Otters are not the natural prey of the gator, but they were sufficient for the SF State Gators when they tore apart the CSU Monterey Otters in a 4-0 win.

“It’s always a battle between us – the battle of the bays,” Zoila Marquez said. “We know we’re better then them and we showed it.”

The Gator goalies, Emily Hart and Rachel Lauderdale, combined for the team’s eighth shutout of the season and three different players scored goals.

“Honestly, everyone came in and did their job,” Courtney Hamchuk said. We got over two goals and got the shutout.”

The purple and gold scored more goals (four) than Monterey Bay had shots on goal (three).

Head coach Jack Hyde said, “Our motto today was, ‘How well can we play, can we play the SFSU way?’"

Marquez was the first to find the goal in the 19th minute of the game on a ball that came from an over the top pass from Hamchuk. The ball has just kept on rolling (into the goal) for Marquez; this is her third straight game with a goal after being goalless before the streak.

“They’re finally coming after so long,” Marquez said. “Today I wasn’t so nervous.”

The Gator’s leading scorer, Robin Bowman, picked-up a goal when she was not even trying to shoot. Bowman threw the ball into Kara Cunningham and got the ball right back and crossed it over the middle.

The Otter keeper charged the ball too hard and the ball took a big bounce right over her head.
“It’s good to just get the win,” Bowman said. “I just crossed it and it took a funny bounce.”

Bowman made one bad pass today and it earned her a yellow card. She got called for a foul and when she passed the ball to the Otter player it was way to the right and shot passed her. Bowman apologized, but still got slapped with a card for either delay of game or unsportsmanlike conduct.

Kelsey Carapia scored her first collegiate goal on a ball that scooted right through the Otters’ keepers’ hands. Sara Ordaz chipped the ball right over the defense to Shanna Vachal. Vachal took the shot and Carapia finished.

“Awesome,” said Carapia about her first goal. “I wasn’t expecting the ball and some how it came across.

“Yesterday at practice we worked on chipping over the line and that’s how we scored two goals.”

Marquez was not finished at one goal. She took a perfect over the top pass from Sara Whelan and put it right into the net for her fourth goal.

“[Marquez is] very good in the box,” Hyde said. “She’s got really good foot skills. She needs to stay with the last defender and make the shots.”

The offense was not the only part of the team tearing into the Otters. The defense allowed four shots and none in the second half.

Hamchuk played a holding midfielder today and she held the other team off with the rest of the defense. In this position Hamchuk plays a more defensive, ball clearing and distribution role for the team.

“I love the position, holding them out,” Hamchuk said. “It’s good for the team.”

The team played this style in the game against Chico State also. Carly Bliss will also play in the defensive
midfielder spot with Hamchuk when needed.

“We had to negate what the other team was doing today,” Hyde said. “They were attacking and trying to shock us with the goal, they nearly did.”

SF State earned three points today in conference and increased their first place lead over Sonoma State to four points. The Gators will look to earn another three Sunday at 3:00 p.m. against Cal State L.A. Before Sunday the team will play Cal State San Marcus Friday at 3:00 p.m. in a non-conference game.