49ers Close Out Regular Season This Week
Two Conference Matchups Prepare Beach for MPSF Tournament Next Week
April 19, 2005 49ERS CLOSE OUT THE REGULAR SEASON
The No. 5-ranked 49ers (19-5, 8-2 MPSF), winners of four in a row and 11 of its last 13, will close out the regular season this week when they travel to No. 1-ranked UCLA (26-0, 11-0 MPSF) on Wednesday at 4 p.m. and to No. 9-ranked UC Santa Barbara (13-11, 4-7 MPSF) on Friday at 4 p.m. Luck is on Long Beach State Athletics Department's favor this season when they face No. 1-ranked teams, as both the men's volleyball and baseball teams have toppled a top-ranked team during the spring season. In LBSU's first meeting with the Bruins, the 49ers lost 7-3 as part of the Gaucho Invitational. The 49ers beat the Gauchos at the UC San Diego Tournament, 7-5, earlier this year as well. AZEVEDO AT THE HELM
Ricardo Azevedo is in his sixth season as the head coach of both the men's and women's teams at Long Beach State, compiling a 117-71 record on the women's side. The 2003 co-MPSF Coach of the Year as set three school-records for victories and watched his team rank regularly rank, at times, from No. 3 to No. 5 over the last three seasons. Some of the program's biggest victories have also come when Azevedo has been in charge, including the team's win over California in the 2002 playoffs, which propeled the program into the nation's top-four, the school's first win over the "big three" when it defeated Stanford in 2003 and the team's win over it's highest ranked opponent to date (No. 3 Stanford in 2005). MPSF TOURNAMENT COMING
The 49ers will travel to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships in Berkeley from April 28 to May 1 with the winner getting an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament in Ann Arbor, MI. The Beach have reached the MPSF Semifinals in each of the past two seasons. The NCAA Tournament, featuring an expanded eight teams begins on May 14.
ANOTHER RECORDING BREAKING YEAR
Should the 49ers win one more, it will be the third time in as many seasons that the team has won 20 games in a season, a first for the program. With one more conference victory, LBSU can set the school-record for MPSF victories, set in 2003 when The Beach went 24-8 and 8-2 in the MPSF, both school-records.
AZEVEDO HONORED AGAIN
Junior attacker Cassie Azevedo (Long Beach/Wilson HS) was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation's Player of the Week after the No. 5-ranked 49ers swept through its own Beach Tournament and the third team All-American scored 14 goals over four games. Azevedo currently ranks third in the MPSF in scoring with 56 goals this season, as she surpassed teammate Drue Wawrzynski (141) and is now tied with Roberta Stewart (2002-04) with 142 goals in her three-year career. The total ranks fifth all-time. This is Azevedo's third weekly honor of the season, as the junior has scored at least two goals in 12 of the last 13 games. Azevedo also has 29 steals and 25 assists this season, while shooting 42 percent from the pool. HAWKINS ECLIPSES 800 SAVES
Senior goalie Bri Hawkins (San Diego) eclipsed 800 saves in her career and enters her final regular season with 809 career saves and 182 this season. Hawkins who ranks in the nation's top-10 in total saves, will leave the school with three of the top-10 single-season saves totals, including a record 236 in 2003. Hawkins has allowed just over five goals a game this season, as the 49er defense continues to rank in the top-five nationally in goals against average.Hawkins has been around for most of the team's big wins, tallying a career record of 78-29. WAWRZYNSKI CLOSING OUT CAREER ON A TEAR
Senior 2-meter Drue Wawrzynski (Garden Grove) will close out her career as one of the school's top 2-meter players in school-history, ranking sixth all-time in career goals (141) and ranking second on this year's team with 26 goals. Wawrzynski with 47 earned ejections this season, has three of the top-five totals in any given year, as she also two of the top-five single-season shooting percentages, includng a 52 percent clip last season and a 41 clip this year. Wawrzynski has scored in eight of her last nine games, including seven total goals at last week's Beach Tournament. Wawrzynski is the third of four family members to play at Long Beach State, following her father and brother to The Beach. Her sister, Dayna, has appeared in nine games as a freshman this season. WENSMAN REPONDS IN THE STARTING LINEUP
Sophomore driver Christina Wensman (Mercer Island, WA) was inserted in the starting lineup this past weekend and responded with goals in every goal to give her six of her 10 goals this season. Wensman is connecting on 53 percent of her shots on the season and has already surpassed her goal total from last season (9).
CAMPBELL STEALS 'EM AWAY
Junior Tara Campbell (Montreal) is a big reason why the 49ers rank near the top in the nation in defense as the 2-meter defender has racked up 36 steals this season. Campbell has long been known for the steal, having tallied over 103 in her three year career. BRADEN BECOMES ULTIMATE UTILITY PLAYER
Junior Alison Braden (Calgary) continues to be a consistent pressence in the lineup for the 49ers, leading the team with 36 assists and ranking third on the team with 23 goals. Braden has also earned 24 earned ejections which is third on the club. Braden's assist mark is fourth-best all-time in a single season, as the Canadian has etched herself on the single-season list in each of her three seasons. CANETTI GIVES BEACH YET ANOTHER OPTION
Marina Canetti (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) was in Mexico City this past weekend with the Brazilian National Team but is yet another offensive weapon for the team. The first-year sophomore has 11 goals in 14 games this season, connecting on 46 percent of her shots.
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