VIDEO: post-game presser
SAN FRANCISCO – A goal by Sonja Giraud off a nifty pass from Jessica Nakae at the 6:38 mark of the first half provided the game-winner in USF's 1-0 victory over Pacific on a warm Sunday afternoon at Negoesco Stadium.
 
Coupled with Friday night's blanking of Saint Mary's, the Dons have won two straight and stand 6-8-0 overall and 2-2 in the West Coast Conference. Pacific drops to 1-9-1 overall and 1-2 in conference action.
 
The Dons early pressure paid off six and a half minutes into the game when Nakae slipped a beautiful ball to Giraud inside the box and after shaking off two defenders, blasted the ball past Tiger keeper Lena Perry from 10 yards out for the score. It was Giraud's fourth of the season, tying Amanda Whittle for the team lead. Three of her four goals this season have been game-winners. Nakae registered her fourth assist of the season.
 
USF outshot Pacific, 14-8. Makayla Presgrave and Olivia Camera each took a half in net for the Dons, combining on the team's second consecutive shutout and third of the season.
 
USF had more than its share of scoring chances in the first half. The cross bar rejected blasts by Micaela Mercado at the 15:36 mark and Giraud was denied her second goal of the game when she sailed a chance over the top from the right side of the box. Amanda Whittle came close to finding the net but was denied by Perry's one-handed save.
 
The Tigers best chance in the match came at the 87 minute mark when Kendell Bietsch lobbed a shot off a corner kick into the goal mouth but Camera gathered the ball in traffic to preserve the win for USF.
 
"I thought we played pretty well in the first half but nowhere near our capabilities in the second," said head coach Jim Millinder. "Sometimes you get lulled into a feeling secure because we got an early goal but all they needed was one to tie.
 
"It was good to see Sonja get that goal early. She has been a little snake-bit this season. She had two or three good looks in the first half. I honestly think we could have had 2-3 more goals in the first half and we lost a little of our sharpness in the second period."
 
The Dons will be off for 12 days before venturing to Los Angeles to meet Loyola Marymount on Oct. 21.