SAN JOSE, Calif. — UTSA jumped out to a 2-0 lead and heldoff San Jose State for a 2-1 victory on Sunday afternoonat Spartans Stadium. It marked the Roadrunners' first-ever Western Athletic Conference triumph.
The win also was UTSA's first since a 2-1 victory against Eastern Michigan on Aug. 31 and also thesquad's first road win of the campaign.
Junior Maria Jose Rojas provided the Roadrunners (2-8-2,1-1-2 WAC) with their early leadwhen she found the back of the net in the 29th minute. The Santiago,Chile, native took a pass from Liv Nyhegn on a breakaway and beat goalkeeperZoe Makrigiannis for her second winner of the season.
The Roadrunners took the one-goal advantage to the halftime break despitebeing outshot in the opening frame, 6-5.
UTSA cashed in on ascoring opportunity off a corner kick for a 2-0 lead in the 62nd minute when junior Laylla da Cruztook the kick, which was headed into the goal by freshman Simone Boye for hersecond strike of the campaign.
However, San Jose State (3-9-1, 1-3 WAC) cut the deficit in half eight minutes later on Helen Phan's goal, which also came off a corner kick.
That proved to be all the offense the Spartans mustered, as freshmanKatarina Pus and junior Ari Calderon preserved the victory.
Pus played the first71 minutes and collected nine saves, which tied her season high, while Calderonfinished off the win with a save in the final 19 minutes.
Rojas and da Cruz led the team with four shots each.
UTSA will return home to face CSU Bakersfield (4-8-2) at7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 11.