Beach Soccer Concludes Homestand vs. Nebraska, Drexel This Weekend

Friday, September 6

Long Beach, Calif.

7:00 P.M. PT

Long Beach State University

Nebraska

Photo by: John Fajardo

Beach Soccer Concludes Homestand vs. Nebraska, Drexel This Weekend

9/4/2019 12:28:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Game Notes (PDF)

Long Beach State will look to build on its thrilling 2-1 win over San Diego with a pair of matches this weekend. The Beach finishes off its five-match homestand with games against Nebraska (Friday, 7 p.m.) and Drexel (Sunday, 12 p.m.) at George Allen Field.

By: Tyler Hendrickson, Associate Athletic Communications Director

Friday, September 6
Long Beach State vs. Nebraska
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: George Allen Field
Watch: Beach Vision | Live Stats

Sunday, September 8
Long Beach State vs. Drexel
Time: 12 p.m.
Location: George Allen Field
Watch: Beach Vision | Live Stats

BEFORE KICKOFF
• The Beach is coming off its first victory of the season on Monday night, a 2-1 double-overtime win against San Diego. Junior Kayla Cannon scored the game-winning golden goal in the 109th minute to lift Long Beach to victory.

• Mackenzie Magaoay gave Long Beach State its first lead of the season against the Toreros with a goal in the 77th minute, putting home the rebound after Sierra Castles' original shot was stopped. Despite having just one shot to that point in the game, San Diego was able to equalize less than four minutes later to force overtime.

• Cannon's goal came with less than two minutes to play in the second and final overtime period. Kaylee Ramirez played a ball to the top of the penalty area, which was headed on by Katie Pingel. Castles was again involved for the Beach, cleverly playing the ball behind her for a wide open Cannon who fired the ball past a crowd in front of the USD goal.

• The Beach outshot the Toreros, 18-5, with a 9-3 edge in shots on goal. Lena Silano set a career high with three shots, all in the first half, and Angela Morales also had three shots to match the team lead for the Beach.

• Prior to the win against USD, the Beach suffered a second consecutive loss against a Top 10 team as No. 7 Penn State picked up a 3-1 victory on George Allen Field. The Nittany Lions led 1-0 at halftime and scored two more goals shortly after the break. LBSU didn't roll over, however, and freshman Aleea Caceres scored her first career goal with just over four minutes left to play.

SCOUTING THE CORNHUSKERS
• Nebraska comes to Long Beach winless on the season (0-2-1) but the Huskers have played a loaded schedule so far this season. Nebraska opened the season with a 4-0 loss at Kansas, but the Jayhawks are currently ranked No. 11 in the country. The Huskers then dropped their home opener, 2-0, against a Clemson team that is up to No. 19 in the national poll. Nebraska's draw came at home against then-No. 21 Baylor, 1-1.

• Senior Sinclaire Miramontez was the goal scorer for the Huskers against Baylor, and she was named to the MAC Hermann Trophy watch list at the start of the season. She was also one of three Huskers (along with classmates Meg Brandt and Savanah Uveges) to be named on the Big Ten Preseason Honors List. In the Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll, Nebraska was picked to finish seventh in the 14-team conference.

SERIES RECORD vs. NEBRASKA
• This will be the first meeting between Long Beach State and Nebraska. The Beach are 2-3 all-time against teams from the Big Ten, including a 3-1 loss against Penn State earlier this season.

SCOUTING THE DRAGONS
• Drexel is off to a 2-1-0 start to the season, playing its first three matches at home before a west coast swing this weekend at LMU and at Long Beach State. The Dragons dropped their opener against Saint Joseph's, 1-0, but responded with a 3-1 win over Marist and a 1-0 win against La Salle. Lauren Currey has a pair of goals and a pair of assists to lead the way for the Dragons this season.

• Last season, Drexel was perfectly even across the board, going 7-7-5 overall with a 4-4-1 record in Colonial Athletic Association play to finish in fifth place. That's where they Dragons were picked to finish this season, and senior goalkeeper and Irvine, Calif. native Libby Baeza was chosen as the conference's Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year.

SERIES RECORD vs. DREXEL
• This will be the first meeting between the Beach and the Dragons. LBSU is 1-0 all-time against members of the Colonial Athletic Association after defeating Northeastern last season, 2-1.

LOOK WHO'S BACK
• Buoyed by the return of 2017 Big West Defensive Player of the Year Kaitlin Fregulia, the Beach boasts an experienced back line. Juniors Sarah Pilster and Kaylee Ramirez have a combined 77 appearances over their first two years on campus. Santa Clara transfer Myah Baksh joins the ranks and should partner nicely with Fregulia at center back.

• In the midfield, the Beach will be looking to talented sophomores Sierra Castles and Charlotte Guillory to take the next step in their development and become facilitators for the Beach. Senior Taylor Bistline provides veteran leadership and was a Preseason All-Conference selection. In the junior class, Nadiyah Siqueiros has made strides during the offseason and should be a key contributor for the Beach, while Kayla Cannon provides valuable pace and playmaking ability on the outside.

• Up front, LBSU has a pair of Preseason All-Conference selections in senior Katie Pingel and sophomore Elysia Laramie. Pingel is LBSU's leading returning scorer after netting four times last season. She has made 38 starts over the past two seasons with the Beach and will likely need to shoulder more of the scoring load after the departure of Long Beach State's career scoring leader Ashley Gonzales and 2018 Big West Midfielder of the Year Dana Fujikuni. Laramie was an All-Freshman Team selection after scoring twice last season. The sophomore forward was also the first player on the scoresheet in LBSU's scrimmage win over FC Golden State, scoring in the third minute.

• Long Beach State will need to replace goalkeeper Imani McDonald, who made 39 starts between the posts in her four years on campus. Top candidates are redshirt sophomore Ashley Seymour, who impressed against the Argentina National Team on LBSU's foreign tour to France this summer, and transfer Marta Alemany Sanchez, who has experience with the Spanish Youth National Team. LBSU also has depth in goal with freshmen Abigail Trengove and Morgan Houston-Shepherd.

WELCOME TO THE BEACH
• In addition to Baksh and Alemany Sanchez, LBSU also adds transfer Amanda Jones from Arizona State. The Long Beach native played in 22 games over her first two seasons in Tempe. LBSU also has a talented freshman class on campus with Aleea Caceres, Jillian Hiraga, Sam Encarnado, Alexis Komisza, Amanda Meichtry and Emily Jauregui joining the Beach this season.

PARIS TRIP
• Prior to the season, the Long Beach State women's soccer team went on a foreign tour to France for the 2019 Women's World Cup. The Beach played a pair of exhibition matches against the Argentina National Team during an 11-day trip to Paris and surrounding cities. LBSU then witnessed the Argentines earn their first Women's World Cup point during a 0-0 draw with Japan at the Parc de Princes. The Beach capped off the trip in Reims, France where the team witnessed Team USA's historic 13-0 victory over Thailand in their World Cup opener.