{"id":29398,"date":"2026-08-13T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thespearsjsu.com\/?p=29398"},"modified":"2026-08-21T16:33:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T23:33:56","slug":"broncos-shut-out-spartans-2-0-in-home-opener","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thespearsjsu.com\/?p=29398","title":{"rendered":"Broncos shutout Spartans 2-0 in home opener"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
By Jasmina Lara (<\/strong>@lara_jasmina06<\/strong><\/a>) – Spear Reporter<\/strong> |<\/strong> Spartan junior goalkeeper Paige Fry taking a goal kick. (Photo by SJSU Athletics)<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Crosstown rivals Santa Clara University (1-0) defeated San Jose State (0-1) in a 2-0 shutout in the home opener Wednesday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the sixth season in a row the Broncos and Spartans have opened the season against each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were really excited for the competition. Santa Clara is a good team, but we also knew the home opener was gonna be exciting,\u201d said junior goalkeeper Paige Fry<\/a>. \u201cIt was fun having fans out. We could hear the football team and soccer team, so just a lot of energy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Broncos senior forward Kennedy Schoennauer <\/a>scored the first goal of the game with a one-touch finish toward the back of the net. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Freshman defender Lucy Wimsatt<\/a> passed to sophomore midfielder Hildi Benediktsdottir<\/a>, who quickly sent the ball through to Schoennauer for her assist. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the second half, SJSU came in with renewed energy as they tightened their defense to slow the Broncos’ attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the Broncos extended their lead in the 74th minute when Schoennauer took a touch around freshman defender Kallie Stacey<\/a> and curled a shot inside the far post following an assist from sophomore midfielder Adee Goulden<\/a>, who had received the ball from Benediktsdottir. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Spartans struggled to generate offensive opportunities throughout the match, recording just 3 total shots compared to the Broncos\u2019 16.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of those chances came when senior forward Paige Pineda-Aliamus<\/a> headed the ball toward freshman forward  Mayanne Fernandes<\/a>, who followed with a shot that sailed off target. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fernandes debuted in that match and recorded her first start as the only freshman in the starting 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Broncos utilized the sides and pockets of space in the middle when passing. The Spartans’ defensive play was determined, preventing many of the Broncos’ chances in creating more scoring opportunities in the box. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were going 50-50 balls. We weren\u2019t backing off just because they were Santa Clara,\u201d said SJSU sophomore midfielder Mercedes Cioffi<\/a>. \u201cWe were going into every tackle hard and making sure that if we were gonna go down, we’re gonna go down with a fight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cioffi also notes that the team’s defensive core is strong and that they can battle whatever is thrown their way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SJSU head coach Sonia Curvelo<\/a> said the Spartans\u2019 defensive organization improved as the game progressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFrom an organization standpoint defensively, we did much better. As soon as we made an adjustment in the game that kept the ball as much in front of us as possible,\u201d Curvelo said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Spartans were able to build pressure in the Broncos\u2019 half as they created shot opportunities in quick succession despite the Broncos\u2019 lead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

SJSU sophomore defender Gabrielle Germain<\/a> fired a shot from outside of the box that went wide of the right post. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trying to capitalize on the momentum, sophomore midfielder Annalise Martins<\/a> forced Santa Clara\u2019s sophomore goalkeeper Ally Harrison<\/a> to make a save near the bottom of the net. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An intense moment came when the Broncos\u2019 eighth corner kick of the night led sophomore midfielder Rylan Cashman<\/a> to clean up a cross at the top of the box to junior defender Izzy De Buyl<\/a>, who took a shot but was denied by Fry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Paige with another save \ud83e\udde4

Watch now on MW+. Subscribe here (https:\/\/t.co\/lw1UPga54Y<\/a>)#AllSpartans<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/uLxKuFXWiO<\/a><\/p>— SJSU Women's Soccer (@sjsuwsoc) August 13, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>