(SAN DIEGO) A highly anticipated Top-15 showdown between No. 15 PLNU Women's Soccer and No. 6 Concordia lived up to the hype on Saturday.
 
After CUI scored twice, Point Loma got one back through Alana Diaz and nearly found an equalizer before the Golden Eagles came away with a narrow 2-1 victory over the Sea Lions.
 
"I was very proud of our group on Thursday and I'm really proud of our group again today," Head Coach Kristi Kiely said. "Things weren't necessarily in our favor today and I think that was hard.
 
"From the beginning, it was always going to be difficult for us given the way the week was set up. I think that showed, but I feel an equal sense of pride for the effort the players gave this week in both games. We got two different results and that's just part of it."
 
A closely contested contest was scoreless at the break before Concordia, who had a week off between games, broke the deadlock with a goal less than two minutes into the second half, ending Point Loma's streak of five straight shutouts.
 
Diaz then darted towards goal and was taken down from behind, denying the Sea Lions a goal-scoring opportunity, but only a yellow card was given to the Golden Eagles.
 
Emma Thrapp's ensuing free kick curled just wide, while Zoe Crockett's brilliant effort from distance was denied only by a fantastic fingertip save from CUI's goalkeeper.
 
Concordia managed to double its lead in the 78th minute, only for Point Loma to respond immediately just 16 seconds later.
 

Alana Diaz scores in the second half, as #15 Point Loma fights back against #6 Concordia.#GoSeaLions pic.twitter.com/ppAaik9soi

— PLNU Sea Lions (@PLNUSeaLions) October 12, 2024

 
Off the kickoff, the ball was played out wide to left back Naomi Ellis, who found Diaz centrally to turn and feed Grace Nelson. Diaz continued her run forward and latched onto Nelson's through ball before finding the back of the net for the second straight game.
 
"We're certainly disappointed with that second goal because it felt just unnecessary, but to be down 2-0 and be pretty exhausted, then to be able to rebound and keep pushing until the final whistle, I'm proud of our group for that," Kiely said. "I think the goal just helped to give us a little more momentum at the end."
 
PLNU kept pushing forward for an equalizer, with Bethany Arabe causing problems for the opposing defense on the left flank.
 
Arabe's curling effort from outside the box was saved but only as far as Alyssa Ketcham, who nearly equalized with her follow-up effort. Arabe then beat her defender to the byline and cut a ball back to Nikki Ross, whose outstretched shot went wide right.
 
The Sea Lions earned a corner kick late on but were unable to find an elusive tying goal despite a 7-5 shot advantage in the second half.
 

Golden Eagles edge Sea Lions in Top-15 matchup. pic.twitter.com/efrLyfi0nK

— PLNU Sea Lions (@PLNUSeaLions) October 12, 2024

 
"Alana put in a shift on Thursday, and she put another great shift in today," Kiely said of PLNU's goal scorer. "A lot of players with a lot of minutes from Thursday's match were able to put in a second shift today.
 
"I keep talking about our backline, our goalkeeper. They work and they're going to need a little breather here. We get that next week with only one fixture, so we're looking forward to having that on the schedule."
 
Point Loma (8-2-1 overall, 5-1 PacWest) returns to the PLNU Soccer Field on Thursday at 3:45 p.m. against Hawai'i Pacific.