SAN DIEGO — An early goal from Katelyn Bessemer and a penalty save by Chloe Walls were the highlights for San Diego as it claimed its sixth draw of the season, tying Washington State 1-1 at Torero Stadium. 

"That's what belief, structure, courage and heart looks like," said head coach Greg LaPorte. "We tried to play our football, even under pressure. A few moments we could've been sharper in the final third, but the response, the mentality and the control were there. We are going to keep building."

USD's lone goal came in the 12th minute when Bessemer, the senior winger, fired a sneaky shot just inside the box that found the back post, securing her second goal of the season. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
Head coach Greg LaPorte made four changes to his starting lineup from his team's record streak-ending defeat against Gonzaga last week, including slotting redshirt freshman goalkeeper Chloe Walls in net for the sixth time this season with three clean sheets in her previous five starts. 

San Diego started off strong, when Bessemer took a poor clearance outside the box and placed a perfect shot that snuck past the goalkeeper inside the far post to give her team the early lead in the 12th minute. 

The Cougars earned a penalty in the 21st minute, but Walls faked going right to the shooter and dove to her left to make the save and keep WSU off the board. 

The score remained the same at the half, as Washington State had a couple chances, but Walls and the Torero backline stood firm to keep it 1-0 at the break. 

The Toreros earned the majority of the big chances in front of the net to begin the match and carried that over into the second half. 

That was until the Cougars equalized in the 71st minute of play when a strong shot from inside the box to the upper near post found the back of the net to make it 1-1. 

In the 87th minute, there was a potential handball in the box for Washington State, but upon VAR review the call of no handball was upheld, keeping WSU from earning a penalty kick. 

Neither team was able to earn any chances through the last three minutes of play, as the game ended in a draw, 1-1. 

UP NEXT
Las Toreras (3-1-6, 0-1-2 WCC) hit the road for a pair of matches in Oregon next week, facing Portland on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 5 p.m. before heading to Corvallis to face Oregon State on Sunday, Oct. 12 at noon.