Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State University
UCLA
Soccer Opens Regular Season At No. 2 UCLA Followed By Home Opener Against SMU
8/15/2018 2:44:00 PM | Women's Soccer
The Beach will head north to face the Bruinis on Friday evening.
Complete LBSU Soccer Game Notes
BEFORE KICKOFF
• Long Beach State opens the 2018 season with a tough test under the bright lights, kicking off the season on the road at No. 2 UCLA at 7 p.m. on Friday, August 17. The Beach will be the first opponents to play in the grand opening of Wallis Annenberg Stadium, and the game will be broadcast live on the Pac-12 Networks, with JB Long and Tammy Blackburn on the call.
• Following that game, Long Beach State is excited to host its home opener on Sunday, August 19, taking on SMU in George Allen Field at Noon. Follow the action live through www.longbeachstate.com, or join us at the field to participate in a record-breaking water balloon toss.
• Last week Long Beach State ventured to another new venue, playing UC Irvine in a preseason exhibition at Great Park Stadium in Irvine. With a pregame reception for all in attendance pregame, the Black and Blue event was a success and sets the stage for potential further games in the nearby facility.
• The Beach returns 18 letterwinners for the 2018 season from the 2017 team, and welcomes back nine starters from last season in goalkeeper Imani McDonald, defenders Kaitlin Fregulia, Sarah Pilster, Chloe Froment and Alyssa Alvarez, midfielders Katie Pingel, Rocio Rodriguez, and Dana Fujikuni and forward Rola Badawiya.
• Another key returner for Long Beach State missed 2017, as Ashley Gonzales returns for the Beach. The senior played in just two games before a medical redshirt, but the 2016 Big West Offensive Player of the Year is back for LBSU in 2018. Gonzales through three seasons already rates among Long Beach State's all-time offensive leaders.
• The LBSU defense should be an area of strength in the upcoming year. The Beach recorded 9 shutouts one season ago, second-most in the Big West, and return four starters from the back line as well as senior Sarah Maher and goalkeeper Imani McDonald. Combined, Alyssa Alvarez, Kaitlin Fregulia, Chloe Froment, Sarah Pilster and Maher have combined for 195 games of experience in defense.
• In the absence of Gonzales at the top of the formation in 2017, Long Beach State had tremendous offensive balance, with 13 different players combining to score the 25 total goals for the Beach on the year, while 12 players combined for the assists on those goals. In total, 17 different players combined to play in Long Beach State's scoring last season.
• Long Beach State will once again face a tremendous non-conference schedule. On the slate are three road games against opponents ranked in the Top 25, including the season opener against No. 2 UCLA as well as at USC and Texas. Additionally, Long Beach State will host two opponents receiving votes in the preseason polls in Auburn as well as the team's home opener on August 19 against SMU.
• Receiving two first-place votes, Long Beach State was picked to finish second in the Big West preseason coaches poll, two points behind UC Irvine, who took the top spot along with three first-place votes. Cal State Fullerton also received three first-place votes and was picked to finish third and the three rivals were very close in the final point totals. CSUN was picked to finish fourth, followed by UC Davis who received the final first-place vote. UCSB, UC Riverside, Cal Poly and Hawai'i rounded out the order as predicted by the coaches.
• The Beach had three players selected to the 11-player preseason all-conference team as well. Senior Forward Ashley Gonzales and Junior F/MF Katie Pingel were two of the offensive players selected, while defender Chloe Froment was one of the four defenders picked as the top representatives for the Big West entering the season. All three have previously earned All-Big West honors, with Gonzales and Froment both claiming top individual honors in 2016.
• Along with Long Beach State's nine returning starters, the Beach brings back six additional players that played in over half of the 49ers' games last season. Senior Sarah Maher will help bolster the defense, while Taylor Bistline, Kayla Cannon, Kaylee Ramirez, Nadiyah Siqueiros,and Makayla Soll will all continue to challenge for time on the field in 2018.
• Additional reinforcements for the Beach come in the form of seven newcomers for 2018. Riana Castaneda joins the team as a junior college transfer after two years as the starting goalkeeper at Fresno City College. She is joined by six new freshman in a highly touted class featuring Sierra Castles, Charlotte Guillory, Elysia Laramie, Angela Morales, Lena Silano, and goalkeeper Abigail Trengove.
SCOUTING THE BRUINS
• UCLA fell 3-2 in the College Cup Championship one season ago, and enters the season ranked No. 2 in the nation. Senior Hailey Mace led the Bruin attack one season ago, scoring 15 goals to lead UCLA.
SERIES RECORD vs. UCLA
• Long Beach State holds two wins in eight meetings against the Bruins, with the meetings evenly split between the two sites. The Beach won the first meeting between the teams in 1983, and also owns a win in the modern era, dropping the Bruins 1-0 in 2015 at George Allen Field. While the Beach didn't play UCLA in the 2011 NCAA tournament, Drake Stadium was the site of the program's signature win, as the 49ers defeated San Diego 1-0 to advance to the Elite Eight following a 1-0 win over Miami, also in Westwood.
SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS
• SMU returns their three top scoring threats from a year ago, and starts the year just outside of the Top 25 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll. Last year, the Mustangs went 10-7-3 overall and were knocked out in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament by USF, 1-0.
SERIES RECORD vs. SMU
• This is the first meeting between the teams.
THIS AND THAT
• Last season, Long Beach State led the Big West in attendance and set a new single-season best while averaging 992 in attendance per game. With plenty of fun promotions and a great schedule on the horizon, Beach Women's Soccer is looking to break 1,000 fans per game for the first time in 2018.
• Long Beach State will have three players on the roster that have earned top honors in the Big West conference in their careers. Forward Ashley Gonzales was the 2016 Offensive Player of the Year, while defender Chloe Froment was the 2016 Freshman of the Year. Defender Kaitlin Fregulia was honored as the Big West Defensive Player of the Year last season as well.
