The SF State Gators women’s soccer team displayed a great defensive effort holding its opponent scoreless as they beat the visiting Cal State Monterey Bay Otters (0-6, 0-3 CCAA) 2-0.

The division game on Wednesday, Sept. 13, improved their record to 2-3-1 overall and 1-1-1 in the CCAA, which put them right back in the mix of their division.

“We have been working a lot on our back four and it’s coming together real strong,” said senior midfielder Aubrey Kerlin.

The Gators settled in after the first five minutes of the game, which was rough and rugged, with both teams pressuring each other trying to gain momentum.

“Cal State Monterey always plays us hard,” said junior forward Lissette Garay. “It’s great to get this win.”

Garay was one of the many Gators playing with a lot of energy in the first half. She took two shots while junior forward Kate Donaldson attempted four. The combination was three times as much as the whole Otters team in the first half.

The Gators played equally hard and stood up to the physical challenge the Otters presented.

“They all played their hearts out, you couldn’t ask for more,” said junior goalkeeper Sarah Balderas.

As a team, the Gators out shot the Otters 9-2 in the first half and scored on a fascinating play, when sophomore forward Melina Triantos showed great awareness and connected on her second goal of the season.

The play began when Donaldson tossed the ball in from the side, and Garay headed the ball off the top of the goal post. The ball landed on the ground in front of the goal and Triantos, one of many players surrounding the goal, was the only one not distracted by Garay's attempt or the “ooh” from the crowd over its fascination of the shot almost going in the goal. Triantos swooped in for the easy score.

“The ball came right to me. I was in the right place at the right time,” Triantos said as she turned her head, trying not to smile too hard.

At halftime, the Otter coaches talked to their players for the whole period and they came out with a bit more energy in the second half.

The pace of the game in the second half was a lot quicker than the first and the Otters out shot the Gators 8-6.

One those six attempts by the Gators was a goal however, scored by senior defender Candice Silva on a penalty kick. It was her first goal of the season.

A 2-0 lead was more than enough for the goalkeeper Balderas and the Gators as she was all smiles after the game. She recorded four saves in the second half, five for the game and looked pretty impressive showing nice hands on a few attempts that were kicked with real authority.

“I couldn’t have done it without the defenders in front of me,” Balderas said. “But it feels great to finally get one.”