The San Jose State women's soccer team got a demoralizing blow to its season after a 2-1 loss against Colorado State Sunday afternoon at the Spartan Soccer Complex.
The Spartans led all game until the Rams tied the game with 15 minutes left and eventually scored the game-winning goal with the last kick of the match.
Head coach Lauren Hanson said while the Spartans played with grit, game management was lacking and the players needed to step up their attention to details.
“I just told them they’ve got to take care of the details better, game management is very critical, crucial on a Sunday game,” Hanson said after the game.
SJSU came out hungry in the first half and scored early courtesy of Taylor Phillips, freshman midfielder and leading goal-scorer, who was assisted by senior midfielder Natalia Nava.
The Spartans’ aggression on offense was apparent as the team had 16 shots at goal. However the Rams were right behind them with 14, foreshadowing the Spartans’s demise at the end.
The Spartans led 1-0 to end the first half, but never looked like a threat to score again once the second half began.
Fatigue from playing Friday against Wyoming University looked to have been a major factor into why SJSU let this game slip away.
When asked if the team was unable to maintain its edge against Colorado State because of fatigue, Phillips said the team had been tired, but should’ve maintained the same energy as if it were a Friday night game.
The Spartans managed to defeat the Cowgirls Friday 1-0, but have been largely inconsistent all season when it comes to winning games resulting in their 5-7 overall record.
“Obviously a lot of people's bodies are tired,” Phillips said. “A lot of our [defensive] backline played 90 minutes [Friday] so I'm sure that they'd be a little fatigued for Sunday.”
Phillips said though she was discouraged by the loss, the team was determined to work hard at its next practice to correct its mistakes.
“We worked really hard the whole first half the majority of the game but we're just gonna come out on Tuesday and get to work,” Phillips said.
With afternoon temperatures reaching a high of 90 degrees at the start of the game, the Spartans appeared to wither under the heat, but still tried to match the Rams’ aggression and energy.
At times the Rams were overly aggressive with their tackles and even SJSUsophomore defender Sarah Santos left the field limping during a substitution, later seen icing her left knee.
Junior defender Maddie Toomer said the team will regroup and return with more fight in them for Friday’s 5 p.m. game against Boise State at Boas Soccer Complex in Idaho.
SJSU currently posts a 2-2 record in conference play and sits 6th in the standings. With only seven games left in the schedule, every game appears to have Mountain West Conference Tournament implications.
SJSU’s next home game is against top-ranked University of New Mexico, who currently hold a eight game winning streak, and is scheduled at the Spartan Soccer Complex at 5 p.m. on Oct. 14.
