SAN DIEGO – USD women's soccer collected it's third draw in as many games to start the season as it used an own goal to play to a 1-1 draw at UC Santa Barbara Sunday afternoon, the Toreros first road test of 2025.
 
After going down for a fourth time this year, Las Toreras battled back for a fourth time. Their hard pressing in the second half led to a redirected own goal off a Gaucho defender in the 70^th minute.
 
"We showed resilience again this afternoon, coming from behind after the first half," San Diego Head Coach Greg LaPorte said. "In the second half, once we started playing our style, we dominated the wide spaces and put them under constant pressure. That's the version of us we want to keep building on."
 
The hosts narrowly edged USD in shots, 11-9, while redshirt freshman goalkeeper Chloe Walls, fresh off a clean sheet in her career debut Thursday, made another five saves to bring her save percentage to 90%.

San Diego has drawn three matches in a row for the first time in program history. It is unbeaten in its first three games to start the season for the first time since 2021, a total unbeaten streak of four games including the 2024 season finale 1-1 draw against No. 11 Santa Clara for the first time since 2021 as well. 
 
How it Happened
LaPorte made three changes to his starting 11 from Thursday's scoreless draw. Redshirt junior midfielder Daniella Guerrero was slotted back into the starting lineup while senior midfielder Katelyn Bessemer made her first start as a Torero and sophomore forward Marissa Morales made her first start of her career.
 
USD's first big chance came in the 12^th minute when senior forward Josefine Schlichting passed a ball to the oncoming Bessemer who met the ball at the same time as the UCSB keeper and defender. The ball ended up creeping up onto the goal line where the Gauchos defender on one knee kept it from passing over the line with Bessemer behind it, and it was eventually cleared away.
 
The Gauchos took the lead in the 19^th as forward Olivia Howard ripped a hard shot off the dribble in the run of play from outside the box into the bottom right corner, out of reach from the Toreros defense and net minder.
 
It was all San Diego in possession to start the second half searching for a chance at an equalizer, taking the game edge in total shots. That pressing finally paid off with the tying goal in the 70^th minute, but not exactly how it was drawn up. Sophomore defender Ella Callanan dribbled up the left side and crossed the ball in front of the six-yard box, but before another Torero could get on the end of it, it redirected off a Gaucho defender's leg into the right side of the net.
 
Both sides would make efforts at a go-ahead goal in the remaining 20 minutes, but neither goalkeeper was tested with serious threats and full-time whistle blew with the final score reading one goal apiece.

Up Next
The Toreros compete on the pitch again in a week's time, back at home for a matchup with CSUN on Sunday, Aug. 31 at 5 p.m. for Catholic Schools Day at Torero Stadium. USD will look to extend it's unbeaten streak to start the season to four games for the first time since 2010. San Diego topped the Matadors 2-0 in Northridge, Calif. last season in the reverse fixture on Sept. 19, 2024, which was LaPorte's second career win as a head coach.