49ers Begin Post-Season Quest by Hosting BW Tournament
Top-Seeded 49ers Welcome UC Santa Barbara, CS Fullerton and Cal Poly Starting November 3
October 31, 2006 PDF Version of the Release LONG BEACH STATE
(14-4-1)
The 49ers enter their second-straight Big West Tournament following their first-ever Big West title (co)... LBSU has been ranked in seven of 10 weeks this season and rank amongst the national leaders in defense... the 49ers have played 14 of 15 matches on the road this season, but carry a 14-2-0 record the last two years at home... LBSU beat UCSB (1-0) and CS Fullerton (1-0) and tied Cal Poly (0-0).... LBSU is 0-1 in the tournament.
UC SANTA
BARBARA
(7-6-6)
The co-champions of the conference have not lost since October 6 (vs. LBSU) having going 5-0-2 down the stretch after a 2-6-2 start... Genelle Ives (seven goals) and 49er midfielder, Hayley Bolt, are two up and coming stars earning Freshmen of the Year honors last year... the Gauchos exceeded expectations after being picked to finish third... UCSB defeated Cal Poly (2-1), CS Fullerton (4-1) and lost to LBSU (0-1)... UCSB is 2-2 in the tourney, making their third appearance.
CAL STATE
FULLERTON
(9-7-2)
The defending champions lost both the offensive and defensive players of the year from a year ago and have played the league's toughest schedule with five matches against top-25 opponents (1-3-1)... defending Goalkeeper of the Year, Karen Bardsley, remains to be solid with an 0.97 goals against average... the Titans lost to UCSB (1-4) and LBSU (0-1) and tied Cal Poly (0-0)... CSF is making their fifth appearance and are 2-3 all-time, last winning in 2005.
CAL POLY
(9-6-3)
The Mustangs rebounded after a 2-4-1 conference in 2005 to finish in fourth... Cal Poly is 6-1-3 over the final 10 matches of the season... three of the team's wins have come in overtime, while seven different players have scored game-winning goals... Cal Poly was picked to finish foruth in the pre-season... the Mustangs have tied both LBSU and CS Fullerton (0-0) and lost to UCSB (1-2)... Cal Poly is 7-1 in the tournament having won in 1996, 2003 and 2004. |
PLAYING FOR ALL THE MARBLES
Co-Big West Champion, Long Beach State (14-4-1), ranked in the national top-30 for seven of the first 11 weeks, will host the four-team Big West Tournament starting on November 3. The top-seeded 49ers will play the second match on Friday against fourth-seeded Cal Poly (9-6-3), 30 minutes following second-seeded UC Santa Barbara (7-6-6) and third-seeded CS Fullerton (9-7-2) match at 11 a.m. The Big West Championship and the automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament will take place on Sunday at 1 p.m. LBSU enters the tournament having gone 7-2-1 over the final 10 regular season home matches.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW
The 49ers will host the four-team Big West Tournament on November 3 and 5, featuring LBSU, UC Santa Barbara, CS Fullerton and Cal Poly. All-Session tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for seniors/students, with Friday tickets on sale early for $10/5. For ticket information call (562) 985-4949.
SELECTION MONDAY
The pairing for the 64-team NCAA Tournament, which will be played at 16 regional sites will be announced on Monday, November 6 between noon and 1 p.m. Pacfic on ESPNews and the NCAAsports.com website.
RANK AND FILE
The 49ers achieved their highest-ever national ranking, No. 20 by Soccer America, following the national polls on October 17. It was also the first time the program had been ranked or were receiving votes in all three national polls. They have been ranked in seven of 11 weeks. They began the season No. 28 in Soccer Buzz and No. 9 regionally. They appeared in the top-25 for the first time in franchise history for one week in 2005.
