No. 8 Long Beach State defeated No. 16 UC San Diego 19-11 in a strong conference match, showcasing a powerful second half with a 10-4 scoring advantage. Elisa Portillo led the team with four goals while four additional players contributed hat tricks. The match began with UCSD establishing an early lead, but Long Beach quickly mounted a comeback, ending the first half ahead 9-7. A burst of goals after halftime allowed the Beach to extend their lead and secure the victory on the road.
By the NumbersLong Beach State scored 10 goals in the second half, compared to UCSD’s 4.Elisa Portillo had a team-high of 4 goals and Polina Synystsia recorded 9 saves. Yes, But
Despite the clear victory, UCSD’s early momentum might indicate defensive vulnerabilities for Long Beach that could be exploited in future matches.
State of PlayLong Beach State improves to 10-9 overall, now 3-1 in the Big West.UCSD falls to 8-10, sitting at 2-3 in the conference. What’s Next
The Beach will continue their road trip, facing Bucknell and No. 9 Indiana at the Aztec Invite this Saturday.
Bottom Line
This game reinforces Long Beach State’s offensive strength, but they must address defensive lapses as they move into tougher matchups ahead.