Long Beach State University Athletics
Beach Continues Homestand vs. Iowa State, Bucknell
8/26/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Iowa State (2-0-0) at
Long Beach State (1-1-0)
Date: Friday, Aug. 28
Time: 7:30 p.m. (PDT)
Location: George Allen Field (1,000) - Long Beach, Calif.
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Bucknell (1-0-1) at
Long Beach State (1-1-0)
Date: Sunday, Aug. 30
Time: 12 p.m. (PDT)
Location: George Allen Field (1,000) - Long Beach, Calif.
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Game Notes: Long Beach State 
FIRST GOAL
The Long Beach State women's soccer team continues its season-opening four-game homestand on Friday, Aug. 28, when it takes on Iowa State at 7:30 p.m. The Beach will then welcome Bucknell to George Allen Field for a 12 p.m. showdown on Sunday, Aug. 30.
IN THE RANKINGS
After upsetting No. 4 UCLA, 1-0, in the season opener last week, Long Beach State was receiving votes in the NSCAA National Poll released on Tuesday, Aug. 25. The 49ers collected 57 votes to come in at No. 28. LBSU was also ranked third, behind only BYU and Pepperdine, in the NSCAA West Region Poll.
A GLANCE AT IOWA STATE
Iowa State started the 2015 campaign at 2-0-0 as it went on the road to defeat South Dakota State, 1-0, and South Dakota, 3-0. Senior midfielder Haley Albert led the Cyclones with two goals on the weekend, including the game winner at SDSU. Sophomore Lindsey Hendon played all 180 minutes in between the posts, registering seven saves. ISU, which is a member of the Big 12 Conference, returns 16 letterwinners and eight starters from last year's squad that went 7-11 overall.
SCOUTING THE BISON
Bucknell (1-0-1) picked up a 1-0 victory over Towson before playing UMBC to a 1-1 draw. Junior midfielder Cora Climo netted the game-winner in the season opener, while junior Jessica Ratner was named the Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week after registering nine saves and a 0.45 goals against average.
SERIES RECORD
This is Long Beach State's first meeting with both Iowa State and Bucknell.
WHAT A START
In front of a record-breaking crowd of 2,232, Long Beach State smashed expectations by holding No. 4 UCLA off the scoreboard and claiming a signature 1-0 win to open the season at George Allen Field.
Sophomore Ashley Gonzales was credited with the game-winner in the 67th minute as her forward pass to senior Vania Robles was deflected off the foot of a Bruin defender and into the lower right netting.
The 49ers are no stranger to taking down teams in the top-25 as they have done so in each of the last seven years, but UCLA is the highest-ranked opponent they have beaten in program history.
OPENING DAY SUCCESS
With the 1-0 win over No. 4 UCLA, Long Beach State improved to 8-4-0 in season openers under head coach Mauricio Ingrassia. Even more impressive is the fact that Ingrassia has led the Beach to a 10-2-0 mark in home openers.
TOUGH SCHEDULE
Six of LBSU's 11 non-conference opponents were featured in the NSCAA's first poll of the regular season. The Beach has already faced No. 12 UCLA and No. 16 Auburn. They will also go up against No. 11 BYU, No. 17 USC and No. 19 DePaul, along with San Diego, which was receiving votes.
In addition, all but one of the 49ers' non-conference adversaries are coming off a winning season. Eight of those teams recorded at least 10 victories with six advancing to the 2014 NCAA Tournament.
SUPER SOPHOMORE
There doesn't appear to be any sophomore slump for forward Ashley Gonzales. The Ontario, Calif., native picked up her fifth career game-winning goal to lead the Beach to a 1-0 victory over No. 4 UCLA in the season opener on Aug. 21. Gonzales started the scoring play in the 67th minute with a steal from about 30 yards out. She then dribbled into the box where her forward pass to Vania Robles was deflected by a Bruin defender into the lower right netting. Two days later, Gonzales fired off a season-high four attempts vs. Auburn.
Last year, Gonzales was a Soccer America Freshman All-American, NSCAA All-West Region selection, All-Big West honoree and the Big West Freshman of the Year. She led LBSU with nine goals and 20 points. Her nine goals were the most by a first-year 49er since Kim Silos had 10 in 2005. She also became the first freshman in conference history to win back-to-back Big West Player of the Week honors.
MCKEOWN ON THE RISE
Junior keeper Ashton McKeown has continued to build on last year's breakout season. She started the 2015 campaign with her 10th career shutout as the 49ers blanked No. 4 UCLA. Her effort earned her the season's first Big West Defensive Player of the Week award and a spot on the Top Drawer Soccer honorable mention team of the week.
In 2014, McKeown compiled a conference-leading nine shutouts, 0.80 goals against average and 91 saves to earn the league's goalkeeper of the year award.
MIGHTY MOUSE
Junior midfielder Mimi Rangel has been a force to be reckoned with since she first stepped onto the pitch at George Allen Field as a freshman in 2013. She has started every game during her time at Long Beach State, amassing eight goals, 10 assists, 26 points and 87 shot attempts. Rangel is the reigning Big West Midfielder of the Year, and is a two-time first-team all-conference selection. In addition, she was named to the 2014 NSCAA All-West Region Second Team, while also being tabbed the 2013 Big West Freshman of the Year.
HOME SWEET HOME
Over the last 11-plus years, Long Beach State has been dominant at home, compiling an impressive 66-23-17 record (.703) at George Allen Field. The Beach had a program-best 10-1-0 home record in 2011.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
Long Beach State will play its first road game of the 2015 campaign at San Diego on Friday, Sept. 4. Kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m. The Beach then returns to George Allen Field on Sunday, Sept. 6, for a 12 p.m. tilt with Portland State.
