San Diego State Women Eliminate USC in OT

For the second time in five days, the USC women’s soccer team went into overtime to try to keep its season alive.

But in the 125th minute Sunday, San Diego State’s Lori LaCoursiere scored on a penalty kick, and the Aztecs defeated the Trojans, 1-0, in the second round of the NCAA tournament at San Diego.

Catherine McGuire of San Diego State (19-2-1) was knocked down in the box going for ball, setting up the penalty kick.

“McGuire just got behind us a little bit in the box,” Trojan Coach Jim Millinder said. “It was a clean foul.”

“It was ironic, because before the game [Millinder] said if [LaCoursiere] gets a penalty kick, she always goes right,” said USC goaltender Karin Puccinelli, who had seven saves. “I knew she’d go right, she went right, but she put it past me.”

Until the penalty kick, it was the defenses that dominated.

Aztec goalkeeper Katherine Judkins didn’t make a save the entire game, and San Diego State outshot USC, 20-5.

“SDSU just pressures you, and they did that very well today,” Millinder said. “Defensively, we played as well as we played all year long.”

The loss also ended USC’s school-record eight-game winning streak. It was the third overtime game for the Trojans in a week. They defeated Arizona, 2-1, Nov. 8 to clinch a share of the Pac-10 title and the conference’s automatic bid.

Wednesday, they defeated Washington, 2-1, in overtime.