Sept. 12, 2004

Box Score

By Katie Allen - USD Media Relations

(San Diego) - Torero freshman Amy Epsten scored three goals in Torero Stadium Saturday night with 1467 fans in attendance, giving San Diego (3-3) the 4-1 victory over the San Diego State Aztecs (1-3-1). The match between these two San Diego schools was the first in five years, after meeting head-to-head in the first round of 1999 NCAA Tournament play.

In the sixth minute of the game, Epsten received a short cross from senior midfielder Brooke Roby and found the net with a header over two defenders. Also in the first half, Epsten's second goal came unassisted in the 18th minutes when she beat two defenders on a breakaway, putting the ball in the lower left corner behind Aztec goalkeeper Gricelda Alvarez.

"My teammates did all the work, I was just there to do my job," said an excited Amy Epsten, now leading the Toreros with 6 goals. "I didn't come into the season with a starting forward position. I knew I had to work hard and fight for the spot. It isn't always about the number of goals. I'm more concerned about the wins."

The Aztecs managed to keep the game close when awarded a penalty kick just eleven minutes into the second half. After a foul by the Torero defense on the six-yard line of the penalty box, junior defender Amanda Swiader placed the ball perfectly in the lower right corner closing San Diego's lead to 2-1.

A pair of Torero goals late in the game, however, would give San Diego the 4-1 win in this cross-town rival match. Junior forward Michelle Rowe added a goal in the 72nd minute on a header off senior midfielder Marie-Claude Henry's corner kick. And with just six seconds to play, Epsten clenched her hatrick off another header from a perfectly placed corner kick giving the assist to freshman defender Vanessa Vella.

San Diego, now 3-3, will look to improve their even record when they return to Torero Stadium on Friday, September 17th when they take on Long Beach State at 5:00pm.