Offensive Woes Plague Cal in Tie With Vanderbilt

MORAGA, Calif.-After Thursday's win against Air Force, it seemed like the No. 16 Cal women's soccer team had finally solved its offensive woes.

But Saturday against Vanderbilt, which was ranked before the season began at No.22, Cal again struggled to find the back of the net.

The Bears and Commodores played to a scoreless tie, the second on the year for both sides, at Garaventa Field in the final game of the St. Mary's Fall Soccer Classic.

"We dominated the game, but it didn't show up on the scoreboard again," Cal coach Kevin Boyd said. "When it come up to our attacking third, it's just not getting that final ball into the back of the net."

The Bears (4-0-2) outshot Vandy 11-4, while keeping possession of the ball in the midfield and in their attacking third.

Cal's high-pressure defense was once again too much for its opposition as the Bears took control of most, if not all, of the possession in the last 20 minutes of regulation and into the two extra time periods, while the Commodores tired, sat back and played for a counter attack opportunity.

Cal held Vandy to no shots in the two overtimes.

The Bears did have their chances to net a goal, tallying three shots on goal.

Ten minutes before the end of regulation, freshman defender Brianna Bak lofted a ball 60 yards into the Commodores box in front of forward Valerie Barnes, who had beaten her defender. Barnes jumped, but could not get a touch on the ball and it dribbled out of bounds.

Cal had another dangerous opportunity for a score in the 12th minute. The Bears were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area after a Commodores foul.

Midfielder Caroline Lea then took the kick and pushed it left of the wall. But a diving Tyler Griffin was just barely able to get to it before it crossed the goal line.

Senior Katie Ratican also had her chance to score 12 minutes later, when Bri Wiles found her in the box one-on-one against a defender. Ratican one-timed her shot, but it came off the right post.

In the extra time periods, Cal had five shots, but no goals came from them.

"It's just a matter of getting the ball in the back of the net," Ratican said. "We did a great job controlling the game. (Vanderbilt) was a lot better team than the one we played Thursday. Sometimes it's just a matter of getting lucky."

The Bears began the game using the same lineup from Thursday's 3-1 victory over Air Force, but Cal shook up their personnel in the final minutes of regulation and in the overtime periods to try to find some sort of scoring combination.

Defender Nkechi Kanu was moved up to the front line while Bak stayed in the back line to start the first extra time to try to get some speed behind the Commodores defense, Boyd said.

But the new lineup still did not result in a score. Boyd said that the forwards may have to come with a different mentality to net goals.

"There's just got to be a hunger that comes out of them," the coach said. "That has to start when you have the ball, before you have the ball and it comes up when you're starting the shoot the ball."

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