SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Junior midfielder Jackie Zinke’s goal in the 87th minute of action lifted the University of San Diego women’s soccer team to a thrilling 1-0 upset win over No. 15 Santa Clara University in the West Coast Conference opener for both teams Sunday afternoon at USD’s Torero Stadium.

With the win, the Toreros improve to 7-4-2 overall, move to 1-0-0 in the WCC and have now won three consecutive matches against the Broncos.  With the loss, the Broncos fall to 8-5-1 overall and 0-1-0 in the WCC.  

With time running out on a hard fought soccer match, Zinke found herself with the ball about 30 yards out, and simply fired off a laser strike that sailed over the goalkeepers head and into the back of the net for her third goal of the season, and lifting the Toreros to the 1-0 victory in front of 632 screaming Torero fans.

Both teams had their chances to score, USD had a golden opportunity not go their way in the second half, as in the 53rd minute of action, Stephanie Ochs took a corner kick for the Toreros, and the ball bated around inside the goal box, then got past every Santa Clara player and to the feet of Dani Russell, who had a great look at the goal with no defenders in front of her, and she hit a one-timer, but the SCU goalkeeper was there to record the save.

One of SCU’s best scoring opportunities came late in the match, when Kiki Bosio found herself inside the goal box on the top right, and spun around a USD defender, then hit a hard shot, but the ball was just wide right of the goal post, which came to the sign of relief from Torero fans in the stadium.

Courtney Parsons picked up the shutout in goal for the Toreros, as she allowed no goal and recorded one save.  SCU’s back-up goalkeeper Lisa Lahman was saddled with the loss, as she allowed one goal and recorded two saves.

Santa Clara outshot the Toreros 9-6, but USD held a territorial advantage in corner kicks at 6-2.

The Toreros will return to action on Friday as they travel to the Bay Area to take on Saint Mary’s College in a 3 p.m. WCC game.