Follow San Francisco Women's Soccer: FACEBOOK | TWITTER
 
SAN FRANCISCO—The Dons kept the match scoreless into the second overtime period but Santa Clara scored in the final minutes of play and handed USF the 1-0 West Coast Conference loss on Sunday afternoon.
 
San Francisco (5-7-2, 1-2-0 WCC) came into the match having never beaten Santa Clara and earned its first ever point against the Broncos two seasons ago in a 2-2 tie. USF head coach Jim Millinder said the performance on Sunday was a sign that the gap between the WCC's elite and the Dons is shrinking rapidly.
 
"I'm so proud of their effort," Millinder said. "From year one to where we are today, we've closed this gap so much. We've got to make better choices in the final third. We've got to get more for our effort for our possession… It's a learning process and it takes time but once we solve that… we're going to score a lot of goals.
 
"We are closing the gap on everybody in this conference."
 
Late in the second half, the Dons had added on extra striker into the lineup to help the offense get going and they carried that into the second overtime period where Jessica Nakae fired a shot from far right corner of the box and it was tipped away at the top of the goal by Santa Clara goalkeeper Andi Tostanoski.
 
Minutes later, Santa Clara's Katie Speidel dribbled down the right side towards the end line and crossed it in to find Brittany Ambrose who got it past a diving Madalyn Schiffel for the game-winner.
 
The Dons have lost back-to-back conference games but hung with now-No. 8 Pepperdine and perennial power Santa Clara (9-5-0, 2-1-0 WCC) late into the second half and overtime.
 
"The work that they're doing on the park, it's good," Millinder said. "Sometimes we know soccer is a cruel, cruel game. At the end of the day, we deserved a point today.
 
"Our kids are disappointed and they should be. At the end of the day, hang your heads high because your work on the park today was outstanding, you just didn't win."
 
In the 15th minute, Mackenzie Krieser had an early chance to put the Dons on top and got a look from about five yards out but her shot went just wide of the left post.
 
Santa Clara striker Sofia Huerta came into the match with 10 goals on the season and she got a couple of looks early but was thwarted by Schiffel.
 
In the 20th minute, Huerta broke past a couple of Dons defenders in the box and fired but a leaping grab by Schiffel saved the goal and kept the match scoreless. Schiffel finsihed with seven saves in the match.
 
"Maddie was big time today," Millinder said. "Maddie's one of the best goalkeepers in America. She did a god job."
 
Sonja Giraud checked into the game in the 24th minute and made an immediate impact. Giraud was left alone just outside of the box, wound up and fired a shot low and to the left but Tostanoski dove to make the save.
 
Giraud took another just before the half and it came from the top right of the box and it bounced off the hands of a diving Tostanoski but Santa Clara was able to recover and clear the ball.
 
The Dons will return to action next Sunday when they host Saint Mary's in WCC action.