The562’s coverage of Long Beach State athletics for the 2022-23 season is sponsored by Marilyn Bohl.
A pair of quality goals in each half from Summer Laskey and Felicia Jastré Högberg gave Long Beach State women’s soccer a lead on Thursday night at George Allen Field.
However, San Diego State kept the Beach from earning its first victory of the year by scoring twice in the last eight minutes for a 2-2 result. It’s the second 2-2 draw for LBSU this season.
“We got a little frantic at the end,” LBSU coach Mauricio Ingrassia said. “We’re a young team and we’ve got lessons to learn. These are growing pains.”
LBSU enjoyed the lion’s share of possession throughout the wide open game while outshooting SDSU 19-18. The game turned around the 15th minute when the Beach brought in a group of substitutes including Summer Laskey. The sophomore has embraced her role to provide a spark off the bench, and it resulted in the first goal in the 29th minute.
Laskey collected a loose ball at the top of the box and went left of goal to face up against her defender. Instead of being selfish, she played striker Lena Silano to her right, and Silano sent it right back to Laskey streaking for goal on the give-and-go play. Laskey stopped the perfect ball with one touch, and poked it past the keeper with her second touch for her first goal of the season.
“We played that 1-2 and we just really need to have your eyes open for that,” Laskey said. “It happens in a split second and if you’re not ready it goes away. (Lena and I) play really well together and our chemistry is great.”
“She’s just starting to grow into who she is,” Ingrassia said of Laskey. “She can score and provide assists by working as hard as she did today. She is a great player and she’s going to continue to grow.”
The Beach was the better side after the goal and took the next nine shots before halftime, and took the 1-0 lead into the second half. LBSU outshot SDSU 12-7 in the first half.
SDSU got some momentum going in the second half while outshooting the Beach 11-7, but Högberg scored a cracking goal just before the hour mark to double the lead 2-0. The freshman collected a long through ball at the corner of the box and stepped over the ball going right towards goal. Högberg then lofted a volley into the far side corner of the net.
“Falicia stole the show with that goal,” said Ingrassia. “We talk about getting a little width and being able to play off the outside shoulder of defenders… she set herself up and she’s deadly.”
“I didn’t think so much today. In the first half I had shots I could’ve scored on but I had one more thought than I usually do,” Högberg said. “After that I played on instinct.”
LBSU had multiple chances to score a third goal. One score was deemed offsides and another two more hit the post.
Meanwhile, SDSU was taking advantage of the open play and scored a scramble goal in the 83rd minute before scoring the equalizer on a counter attack in the 87th minute. Denise Castro and Trinity Coker were the goal scorers for the visitors.
“We have to play smart at the end of games and learn not to force anything,” Högberg said. “We just have to respond to this by giving it our all on Sunday.”
LBSU returns to action on Sunday at George Allen Field against Washington. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
