Thursday, October 26
Long Beach, Calif.
7 p.m.
Long Beach State University
vs
Hawai'i
Photo by: John Fajardo
Women's Soccer Closes Regular Season Thursday By Hosting Hawai'i
10/24/2023 4:05:00 PM | Women's Soccer
The Beach has clinched a berth in the Big West Championship, with seeding to be determined Thursday.
LONG BEACH, Calif. -- The Beach will close the regular season against Hawai'i, one of the other six teams that has advanced to the Big West postseason. Long Beach State hosts the Rainbow Wahine Thursday night at George Allen Field at 7 p.m. as the conference closes out league play with simultaneous starts.
EYES ON THE POSTSEASON
• Long Beach State secured its spot in the 2023 Big West Championship as one of six teams that will be competing to represent the Big West in the NCAA Tournament with a tournament championship.
AN ANNIVERSARY YEAR FOR THE BEACH
• The Long Beach State women's soccer team was revived after an 11-year hiatus beginning back in 1987. With its revival in 1998, the upcoming fall season marks the 25th anniversary of Beach soccer since the program was restarted.
• On a similar note, the Beach is also celebrating its 15th anniversary since the program made its first ever NCAA appearance in 2008. Since then, they have appeared in NCAA Tournaments, including the 2011 Elite Eight. The seven appearances is most in Big West history.
THE INGRASSIA ERA REACHES 20
• Head Coach Mauricio Ingrassia will be leading The Beach for the 20th year of his coaching career. In that time, he has posted a 188-128-48 overall record and 79-53-28 mark in Big West games. He has racked up a total of nine Big West titles combining the regular season and postseason to go along with seven NCAA appearances.
• He is currently the third longest tenured coach in The Big West with his overall win total and conference win total ranking third behind Cal Poly's Alex Crozier and UCSB's Paul Stumpf. His .582 win percentage ranks second among active Big West coaches and fifth in league history.
GET SOCIAL WITH US
• Fans can follow all of Long Beach State Athletics on Facebook, X (@lbsuathletics), Instagram (@lbsu), and on Tik Tok (@lbsuathletics).
• The women's soccer team is also on social and can be followed on both X and Instagram at @lbsusoccer.
ABOUT LAST WEEK
• A win against UC Riverside as well as other results through the week ensured Long Beach State will participate in the upcoming Big West Championship, as the team will head to the tournament for the 12th time, all coming under the leadership of head coach Mauricio Ingrassia.
• Cherrie Cox, Maddy Perez and Kassandra Ceja each scored for Long Beach State on the road at UC Riverside as the Beach defeated the Highlanders 3-1.
• An early red card for LBSU spoiled the rivalry matchip against Cal State Fullerton in a 3-0 defeat.
CLIMBING THE RANKS
• Long Beach State continues to flirt with the national rankings, having spent two weeks receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches Division I poll.
• The Beach has also been ranked as high as No. 3 in the West Region poll from United Soccer Coaches, and remains ranked 7th in the region.
• The Beach is also showcasing their development with two players in the latest individual Top Drawer Soccer player ratings. Senior Elysia Laramie was rated as the No. 56 player in the nation, while standout freshman Brookyln Antonucci came in at No. 36 in the freshman class.
NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• Sixth year captain Elysia Laramie enjoyed a historic first week to begin her final collegiate season. In the team's two games, she totaled five goals and an assist for an 11-point week with history attached.
• She began the week with a goal and an assist against No. 15 Texas before finding the back of the net four times in the Beach win over Boston College.
• The performance earned her National Player of the Week honors from Top Drawer Soccer headlining their weekly Team of the Week. She was also named this season's first Big West Offensive Player of the Week.
ACE MAKES HISTORY
• As mentioned, Laramie had a historic opening week, primarily against Boston College. In the 4-2 win, the Simi Valley native scored all four goals all of which came in a 15-minute window during the start of the second half.
• The four goal night is the first in program history and Laramie's eight points sets a new single-game record. It is also the twelfth occurrence of a player scoring four-or-more goals in Big West history and first since 2014.
• Laramie is second on the team Long Beach State with eight goals, six assists and 22 points, and is tied with former Beach greats Shawna Gordon and Nichole Hubbard for 10th in school history with 17 career goals.
THE CHERRIE ON TOP
• Sophomore Cherrie Cox had a tremendous opening week performance as well, totaling seven points in the two games tallying a pair of goals and three assists.
• Cox has scored two goals in a game four times this season, and has moved past Laramie for both the Long Beach State and Big West goals lead with 11 on the year.
• The preseason All-Big West selection is coming off an incredible debut season that earned her Big West Freshman of the Year and an All-Big West Honorable Mention leading into a spot on the WPSL Coastal Division Best XI this past summer.
MORE WEEK ONE HISTORY
• Cox also made her own history during the season's opening week along with her seven point performance.
