SAN MARCOS–   The Cal State San Marcos Cougars scored three unanswered first half goals to key their 3-0 victory over the visiting SF State Gators (5-4-2-, 1-3-2 CCAA) this afternoon at the Cougar Den in San Marcos.  The three goals were the most that the Gators have given up all season.

Each team recorded four shots on goal with the Gators holding a 9-6 shot attempts advantage.  The visitors also held a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks. 

The match was scoreless until the 18^th minute when the Cougars' Thor English connected on a long ball from Andrew Stalboerger to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.  This was his first goal of the season.

English tried to double the Cougars' lead but Kevin Esquivel recorded his only save of the half.  The Cougars did double their lead in the 32^nd minute, when Zach Olow connected on his second goal of the season off a long ball from Jacob Cintas.

The Gators' JoeMack Leondardo tried to cut the Cougar lead in half, but it was blocked by CSUSM's defense in the 37^th minute.

Cal State San Marcos scored its third goal of the half with five minutes left as Cintas scored on a pass from Eddie Guerra to send the match into the half with the Cougars leading 3-0.

Leonardo had two chances in the first 13 minutes of the new half to cut into the Cougar but one attempt sailed high and the other was blocked.  Sheppard recorded one of his four saves on the day when he stopped Ilja Golubevs shot on goal attempt in the 61^st minute.

SF State had two more chances in the 73^rd minute, but Nigus Solomon saw his attempts either be stopped by Sheppared or sail wide right.  The Gators had two more chances to cut into the hosts' lead, but Sheppared once again came up with two saves one off the foot of Jakob Velega and the other off of Adam Lenth's foot.

Kevin Esquivel had one save in the first half for the Gators while Daniel Boyer was in goal for the visitors in the second half.  Zach Sheppard had four saves goal for the Cougars (4-5-2, 2-4-1 CCAA).

The Gators will return to the pitch this Sunday afternoon at 2pm, when they travel to La Jolla for a CCAA match-up with UC San Diego.  The Tritons will face Cal State Monterey Bay later on this evening in a CCAA match-up starting at 7pm. 

Box Score

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