MEET THE HEAD COACH
In a short time, Mauricio Ingrassia has put Long Beach State soccer on the map. Over two-plus seasons the winningest coach in 49er history has gone 32-18-7, posting its best seasons in 2005 (12-5-3) and 2006 (14-4-1). If a record has been broken or something has happened for the "first time", it likely has come over the past two seasons. The team's first ever Big West title and first-ever top seed in the Big West Tournament also came this week. Over the past two years, LBSU is 26-9-4 with 24 shutouts. Ingrassia has twice had nationally ranked recruiting classes and has brought in five top-100 recruits over the past two seasons. Ingrassia came from nearby Long Beach City College in 2004, after going 184-24-8 (.870) and winning five state and two national titles over nine seasons. Two of his former players, senior defender Jenna Duncan and junior forward Kristin Childers, the 2004 JC State Player of the Year, are starters on the team.
ANOTHER SEASON OF FIRST'S
This year has topped last year in a number of all-time first's and here are some of them:
• Highest ever national ranking (No. 20-10/16)
• A record seven weeks ranked in top-30
• Big West regular season title (co-champs)
• BWC Tournament's top seed and host
• Nationally ranked in GAA (20th-0.57)
• Most conference wins (5-tied)
• Most overall points (94)
• Most goals scored game (6 vs. Texas State)
A BROKEN RECORD
A number of records were broken from last year's record pace, here are some:
• 14 wins (breaking last year's 12 wins)
• 13 shutouts (breaking last year's 11)
• 32 team assists (broke last year's 29)
• 11 goals allowed (broke last year's 17)
• Ramos' 12.0 shutouts (broke last year's 10.5)
OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Second-straight Big West Tournament
• Top BWC recruiting class for 2nd-straight year
• Two more national players of the week (five in two years after having none previously)
THE SECOND TIME AROUND
The 49ers are making their second-ever (and straight) appearance in the Big West Tournament. As last year's No. 3 seed, they lost in penalty kicks to UC Riverside in the Big West Semifinals following a 0-0 tie.
A QUICK SEASON RECAP
Road Warriors would be nickname for this season's 49ers, whose post-season hopes, ironically will depend on the team's play at home at the Big West Tournament. LBSU began the year with key 1-0 wins in the Pacific Northwest at Oregon and at Portland State, before briefly coming home, long enough to beat Southern Utah 2-0. LBSU then played toe-to-toe with No. 5-ranked UCLA, before losing 1-0 late in the second half. The Beach would then sweep through consecutive tournaments in San Francisco and Flagstaff upping their record to 7-1-0 to start the year. A bump at Eastern Washington would quickly be erased by an overtime win at Gonzaga (the second WCC team to lose to LBSU), before the 49ers began Big West play with three three straight wins which included an undefeated trek over the Central Coast. LBSU played nine of their first 10 on the road and 13 regular season games total away from Lon g Beach. The 49ers would close out the regular season by breaking the team's year old record for victories (over UC Irvine) and then clinch the conference title with a win at CS Fullerton on national television. They finished the year as co-champions at 5-1-1.
BOLT OF LIGHTENING
One of the leagues top players, sophomore Hayley Bolt (Lakewood) ranks second on the club with eight goals and 20 points and has been responsible for three game winners this season. Bolt also ranks second to teammate Kim Silos in conference scoring. Two of the team's nine losses over the past two years have come when she has been held out. Both times, LBSU has not scored a goal, including the team's 3-0 loss to UC Riverside last Sunday. Over two seasons, Bolt has had the game-winning goal or assist 11 times over 26 wins.
LIZ RAMOS IN THE BOOKS
Ramos has established herself in a very short time as the top goalkeeper in in school-history, owning the shutout and goals against records. Ramos broke her year-old record for shutouts by blanking UC Irvine on October 22. She currently leads the Big West in goals against (0.55) and shutouts (12.0). She ranks 21st in GAA.
