San Jose, Calif. - The San Jose State Spartans(11-4-3, 5-0-2 in WAC) defeated rival Fresno State(6-12,4-4 in WAC), 2-1, in a Western Athletic Conference Game at Spartan Stadium on Friday, October 30. The Spartans clinched their first regular-season conference title with the win and extended their school-record unbeaten streak to 14 games.
The Spartans senior night was littered with senior greatness as Roxy Kamal and Emmy Belding both notched goals and helped lead the team to its first win over the rival Bulldogs since 2005.
The first goal of the contest was a 30 yard gem from Roxy Kamal that broke a scoreless streak against Fresno State that stretched back over the last five meetings. Kamal's eighth goal of the season was set up by a great feed from Katie Bonadies in the fourth minute. The Spartans leading goal scorer, Emmy Belding, added a second half tally that pushed the lead to 2-0. Belding's 10th goal was made possible by yet another assist from Kamal, the conference's assist leader in WAC games. Fresno State's keeper Kaitlyn Revel stabilized and limited the Spartan scoring to just the two goals and ended the night with four saves.
The game was tightened up late when Fresno State's Callie Hancock put one past Spartan keeper, Nina Butera. Butera, the reigning conference defensive player of the week, was rarely tested in the match and made one save. The 66th minute goal cut the Spartan lead to 2-1, which is how the game ended.
The win gives the Spartans the outright conference regular-season championship, the first in program history, and earns the team a first round bye in next week's conference tournament, in Boise, Idaho. The Spartans will now take their program-high five league wins, on the road, for the season finale against the Boise State Broncos on Sunday, November 1, at the Boas Soccer Complex. The Spartans can achieve the program's first undefeated WAC campaign with a win or tie against the Broncos.
San Jose State, New Mexico State, Utah State, Boise State, Nevada and Fresno State have clinched spots in the 2009 WAC Soccer Tournament next week in Boise, Idaho.