BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - The second
Nicole Van Dyke era of the Cal State Bakersfield women's soccer program rolled merrily along Wednesday evening as her Roadrunners remained perfect with a 3–1 win over NAIA contender Concordia University–Irvine on the CSUB Main Soccer Field.
With the win, Bakersfield improved to 3–0 for the first time in school history. The Roadrunners started 2–0 in 1999, Van Dyke's junior season as a Roadrunner player.
Wednesday's victory was not easily won. Concordia (1–1) carried the play to Bakersfield in two long stretches. The explosive Roadrunner offense scored twice against the run of play, however, both times shifting the balance of power before ultimately salting the match away.
It was all Eagles early, and the talented strikeforce of Trina McGee and Brianne Wahrenbrock combined with impressive sophomore midfielder Kaitlyn Lux to create havoc in the Roadrunner defensive third. McGee capitalized on the early momentum when a Wahrenbrock pass set up a one–on–one opportunity that McGee finished for a 1–0 lead in the sixth minute.
The Eagles kept the pressure on for the first 25 minutes, but the Bakersfield defense kept its composure until the offense kicked into gear. As usual, the Bakersfield dynamic duo of Taylar Sklar and Moriah Neville provided the spark that lit the path to ultimate victory.
The Roadrunners equalized in the 34th minute when Neville won possession near midfield and lofted a perfect through ball to Sklar, whose expert finish knotted the match at 1–1. Sklar's seventh goal of the season did more than just tie the game, it shifted momentum squarely to Bakersfield.
With the Roadrunners now applying pressure, their lead came less than seven minutes later. Deena Plach's cross from the right flank found Sklar, who quickly fed freshman forward Holly Affentranger on the doorstep. Affentranger shouldered the ball home for her first collegiate goal and a 2–1 halftime lead.
Concordia fought back to gain the momentum in the second half, but once again the Roadrunner defense held until Neville added an insurance goal in the 76th minute from Elizabeth White. Bakersfield reestablished momentum with its 3–1 lead.
The Roadrunners will take the weekend off before returning to action Labor Day when they host Vanguard University at 7 p.m. Concordia returns home to host Dominican University on Labor Day as well.
