49ers Host UCLA on Saturday
Beach Has Won Three in a Row
Aoruk 6, 2004 FULL STATS BRUINS ON DECK SATURDAY
The No. 4-ranked 49ers (15-5, 5-3 MPSF), winners of three in a row, will host No. 3-ranked UCLA (15-3, 6-1 MPSF, at LMU Wednesday and at UC Irvine on Thursday) on Saturday at noon at the campus pool. In LBSU's three MPSF losses this year, two have been in overtime (Stanford, USC) while the other one was a one-goal loss at San Diego State (10-9). The game with the Bruins begins a seven-game regular season-ending homestand for The Beach as they host their annual Tournament next weekend, the U.S. National Team on April 21 in an exhibition and the regular season finale against UC Santa Barbara on April 24. LBSU remains home when the school hosts the MPSF Championships starting on May 30.
AZEVEDO AT THE HELM
Ricardo Azevedo is in his fifth year as head coach of both the men's and women's programs, compiling a 73-66 record in five years with the men and a 92-62 record in four-plus years with the women. On the women's side, LBSU has set school-records for wins in three of his four seasons, including last year's remarkable 24-8 record. He was named the co-MPSF Coach of the Year in 2002. He is also an assistant with the Men's National Team, which features his son, Tony, one of the world's top players. LAST WEEK
The 49ers rolled to three straight wins in Northern California last weekend, as The Beach took care of MPSF foes No. 9-ranked California (11-9) and Pacific (16-6), before completing the sweep at UC Davis (13-3) on Sunday. It was the 49ers highest scoring output over a three-game series all season, as LBSU has tallied double digit goals in each of the past five contests, going 4-1. AZEVEDO ROLES TO THIS WEEK'S BEST
Sophomore attacker Cassie Azevedo (Long Beach) earned her first career Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Week award, after a strong weekend in Northern California. Azevedo scored eight goals and added 11 assists and 10 steals in leading The Beach to three wins. Azevedo led the team in assists and steals in all three contests, and scored a team-best four goals at California and three more at Pacific. Azevedo leads the club in assists (26) and steals (34) and is second in scoring (35). FOUR-WOMAN FRONT
The 49ers make it tough for opponents to stop just one player, as the team features an impressive four-woman front, which includes all-time leading scorer Angelica Garcia (36 goals this year), sophomore attacker Cassie Azevedo (35), junior 2-meter Drue Wawrzynski (34) and two-time first team All-American Roberta Stewart (20). Over the last six contests, the quartet has all scored at least one goal, tallying 47 of the team's 70 goals (67%). Wawrzynski is shooting 55%, Garcia 49%, Azevedo 40% and Stewart 39%. LBSU is shooting 41% as a club. ALL-TIME LEADERS
A couple of career marks shattered this past weekend as senior driver Angelica Garcia (Catano, PR) and junior goalie Bri Hawkins (San Diego) became the all-time leaders in their respective categories. Garcia now has a school-best 185 goals in her four year career which has featured three straight All-America certificates. She passed Ashley Richardson's barely one-year old record of 184 goals. Hawkins, a two-time second team All-MPSF Tournament pick, now has 561 career saves, passing Amanda Wightman (552 saves), who finished up her career in 2002. Hawkins has 146 saves this year, allowing just under five goals a game. FINDING THE NET FOR THE FIRST TIME
LBSU's two key road wins at Pacific and at UC Davis this past weekend saw a number of players score for the first time. Senior Sammy Junod (Kentwood, MI) tallied three goals, over two games, while Lindsey Machado (Napa) added two net-finders at Pacific. Laura Branch (Monrovia) and Maura Priest (Concord) both also scored for the first time this season. Junior Sarah Vejar (Burbank) scored two goals at UOP to give her three this year and 25 in her three-year career. CENTURY CLUB ADDS ANOTHER
Drue Wawrzynski (Garden Grove) became the seventh member of 100-career goal club, tallying six this past weekend to give her 105 in her three-year career. Wawrzynski, whose father was an All-American at LBSU in the 1970's, and whose brother also played at LBSU, is shooting a team-best 55% from the pool in 20 starts. 49ERS HOST ANNUAL TOURNAMENT NEXT WEEKEND
The 49ers will serve as hosts to their annual LBSU Tournament, starting next weekend on April 17 and 18, featuring USC, Arizona State, Pacific, UC Santa Cruz, San Diego State, UC Irvine, Hawaii, UC San Diego and CS Northridge. | SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE | | TIME | POOL I (25 meter) | POOL II (50 meter) | | 8:30 a.m. | USC vs. Arizona State | Pacific vs. UC Santa Cruz | | 10 a.m. | San Diego St. vs. UC Irvine | *LBSU vs. Hawaii | | 11:30 a.m. | UC Santa Cruz vs. UC San Diego | USC vs. CS Northridge | | 1 p.m. | Pacific vs. LBSU | San Diego St. vs. Arizona State | | 2:30 p.m. | UC San Diego vs. Hawaii | UC Irvine vs. CS Northridge |
| SUNDAY'S SCHEDULE | | TIME | POOL I (25 meter) | POOL II (50 meter) | | 8:30 a.m. | CS Northridge vs. San Diego St. | Hawaii vs. Pacific | | 10 a.m. | USC vs. UC Irvine | LBSU vs. UC San Diego | | 11:30 a.m. | Hawaii vs. UC Santa Cruz | Arizona St. vs. CS Northridge | | 1 p.m. | Pacific vs. UC San Diego | USC vs. San Diego St. | | 2:30 p.m. | LBSU vs. UC Santa Cruz | UC Irvine vs. Arizona State |
49ERS TO HOST MPSF CHAMPIONSHIPS
Long Beach State and the Los Alamitos Naval Base will serve as this year's host of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships from April 30 to May 2. Ticket information can by obtained by calling (562) 985-4949 or on the website at www.longbeachstate.com. SPORTS FESTIVAL COMING TO LONG BEACH
The City of Long Beach will host a number of aquatic events in downtown Long Beach this summer, including the Toyota Aquatics Grand Prix and Olympic Swim Trials during June and July, 2004 in the Long Beach Swim Stadium; the FINA Men's and Women's Water Polo World League Super Finals, Swimming's Olympic Trials and an exhibition featuring the worlds top Synchronized Swimming teams. Please visit www.LongBeach2004.com or call 562-495-8352 for more information. |
