Titans rally from three goals down to win

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Oct 18, 2012

[CAL STATE FULLERTON-CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE] Sophomore Ian Ramos scored three times in the second half -- including the eventual game-winner in the 71st minute -- to lift Cal State Fullerton to a 5-4 win over No. 14 Cal State Northridge on Wednesday night at Titan Stadium. The Titans rallied from 4-1 down to win with four goals in 17 minutes.

The win gave Fullerton its first Big West Conference victory of the year, snapping a five-match winless streak. The Matadors entered the night with three consecutive victories that propelled them into the No. 14 spot.

"What a game and very important result," Fullerton coach Bob Ammann said. "Anytime you beat a ranked opponent you've accomplished something but when you do it in the fashion we did makes it very special. All the credit to the boys tonight. Down 3-1 at the half only to go down 4-1 in the first minute of the second half and still have the resiliency and desire to keep going shows what they are capable of. We talk about the importance of character all the time. Tonight is what character, desire and talent is capable of."

Northridge led 3-1 at the half and made it 4-1 with a goal in the first 26 seconds of the period by Brian Behrad (his second of the night).

Ramos then went to work, scoring his first of the night with a volley in the 54th minute. He added his second just six minutes later, taking a short pass from Jesse Escalante and running through the Matador defense before burying a shot to the left post to make it 4-3.

Jameson Campbell scored the equalizer on a header in the 64th minute before Ramos won the game from the penalty spot.

Oct. 17 in Fullerton, Calif.
Cal State Fullerton 5 Cal State Northridge 4. Goals: own goal 35, Ramos (Blanco) 54, Ramos (Escalante) 61, Campbell (Alvarez) 64, Ramos (pen.) 71; Velasquez (Smith) 2, Lev-Ari (Garcia) 41, Behrad (Turcios) 45, Behrad (Rivas) 46.
Cal State Fullerton -- B.Escalante, Reiss, Birt, Cano, Alvarez, Vega, Villalba, Okirie, Johnson, Ramos, J.Escalante, Subs: Blanco, Afia, Campbell.
Cal State Northridge -- Abalos, Franco, Gutierrez, Smith, Morley, Barak, Benavides, Rivas, Anguiano, Velasquez, Lev-Ari. Subs: Giron, Azulay,  Behrad, Garcia, Turcios.
Att.: 323.