Heated affair ends in Women’s Soccer draw with San Diego State

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Air Force Women's Soccer maintained a lead for 78 minutes of the Falcons' Sunday match against San Diego State, but SDSU efforts late in the contest culminated in an 88^th-minute equalizer, leading to a 2-2 draw at Cadet Soccer Stadium.

Air Force (5-5-3, 1-3-2) held a 2-0 lead after early scores from freshman Annika Jost and sophomore Addie Doyle in the 10^th and 23^rd minutes, both respectively earning their second and first goals of the season.

It was sophomore Julia Tierney who set up the 1-0 score in the tenth minute, who, after winning the possession battle in the attacking third, fed a pass to Jost, whose first touch was just enough to get past SDSU goalkeeper Alexa Madueno for her second goal in as many matches and just the second of her career.

Minutes later, Doyle pushed possession on her own up the right side, cutting to the inside of Aztec Alyza Eckhardt from 15 yards out, depositing her shot in the top left of the SDSU net for a two-goal advantage.
Set pieces proved the undoing of Air Force's lead; The Aztecs found their first score at 30', as the Aztecs' corner was found by Grace Goins. The 88^th-minute equalizer was created from a free kick awarded after a handball out beyond the Falcon 18. The kick glanced off the head of SDSU's Charlie Gerson, setting up Dori Savage for a chip-in header into the left of the Falcon goal to even the score with just 2:46 remaining in the match.

Freshman goalkeeper Jenica Opdahl, making her first career start, logged five saves; On offense, Air Force tallied 19 shots, with six on-goal; Sophomore Kendall Rippley led the game with six shots and three on-frame.

Head Coach Laura Busby's early impressions from Sunday:
"As tough as it is to give up another late goal, I'm really proud of the total team effort today. Anni and Addie scored two brilliant goals and I thought we looked really dangerous in the attack. This conference is competitive and the margin for error is small. We just need to manage the game better and I know we'll come out on top next time."

Up Next:
Air Force Women's Soccer is on the road, facing Boise State (Oct. 17) and Utah State (Oct. 20).

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