Long Beach State Women’s Soccer Team Advances
to NCAA Tournament's Elite 8 with Win over San Diego

Long Beach State (LBSU) freshman forward Ashley Roese made her first career goal one to remember as she scored the game-winner in the 56th minute to put the 21st-ranked LBSU women’s soccer team in the NCAA Elite Eight with a 1-0 victory over the University of San Diego on a rainy Sunday afternoon at UCLA’s Drake Stadium.

The 49ers continued their historic season as they have now not only won their first-ever NCAA tournament game but have also advanced to the Elite Eight in just their third postseason appearance. LBSU has also shattered the program’s single-season records for victories (18), goals (49), assists (52) and points (150).

With the win, the 49ers improved to 18-5-1 overall and extended their season-long winning streak to eight games.  That streak is also a school record, eclipsing the previous best of six games, which the 2008 and 2010 squads initially established.

It marked the second time this year the 49ers defeated San Diego, which advanced to the Sweet 16 with a win over No. 2 UCLA in penalty kicks.

Roese found the back of the net on LBSU’s first shot of the second half.  She delivered the game-winner at the 56-minute mark when she worked to get free in the box before scoring from close range in a one-on-one situation with USD goalkeeper Courtney Parsons.  In addition to her first career goal, Roese also finished with a career-high two shots.

Senior 49er goalie Kaitlyn Gustaves registered two saves en route to her fifth consecutive shutout and 12th of the year.  Gustaves and the 49er back line, which have blanked their opponents in seven of the last eight games, have not allowed a goal in 477 minutes.

LBSU is set for an NCAA Elite Eight match-up with top-seeded and third-ranked Duke University on Friday, Nov. 25.  Kick-off is set for 4 p.m. (PST) at Duke’s Koskinen Stadium.

The 49ers advanced to the Sweet 16 contest against San Diego after its 1-0 win over Miami (Fla.) in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Friday at UCLA’s stadium as sophomore Kelsey Wilson recorded her second career goal in the 81st minute of the game.

With less than 10 minutes left in regulation, Wilson received a pass from senior Nicole Hubbard and proceeded down the left side of the field, taking the game-winning shot from 40 yards out as the ball sailed over Miami goalkeeper Vikki Alonzo to the far post. It was Wilson's second goal of the season and Hubbard's fifth assist of the year.

LBSU Notes

- Long Beach State advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time in school history.

- It is the first time a Big West Conference program has moved on to the NCAA Elite Eight as Cal State Fullerton (2005) and UC Irvine (2010) are the only other schools to have reached the Sweet 16.

- This is the 49ers’ third NCAA Tournament appearance. They also earned a bid in 2008 and 2010 when they lost in the first round to San Diego and Santa Clara, respectively.

- LBSU has not allowed a goal in the NCAA Tournament this year and currently owns a streak of 477:44 scoreless minutes.

- Long Beach State is one of just three schools that have yet to allow a goal in the NCAA Tournament. The other two programs are top-ranked Stanford and No. 8 Virginia.

- Three different 49ers have found the back of the net in each of Long Beach State’s 1-0 victories. Nadia Link scored her team-leading 16th goal of the season at No. 7 Pepperdine, Kelsey Wilson netted her second goal of the year against Miami and Ashley Roese’s first career goal came against San Diego.
 

-- Andrea Ohta