Long Beach State University Athletics
Soccer Stays Home For Two Games
10/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 8, 2008
Long Beach, Calif. - Winners of the last two matches at home, Long Beach State (8-3-2) faces one of its biggest non-conference tests this week as the 49ers take on No. 18 Wednesday afternoon at George Allen Field. Following that game, the team will resume their normal Big West Schedule, playing UC Irvine Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.
Long Beach State will get another chance to improve its RPI and national standing with a good showing against the Torreros Wednesday at 3 p.m. Long Beach State, ranked No. 10 in this week's Soccer Buzz regional rankings, will face the West's No. 6 team according to the publication.
San Diego is led by senior forward Jen Mello, who is the main striker for the Torerros. Through 12 games, she has seven goals and 15 points, putting an impressive 71% of her shots on goal.
Following the one-game break from conference action, the 49ers jump back into conference play against UC Irvine. Picked second in the conference to begin the year, Long Beach State currently sits in a tie atop the conference with Cal Poly, as both have 2-0-0 league records.
UC Irvine's Kate Berrini's four goals lead the Anteaters, who enter the week with a 7-6-0 record. They play just the one game this week, after losing to Pacific and beating UC Davis in their first two conference games last week.
For Long Beach State, Sahar Haghdan had a big week in the team's first two conference games. Haghdan's first goal of the season was the game-winner on Friday, and then she made a spectacular assist to help the 49ers to the first of two goals against Pacific.
Long Beach State's sophomore sensations have also continued to put up big numbers. Lindsay Bullock, with seven goals already this season has a chance to become just the second LBSU player since 1998 to score double-digit goals in a season. She is second in the Big West with 15 points and is tied for the conference lead in goals. Fellow sophomore Kristen Kiefer is tied for second on the team with five goals.
Kim Silos has 12 points with five goals scored, and three players remain tied for the team lead in assists (Mariko Strickland, Dana Farquhar, Nicole Hubbard).
Long Beach State's back line along with goaltender Liz Ramos has helped The Beach post some impressive defensive numbers so far. While the team leads the conference in goals scored, the 49ers also have given up the fewest goals on the season, just 10, and hold a goals against average of 0.74, the only team in the Big West under 1.00.
Liz Ramos' five shutouts also lead the conference, and her 33.5 career shutouts are also the most in the Big West. Since late August, Ramos has allowed just four goals.
