies offense, allowing two goals in the span of six minutes putting the Spartans in a 2-0 hole in the first half.
SJSU junior goalkeeper Bente Pernot, who won the 2022 Mountain West All-Conference Second Team, got her first save of the season after being substituted in the second half.
The Spartans got their first goal of the season in the 60th minute after junior midfielder Tatiana Cunningham made a pass to the top of the six-yard box, where Aggies junior defender Jayde Holley headed it into the back of the net for an own goal cutting their lead to 2-1.
“I think we’ll be fine moving forward, it just takes the first (goal) and we got the first one. It’ll come,” Estrada said.
Pernot finished the night with three saves in the second half including a diving stop in the 69th minute.
Spartans senior midfielder Taylor Phillips led the team with five shots with two of them being on goal.
“We’re getting some good chances, which is the first step,” Phillips said. “We just have to be a little more diligent and focused on burying (the ball) in the back of the net.”
It was a very physical match as the Aggies committed 16 fouls that included two yellow cards by respective midfielders freshman Sydney Bushman and junior Genavieve Fontes. Despite the free kick opportunities, the Spartans still couldn’t find the back of the net.
“We earned a ton of free kicks, and (we had) places that we should have been scoring, but I feel like it’s just momentum,” Phillips said. “We know what’s not working so hopefully we can figure that out for the next game.”
SJSU will continue its four-game home stand when the Spartans are scheduled to play Northeastern at noon on Sunday at the Spartan Soccer Complex.
