BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Cal State Bakersfield had every chance to win Sunday's season finale against Cal Poly Pomona, but a series of missed opportunities allowed the Broncos to pull out a 2-1 win at the Main Soccer Field.
The Roadrunners had several key chances in a wild first half that saw the two teams combine for 25 shots. Bakersfield senior
Taylar Sklar scored the Roadrunners' lone goal, but had a chance at scoring at least two more which would have left her in a tie for Bakersfield's school record for single-season goals with current Roadrunner Head Coach
Nicole Van Dyke.
Sklar's goal came four minutes after Cal Poly Pomona took a 1-0 lead on a Pamela Leyva goal.
Moriah Neville took a hard shot from 30 yards that Cal Poly Pomona goalkeeper Nakisha Gutierrez saved but blocked in front of her where Sklar took the rebound and finished for the equalizer.
But she could have had at least two more. A pair of first-half breakaways were thwarted — the first on an amazing save from Gutierrez, and the second was blasted over the top of the goal.
Sklar's season-ending total of 15 goals not only won the CCAA goal-scoring crown, but also ranks No. 2 for single-season goals on Bakersfield's all-time list. She is tied with Jamie Simpson, who scored 15 goals in each of the 1997 and 1998 seasons. She also finishes her career ranked No. 3 in career goals scored with 32.
Leyva scored the game's first goal and was trouble for the Roadrunners throughout the match. She took a pass from teammate Chiharu Uchimura and blasted a shot from 20 yards inside the far post and past Bakersfield goalkeeper
Ashley Witten for a 1-0 lead.
After Sklar leveled the score, Uchimura scored the game-winner in the 39th minute. Cody McClure sent a low cross through the box that Witten dove for but couldn't handle, and Uchimura was there to finish at the far post.
Bakersfield kept the pressure on in the second half but Pomona's defense and Gutierrez did a good job of staying organized and limited the Roadrunner chances. Gutierrez earned the win with six saves while Witten made five saves in the loss.
