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FOREST GROVE - Annick Lamb's two first half goals were all that UC Santa Cruz needed to pick up their first victory of the season Friday night, beating Pacific 2-0 in both team's women's soccer opener at Lincoln Park Stadium.
Lamb led an aggressive scoring attack for the Banana Slugs (1-0-0), participants in the NCAA playoffs, who doubled up the Boxers (0-1-0) 14-7 in shots and held a 9-1 advantage in corner kicks. The Pacific defense, however, held UC Santa Cruz in check for the final 70 minutes. Erin Ichimura (So., Wailuku, Hawaii) made eight saves in her first match in a Pacific uniform to pace the defense.
After a strong Pacific offensive attack in the first 10 minutes of the match, Lamb almost single-handedly swung things in favor of the Banana Slugs. She opened scoring in the 10th minute off of a breakaway on the left-hand side of the field, punching the ball in from eight yards out. Lamb secured the 2-0 advantage in the 21st minute, wrestling the ball away from a Pacific defender at midfield and scoring from the left-hand side.
Pacific's best first half opportunity came in the 25th minute. Lauren Kanda (So., Kaneohe, Hawaii) launched a cross to her sister Ashley on the right-hand side. Ashley took a shot from eight yards out that glanced off the hand of UC Santa Cruz netminder Elle Vermillion and rolled wide of the net.
The Banana Slugs nearly tallied again in the 37th minute. Jackie Belton launched the match's first corner kick into the middle of the penalty area. Holly Sinclair struck a laser from eight-yards out with Ichimura pulled out of position. Thankfully, Allysa Omana (So., Salt Lake City, Utah) was playing the post and cleared the ball off the line.
Both teams moved the ball up and down the field through most of the second half. UC Santa Cruz launched seven corner kicks in the closing stanza, only to find themselves turned away each time by the Pacific defense.
Vermillion made three saves in the victory for the Slugs. Lamb and Jacki Blaugrund each had three shots to lead UC Santa Cruz, while Lauren Kanda and Ashley Carillo (Fr., Waialua, Hawaii) each had two saves for Pacific.
Both teams will return to action Sunday in Forest Grove. UC Santa Cruz will face Pacific Lutheran in a neutral site match at noon, while the Boxers will take on Cal State East Bay at 2:30 p.m.
