Long Beach State University Athletics
49ers Picked to Win Big West
8/10/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
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49ers Picked to Repeat as Champions IRVINE, CA-- Long Beach State women's soccer, the defending Big West regular season champions, were picked to repeat and win the conference championship, according to the conference coaches. The 49ers, who were a school-record best 14-5-1 overall and 5-1-1 in conference play, received five of the nine first place votes and 77 points overall. Cal Poly, which upset the 49ers in the first round of the Big West Tournament in Long Beach, and UC Santa Barbara, also a Big West Tournament team, were picked to finish second with 63 points (two first place votes) a piece. CS Fullerton, under a new coach, are picked to finish fourth with 59 points, followed by UC Riverside (41 points), CS Northridge (37) and Pacific (32). UC Davis received 20 points and are picked for eighth place, in their first season competing as a full Big West member, while UC Irvine with 13 points rounded out the nine-team field. The 49ers, under fourth-year Head Coach Mauricio Ingrassia, begin for the first time on August 14 with two-a-days for the first part of the pre-season until their scrimmage with Azusa Pacific at home on August 23 at 5 p.m. They open the regular season at CS Bakersfield on August 31, before returning home for the home opener on September 2 against Utah at 1 p.m. The nine-match home schedule is available for purchase, featuring USC, Oklahoma, Baylor and Wyoming in the pre-season and the Titans, Highlanders and both Central Coast foes, by calling (562) 985-4949. The 49ers return nine of 11 starters, including all-regional players Hayley Bolt (Lakewood) and Kim Silos (Ontario). Bolt was the Big West's Midfielder of the Year, while Silos was the Offensive Player of the Year. Both players, along with all-conference picks Sahar Haghdan (Palmdale) and Dana Farquhar (Redlands) make up a junior-laden squad for the 2007 campaign. LBSU was picked to win the conference last season, and did so, their first conference championship in school history. 2007 Women’s Soccer Coaches ( ) First-place votes |
