Long Beach State University Athletics
49ers Embark on Road Trip Through the Mountain West
9/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 17, 2008
LONG BEACH--Long Beach State Soccer (4-1-2) will embark on a two weekend road trip through the Mountain West, playing in Utah this weekend and in Arizona next prior to opening up Big West play on October 3. This weekend the team travels to Utah (2-5-1) on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Pacific, before heading to Utah State (3-4-1) on Sunday at 10 a.m. Pacific.
Despite 11 seniors on the team, youth rules the scoring, as sophomores Lindsay Bullock (Manhattan Beach) and Kristen Kiefer (Mission Viejo) lead the 49ers in goals with four goals a piece. Bullock was named the Big West's Player of the Week this past week following five points in the 3-0 win over BYU and the 3-3 tie to Oregon. Seniors Kim Silos (Ontario) and Hayley Bolt (Lakewood) each have eight points, thanks to three goals and two assists. Silos remains one assist shy of tying the school record by Annette Fernandez (26) and is one goal shy of second place and Fernandez' 29 goals from 1984 to 1986.
The 49er defense has produced four shutouts thanks to a stable backline that has seen seniors Sara Baca (Ventura) and Tiffany Vaught (Ladera Ranch) and newcomers Bo Rael (Rancho Cucamonga) and Nicole Hubbard (Lakewood) combine to start all seven matches. That defense has allowed seven shots or less in six of seven contests, including just two against Gonzaga and three against BYU.
Seniors Liz Ramos (Bakersfield) and Breanna Truelove (La Habra) have nearly identical minutes in goal this year, with Truelove producing an 0.81 average, and Ramos at 1.06. Ramos has two shutouts this season and 30.5 in her career, and after giving up three goals in the overtime win at Hawaii on August 27, has allowed just one goal over the last 245 minutes (0.36).
LBSU currently leads the Big West in scoring (2.4 goals per match), shutouts (4) and corner kicks (8.2) and ranks second in assists (2.1) and goals against average (0.94), after being picked to finish second in the conference during the preseason.
Utah has gone 1-4-1 over its last six contests, losing four in a row to Arizona (4-0), No. 19 Georgia (2-1), Oregon (3-2) and Oregon State (1-0). Last weekend they defeated Utah State at home, before tying at LMU (0-0). Junior forward Kelly Isleib leads the club with four of the team's eight goals. Junior Emalee Rogers has played every minute in goal, producing a 1.53 goals against average. LBSU has won both meetings all time with the Utes, winning 1-0 last year in Long Beach on a Bullock goal in the 94th minute. The Utes are picked to finish third in the Mountain West.
Utah State has gone 2-1-1 over its last three matches, after dropping three of four to start the year, at Idaho State (2-1), at Oregon (1-0) and at Oregon State (2-1). They are a perfect 3-0-1 this season at home. The 49ers are 6-2-0 against the former Big West foe, last playing them in 2006. Sophomore forward Lauren Hansen leads the club with three goals, while freshman Shantel Flanary and junior Erin Salmon have two goals a piece. Senior Ali Griffin has the majority of minutes in goal, producing a 1.24 goals against average. USU is picked to finish third in the Western Athletic Conference.
Mauricio Ingrassia is in his fifth year and is 49-27-9 in his career at LBSU, winning double digits in each of the last three years, with a school-record 14 wins in 2006. They have won the last two Big West regular season titles.
The 49ers are ranked 11th in the region, with the top eight be ranking in Soccer Buzz' top-30.
