Long Beach State University Athletics
49ers host Pepperdine, head to San Diego State this weekend
9/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 15, 2009
Pepperdine (4-1) at
Long Beach State (3-3)
Date: Friday, Sept. 18
Time: 4 p.m. PT
Location: George Allen Field
Long Beach State (3-3)
at San Diego State (3-3-2)
Date: Sunday, Sept. 20
Time: Noon PT
Location: SDSU Sports Deck
Complete Release in PDF Format 
LONG BEACH - The Long Beach State women's soccer team (3-3) returns to the friendly confines of George Allen Field for a 4 p.m. showdown against Pepperdine on Friday, Sept. 18, before heading south for a match-up with San Diego State on Sunday (Sept. 20). The 49ers and Aztecs will square off at noon at SDSU Sports Deck.
SCOUTING THE WAVES
Pepperdine (4-1) is riding a three-game winning streak as it defeated Hawaii, 2-0, on Sunday, Sept. 13. The Waves have outscored their opponents 7-3 and are led by Michelle Spacciapolli, who has three goals to her credit. Roxanne Barker has manned the net for Pepperdine with 12 saves and a 0.59 goals against average.
A GLANCE AT SDSU
San Diego State enters the weekend with a 3-3-2 overall record. The Aztecs battled UC Riverside to a 1-1 tie in their most recent outing on Sunday (Sept. 13). Cat Walker leads SDSU with three goals and one assist, while Aubree Southwick has anchored the defense with 30 saves and a 1.41 goals against average.
THE SERIES
Long Beach State is looking for its first victory against Pepperdine as the Waves own a 5-0-0 all-time record in the series. The two teams last met in Malibu on Sept. 1, 2002, with Pepperdine topping the 49ers, 4-1.
The Beach also trails in its series with San Diego State, 4-2-1, but won the most recent meeting (Sept. 25, 2005) in double overtime.
LAST TIME OUT
LBSU split a pair of road games last weekend as it defeated Harvard, 2-0, before falling to fifth-ranked Boston College, 4-0. Against the Crimson, freshman Whitney Velez scored her first collegiate goal at the 36:31 mark, before sophomore Shawna Gordon netted her second goal of the season just 10 minutes into the second half. Sophomore Nicoline Jorgensen recorded her first shutout against Harvard and also had a career-high 10 saves in the loss at BC.
IN THE RANKINGS
The 49ers are ranked fifth in the west according to the NSCAA/adidas regional rankings. Pepperdine, meanwhile, received 67 votes in the NSCAA/adidas national poll and was also receiving votes in the Soccer Times top 25. The Waves are ranked fourth in the West Region.
COMMON FOES
Long Beach State and Pepperdine have faced one common opponent in No. 25 Kansas and saw similar results as the 49ers fell to the Jayhawks, 3-1, on the road, while the Waves dropped a 2-1 decision at a neutral site.
LBSU and San Diego State both opened their respective seasons with wins at home against Fresno State. The two teams also made a trip to Harvard with The Beach defeating the Crimson, 2-0, and SDSU battling to a 1-1 tie.
FIRSTS ALL AROUND
A handful of the 49ers' 18 newcomers have already made an impact at The Beach. Freshman Whitney Velez's first collegiate goal was the game-winner in a 2-0 win at Harvard, while sophomore goalkeeper Nicoline Jorgensen also earned her first shutout for LBSU against the Crimson.
One week earlier, freshman Jenny Soza scored the game-winner in a 4-1 upset at No. 21 Missouri. With the score tied at 1-1, Velez took a shot that hit the crossbar and Soza rebounded it from 10 yards out, one-timing it to the back of the net.
UP NEXT
Long Beach State heads to Loyola Marymount on Friday, Sept. 25, in its final tune-up before its Big West Conference opener against Pacific on Oct. 1. The 49ers and Lions are set to kick-off at 4 p.m. PT.
