49ers Try to Get Back on Track in San Diego
Beach Takes Positives From 0-2 Trip to Hawaii
September 14, 2004 TRIP SOUTH FOR THE BEACH
The 49ers (3-2-1) will travel down Interstate-5 for a contest with San Diego (3-3-0) on Friday at 5 p.m. as the team continues its seven-match stretch away from George Allen Field. The Beach are coming off two straight losses in Hawaii at the Outriggers Hotels and Resorts Classic, one respectable 3-0 loss to No. 30-ranked Duke, and another, to regionally-ranked Hawaii, 1-0, in which one defensive lapse led to the game-winning goal. LBSU had matched its best start in school-history by going unbeaten over the team's first four contests. The 49ers travel to Omaha for the Creighton Classic next week, before beginning Big West play on the road, at UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly to begin October. A LOOK AT THE TOREROS
San Diego comes in with a 3-3-0 record after a 4-1 win over San Diego State last week.. Amy Epstein earned West Coast Conference co-Player of the Week honors after scoring three of the four goals... Epstein, only a freshman, leads the team with six goals... Michelle Rowe, a junior forward and a member of the Canadian Youth National Team, has two goals.... the team won 3-0 over UC Irvine earlier this year and lost 1-0 to CS Fullerton... USD has also defeated Colorado 2-1 and lost 3-0 to Denver.... Ada Greenwood is in his second year after going 9-8-4 last year in the very tough WCC, which features national powers Santa Clara and Portland. The Beach have never beaten the Toreros in four previous meetings... two of the last three years, LBSU has lost by a single goal.
INGRASSIA AT THE HELM
Mauricio Ingrassia hit the ground running in late May after taking over for Peter Reynaud, who retired after 22 seasons as a head coach. Ingrassia built a very successful junior college program at Long Beach City College, where he won five of the last seven state titles and finished with an 184-24-8 record over nine years. Ingrassia's teams were undefeated over the past two seasons, pulling off a 55-match unbeaten streak. The Vikings achieved back-to-back No. 1 national rankings, while winning two of his final four state titles. LBCC had never reached the playoffs, or won more than seven matches in a season prior to his arrival.
LAST WEEK
The 49ers began its month-long roadtrip in Hawaii, and despite two losses to No. 30-ranked Duke (3-0) and regionally-ranked Hawaii (1-0), the team saw a vast difference from its play on Saturday, compared to the team's play on Monday night. On Friday, three-time ACC pick and potential All-American Casey McCluskey scored twice in leading Duke to the tournament title. After 13 first half shots by the Blue Devils, LBSU settled down and allowed just seven, but could not find a seam in the Duke defense as they conveted just two shots. On Monday against the Wahine, the 49ers attacked, attacked and attacked, resulting in seven shots on goal, but six saves by the Hawaii goalie and another by a luckily placed defender in the cage kept LBSU scoreless. One defensive lapse, in which the backline at the team's goalie miscommunicated, resulted in the Hawaii's only goal.
TWO NAMED ALL-TOURNAMENT
Defender Natalie Messina (Santa Rosa) earned her second-straight all-tournament honors, after being named the Most Outstanding Player at the 49er Classic two weeks ago. Messina, who missed last year with a dislocated fibula, was an honorable mention pick in the Big West as a freshman. Forward MacKenzie Blechel (Forestville) earned her first all-tournament honors at the Outriggers Classic, for her play up front against Hawaii. FROM WALK-ON TO STARTER
Freshman Amanda Perry (Fresno) has been a welcome surprise for The Beach this season, starting five of six games at defender. The team's defense has been stellar this season, allowing one or fewer goals in five of six games. Perry, who walked onto the club this August and fought her way into the starting 11, was one of 50 players who tried out on the first day of practice. Perry is a former All-City performer out of Clovis West High School.
STRING BROKEN FOR GOTTHARDT
Tara Gotthardt's (Pleasanton) string of consecutive scoreless minutes came to an end against nationally-ranked Duke, as the sophomore goalie still has a 0.81 goals against average. Gotthardt had not allowed a goal over the first 255 minutes this season and 398:20 dating back to last year. Gotthardt also has 20 saves this season. REEVES EARLY LEADER IN POINTS
Allison Reeves (Lakewood) has the team's early lead in overall points with five, thanks to two goals at the 49er Classic two weeks ago. With an assist in the opener, the junior forward who has played in 43 career games, has already doubled her career output. WIEGAND AND TRAVIS MOVING UP THE CHARTS
Senior captains Allison Wiegand (Modesto) and Kristin Travis (Davis) are both in the 49er top-10 in a number of different categories. Wiegand has tied former teammate Abie Curry for the modern-day record for points (36) and is one goal away from Curry's 16, for third-place all-time. Wiegand, a two-time first team All-Big West pick, has also tied Curry for the school-record for most game-winners. Travis has 23 career points, ninth-best all-time and seven career assists, sixth all-time. STILL PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Despite a strong defense which has allowed posted three shutouts and two one-goal games, the 49ers are still trying to find an offense at times. If the seven shots on goal against Hawaii are any indication, LBSU may just be warming up. Of the team's nearly 11 shots per game, about half, are on goal. The 49ers also are averaging nearly five corner kicks a game, but have now yet to score in 241:28 minutes dating back to the team's win over Iona three games ago. |
