SAN DIEGO — Senior captain Josefine Schlichting's late game-winning goal helped USD women's soccer defeat CBU 3-2 Saturday night as the Toreros set a new best start to a season in program history at seven straight games.

"Credit to the team and the staff for their discipline, their steadfastness, their grit," said head coach Greg LaPorte. "We're proud of what we've accomplished thus far, but we're still hungry and I think we showed it today that we're not going to settle."

San Diego started the game off hot, as junior midfielder Mikayla Abrenica converted a penalty just over three minutes into the match, before a shot from Tamia Graham – less than a minute off the bench – made it 2-0 in the 25th minute. 

The Lancers scored back-to-back goals off set pieces in the second half to tie the game, but the Toreros did not flinch, as Schlichting slotted home the game-winning goal in the 78th minute of play to give the Toreros a 3-2 lead it would not relinquish. 

"I'm just always hungry for getting more goals but I couldn't have done anything without my team," said Schlichting.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Head Coach Greg LaPorte made five changes to his starting eleven following the teams draw to Long Beach state on Thursday evening, including Abrenica making her first start since the Toreros' season-opener on Aug. 14, against Cal Poly and redshirt freshman keeper Chloe Walls returning in front of net. 

Las Toreras did not waste time to start Sunday afternoon's contest, as sophomore defender Ella Callanan drew a penalty in the fourth minute, which Abrenica slotted home to give USD an early 1-0 lead. 

After both being in the game for less than a minute following substitutions, Amanda Anders and Graham — along with Callanan — linked up to double the Toreros lead in the 25th minute, after Callanan's cross hit Anders' back heel to set up Graham for an open shot in the box, which she finished, making it 2-0. 

Neither team registered any strong chances to finish out the opening period of play, as the Toreros held their 2-0 advantage at the break.

The Lancers got off to a quick start in the second half, converting a penalty kick of their own in the 50th minute of play to cut San Diego's lead to one. 

Cal Baptist scored the equalizer in the 69th minute of play on a set piece that Walls initially saved and took an awkward bounce, but a Lancer poked in on the rebound, tying the game at two goals a piece. 

USD earned its second penalty of the match in the 78th minute as senior forward Katelyn Bessemer was brought down in the box, but senior forward Kylie Smith's penalty was stopped by the Lancer goalkeeper. Schlichting was there on the rebound to finish the job and score the go-ahead goal despite the penalty save. 

The USD defense held strong to keep the 3-2 lead and earn its third win of 2025, pushing its unbeaten streak to seven games in a row. 

TORERO TIDBITS 

• Abrenica's penalty conversion in the fourth minute was the quickest USD goal to start a game since Torero turned pro Michaela Foster scored 2:47 seconds into a 2-1 win vs. Long Beach State on Sept. 2, 2021

• Schlichting is the first Torero to score in three straight games since Milan Moses did so twice in the 2019 season, last with five goals in three games from Oct. 18-26

• Schlichting ties freshman forward Amanda Anders for the team lead with four goals and nine points on the season

• Schlichting also scored the game-tying goal at Long Beach State on Thursday, also off a rebound, just one minute off her 78th-minute goal Saturday night

• The Toreros have now registered 15 total assists in 2025 so far, surpassing their total of 12 from a season ago

• Abrenica's penalty kick was her first goal of 2025, after being the team's leading goalscorer a season ago

UP NEXT

The Toreros will be back in action after a 10-day break on Wednesday, Sept. 24, when they open up West Coast Conference play by hosting Pacific at Torero Stadium. Kick-off against the Tigers on Hispanic Heritage Celebration Night is set for 7 p.m.