Beach Heads to Blue Jay Classic For Tournament
49ers Continue Road Trip in Omaha
September 23, 2004
PDF File of the Release LONG BEACH STATE 49ERS
RECORD: 3-3-1, 0-0-0 Big West
Quick Kicks: The 49ers are on a three-match losing streak, all on the road, as they play in their third tournament of the season... LBSU's backline has allowed one or fewer goals in five of seven contests.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE JACK RABBITS
RECORD: 2-4-0, Independent
Quick Kicks: South Dakota State, along with fellow tournament participant, North Dakota State, are both in their first year of Division-I... the Jack Rabbits have won two straight, over Western Illinois and Wayne State, afer an 0-4-0 start... SDSU has scored just five goals over its first six contests, with two coming from Kelsey Worcester... Jenn Davis, an indepent soccer SID Player of the Week, has a 1.20 goals against average... Lang Wedemery is in his fifth season as the team's head coach, starting the program in 2000... SDSU went 8-5-6 last year as an independent.
SERIES VS. LBSU: Never Met.
CREIGHTON BLUE JAYS
RECORD: 3-4-1, 0-0-0 Missouri Valley
Quick Kicks: Creighton plays North Dakota State on Friday... the Blue Jays are coming off a 3-2 loss to Nebraska on Tuesday, the team's first home loss since 2002... Creighton has lost two straight after going 3-0-1 over its previous four... two of its losses are to Nebraska, with another coming to California to open the season... Kristine Willrett leads the club with four goals, which also leads the Missouri Valley... Willrett has tallied of four of those goals over the last three games... Bruce Erickson is in his sixth year as the head coach, going 11-6-4 in 2003.
SERIES VS. LBSU: Never met. 49ERS HEAD TO OMAHA
Long Beach State (3-3-1) continues its month-long roadtrip, this time in Omaha, as the 49ers travel to the Blue Jay Classic featuring South Dakota State (2-4-0), North Dakota State and Creighton (3-4-1). LBSU will play South Dakota State on Friday at 3 p.m. PST, before taking on the hosts, Creighton, at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. LBSU is in the middle of a seven-match roadtrip, encompassing 5700 miles. The 49ers are looking for their first road win after an 0-3-0 start to the trip. After starting the season with three shutouts over four games, LBSU has been shutout in its last three. The Beach opens up Big West play next week, and closes out the road trip, on California's Central Coast.
INGRASSIA TAKES OVER
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 TWO WEEKS
Over the team's first seven contests, one bad game was bound to happen. It occured against San Diego after the team endured a return trip from Hawaii late Wednesday night and then turned around and played less than 48 hours later, losing 6-0. The 49ers began its month-long road trip 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 against Duke, compared to the team's play versus Hawaii. Against the Blue Devils, 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 never could find a seam in the Duke defense. Two days later the Wahine slipped one past the team's defense on a misplay for the only score. LBSU had seven shots on goal.
LOOKING FOR ANOTHER HONOR
Sophomore defender Natalie Messina (Santa Rosa) is looking for her third-straight all-tournmanent honor after receiving Most Outstanding Player honors at the 49er Classic and all-tournament accolades at the Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Classic. Messina, the team's star defender, has helped The Beach allow one or fewer goals in five of the seven contests.
FROM WALK-ON TO STARTER
Another reason the 49er defense has been virtually goal free is the play of freshman Amanda Perry (Fresno). Perry was one of 50 players who tried out for the team on the first day. She not only made the squad, but has started six of seven games.
STRONG FINISHES
The 49ers seem to be developing into a strong second half team as nearly two-thirds of their shots (and shots on goal) have come in the second half. LBSU also has a knack for attacking an opponents' cage, as they have 26 of their 35 corner kicks in the second frame.
REEVES REVS UP THE ENGINES
Junior forward Allison Reeves (Lakewood) has the early points lead for The Beach, thanks to two goals and five points this year. Coming into the season, Reeves, who had played in 37 career games, had just three career points, prior to the season. Reeves' brother, Dan, is a senior defender for CS Dominguez Hills, which is 20 minutes North of Long Beach.
TRAVIS A FORCE UP FRONT
Senior forward Kristin Travis (Davis) has matched her point total from all of last year, with four, after tallying two assists last weekend. Travis' 23 career points places her ninth all-time, while her seven assists (t-sixth) and eight goals (t-12th) are also amongst the all-time greats.
SHUTTING THE DOOR TO START
The team's three-straight shutouts earlier this year set a school-record for consecutive shutouts. LBSU allowed just one goal over the first four games of hte season.
WIEGAND MOVES INTO FOURTH
Allison Wiegand's (Modesto) first goal of the season (against Sacramento State) also moved her into fourth place all-time for career goals (15) and points (36). The senior utility player has already tied Abie Curry's modern-day record for points, and will catch Curry's goal record with her next net-finder. Wiegand's six career assists is ninth all-time, three away from the top-five.
NOT A BAD SEASON AND A HALF
The 49ers, who return virtually intact for 2004 with 17 lettermen and nine starters, won nine of their final 14 matches in 2003 and started this season with a school-record tying 3-0-1 start.
GOLDEN GOAL A SUCCESS
The team's first annual golden goal fundraiser was a success on August 20 as the dinner and silent auction raised in the neighborhood of $10,000 for the program.
PRE-SEASON NOTES
BEACH RETURN INTACT FOR 2004
The Beach will return 17 lettermen with Division-I experience and nine starters from last year's team. At the first day of tryouts on August 11, upwards of 50 players tried out. That roster is now at just over 30 players, led by senior forwards Allison Wiegand (Modesto) and Kristin Travis (Davis) and senior defender Shanna Wender (Fresno).
FOUR ALL-BIG WEST PLAYERS RETURN
The Beach will return four All-Big West performers this season, highlighted by the program's first, two-time first team All-Big West player in Allison Wiegand (Modesto). Two-time honorable mention pick Shanna Wender (Fresno) returns to the backline, as does sophomore honorable mention defender Natalie Messina (Santa Rosa). Sophomore Erin Empting (Fountain Valley) was honorable mention All-BWC at midfield in 2003.
49ERS PICKED TO FINISH SIXTH
Cal Poly, which won the title last year, garnered nine of the 10 first place votes and 99 total points and is picked by the league's coaches to win the Big West. UC Santa Barbara (84 points), CS Fullerton (78) and UC Irvine (61) round out the top four. UC Riverside follows with 59 points, while The Beach (50), Pacific (41), CS Northridge (40), Utah State (27) and Idaho (11) round out the field. Last year five teams came within two wins of first place. LBSU finished tied for fourth place. The top four teams reach the Big West Tournament.
WIEGAND TOP ALL AROUND PLAYER?
Allison Wiegand (Modesto) may be the conference's top all-around player, earning all-conference honors at three positions during her career. She began her career as a forward, earning second team honors, before leading the team's defense in 2002 and earning first team accolades. Last year at midfielder, she was also a first team selection. She has played all three positions this year.
SOLID BACKLINE
Last year the 49er defense set records for the least amount of shots allowed (225) and goals allowed (22). |