• Season Record Shutouts (12.0-2006)
• Single-Season GAA (0.55-2006)
• Career Leader in Shutouts (22.5)
• Career-Leader in GAA
KIM SILOS IN THE BOOKS
(modern day records only)
Silos has put together a solid two-year run for the 49ers, toppling last year's totals when she had 10 goals and five assists with a Big West-leading eight goals and eight assists this year. She is on the verge of breaking her modern day records for goals and points as well. She already has the modern day record for points, assists and goals in a career.
SILOS IN THE BOOKS
• Season Record for Assists (8)
• Season Record for Goals (10-2005)
• Season Record for Points (25-2005)
• Career Record for Goals (19)
• Career Record for Assists (13)
• Career Record for Points (51)
• Career Record, GW Goals (10)
SHUTOUT RECORD AGAIN
For the second-straight year LBSU has set the school-record for shutouts. With 13 this season, LBSU broke last year's mark of 11, rank 20th nationally in goals against (0.57) and 10th in shutout percentage (68%). Over the past three years the 49ers have posted 31 shutouts due in large part from the defense of senior tri-captain one of the league's top defenders, Natalie Messina (Santa Rosa), junior Amanda Perry (Fresno) and two-year defenders Jenna Duncan (Long Beach), Julie Megorden (Los Alamitos) and Tiffany Vaught (Ladera Ranch).
HOME COOKING
The 49ers currently have an impressive 14-2-0 mark at home over the last two seasons, including a 5-1 mark this year. The two losses have during the 2005 and 2006 regular season finales.
A CANDIDATE FOR TOP DEFENDER
Three-time honorable mention All-Big West performer Natalie Messina is a contender for Big West Defender of the Year following the team's record-breaking defense. Thought it takes more than one player to stop an offense, it has been Messina's play in the central midfield which has been key.
SPEEDY PLAY MAKERS
One thing opponents will notice when playing the 49ers is their speed. Sahar Haghdan (Palmdale) has scored five times and accumulated 13 points, while Dana Farquhar (Redlands) has eight total points.
SOCCER RATINGS RELEASED
A quasi RPI system has been developed by Soccer Information Systems and the 49ers have a rating of No. 15 as of October 23 (13-3-1). Somis Sports.com has its own rating and the team is at No. 24 as of October 30. One of two RPI reports released by NCAASports.com had the team No. 60 on October 1 when they were 10-2-1. The other RPI report will be released November 3.
IT BEGINS EARLY
The 49ers have allowed just two first half goals all season, compared to eight in the second half. LBSU has outscored opponents 15-to-2 in the first half, and when leading at the half, are 9-1-0.
ROAD WARRIORS IN 2006
The 49ers completed their longest trek of the season during the month of September, playing nine of their first 10 on the road and going 7-2-0, which included wins at Oregon, at the University of San Francisco and at Gonzaga. The road trip featured dance steps in Westwood, San Francisco, Flagstaff, AZ, Spokane, WA, Cheney, WA, Portland, OR and Eugene, OR. LBSU is 9-3-1 away from home this year.
HARD TO TOUCH IN OT
The team's 2-1 overtime loss at UC Davis was the first time an opponent has beat The Beach in overtime since 2004, a string of eight in a row (3-0-5). The Beach are now 4-2-7 under Mauricio Ingrassia in overtime.
ADDING TO THE CORE
Adding to the 15th-best recruiting class in the nation in 2005, the 49ers backed that up with its fifth top-100 recruit in the past two years (top-50 pick Yeraldy Hurtado) and the 39th-best class in the country. The biggest surprise has been the emergence of Sarah Strohl, a 6-1 late signee. LBSU has twice had the best recruiting class in the Big West.
STILL YOUNG, BUT DEEPER
This year's squad is still relatively young, checking in with 14 underclassmen, but most have learned from a grueling 2005 campaign. Following a record 12-3-3 start in 2005, the 49ers went 0-2-2 down the stretch. The team did not score a goal after October 21, a span of 414 minutes heading into the 2006 season. |