• In the season opener, she registered the opening goal against No. 15 Texas in just 41 seconds after the first whistle. It is the fastest goal scored in program history which had been 43 seconds set in 2013.
• Her encore performance for game two came in the makings of a three-assist game against Boston College. It is just the fifth occurrence in program history of the feat and first since 2014.
ANCHOR IN THE BACK
• Maddy Perez returns for her junior campaign coming off her second consecutive All-Big West First Team selections and an All-West Region honor. The midfielder-turned centerback has led the Beach in minutes on the pitch in each of the last two seasons, and is again leading the Beach in 2023.
• The 2021 Big West Freshman of the Year also enjoyed a terrific summer in the WPSL where she was named to the Coastal Division Best XI as well as Defensive Player of the Year honors.
ZORA'S ZONE
• Junior Zora Standifer returns and expects to see significant time in goal once again. Across her first two seasons, she totaled nearly 1800 minutes in net in 23 games. In that time, she allowed just 17 goals for a 0.85 goals against average while making 85 saves and posting a 0.833 save percentage.
• After debuting against Boston College this season, Standifer has made 15 starts and 59 saves while posting three shutouts and a 8-5-2 overall record.
• Standifer's latest shutout came at George Allen Field against Cal Poly in a 0-0 draw.
SUMMER AT THE BEACH
• Junior forward Summer Laskey is back for her third year. A sparkplug off the bench last year, she was tied for the second most points on the team with 15, registering six goals and three assists.
• Her most notable performances last year included a brace against Fresno State and the game-winning goal in the Big West Championships semi-final against Cal Poly.
• Laskey played a crucial role in Long Beach State's win at CSUN, scoring the game-winning goal as well as adding an assist and making a defensive clearance off the line to deny the Matadors a chance to go into the lead.
WE WANT MOORE
• Sophomore Julia Moore returns for her second year in black and gold after a tremendous rookie season in 2022. Starting all 21 games last year, she totaled 1777 minutes which ranked fifth most on the team.
• Moore is one of just three players in 2023 to start every game of the season.
• Moore is currently third in goals on the team this season and scored in three straight games for the Beach against UC Irvine, Northern Colorado and UC Santa Barbara.
CEJA THE STRIKER
• Senior Kassandra Ceja played her first three collegiate years at Fresno State where she etched her name into the record books. Totaling 16 goals, she ranks tenth in program history for goals scored in her career. The striker also added nine assists for a total of 41 points with a .500 shot on goal percentage. Last year, she started 11 of 17 games totaling 11 points.
• Ceja was named the Big West Offensive Player of the Week on August 28 after her brace on the road at San Diego State in a 3-0 win over the Aztecs.
GATORADE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
• One of the top newcomers joining the roster this season is freshman Jordan Candelaria. An attacking midfielder, she was named the New Mexico Gatorade Player of the Year at the end of her senior year of high school when she scored 26 goals and 15 assists.
• Originally committed to the University of Cincinnati, she finished high school a semester early, spent the spring season with the Bearcats before transferring to Long Beach this summer.
• Candelaria opened her account with the Beach at Fresno State, scoring the winner in the 1-0 victory.
FRESHMEN INTERNATIONAL TALENT
• An international prospect, Kana Uchida comes to the Beach from Japan. Most recently, she served as a starting defender for JEF Ichihara Chiba, one of the top club teams in Tokyo. With them, she won a pair of National Club Youth titles and the U-18 National Cup title.
• The rookie also has national team experience, playing for Japan's U-17 National Team in 2021.
• Uchida is now third on the team in minutes played, and was named the Big West Freshman of the Week after a pair of assists against UC Santa Barbara.
• Freshman Julie Lopez is also competing internationally with her country, representing Mexico in their October U20 camp featuring friendlies against Columbia.
NO SLEEP TIL BROOKLYN
• A very decorated freshman, Brooklyn Antonucci is expected to make a big impact on the defensive end for the Beach in her rookie campaign. In three years of varsity at Etiwanda High School, she helped her team to three league titles will earning three All-CIF First Team selections.
• As a senior, she was named Inland Empire Player of the Year and Etiwanda Athlete of the Year as well as her second straight Baseline League MVP award to wrap up her high school career.
• Antonucci claimed two Big West awards after a two assist week in wins over #22 Harvard and Fresno State, nabbing both Big West Freshman of the Week and Defender of the Week September 4.
FROM LIONS TO THE BEACH
• The Beach are welcoming five transfers, including a pair from Loyola Marymount in midfielder Makayla Demelo and forward Amanda Perez.
• Demelo played all 17 games last year with 11 starts for the Lions, registering an assist and a 0.417 shot on goal percentage. From a talented family, her sister Savannah played four years at USC and is a current member of the US Women's National Team.
• Perez played 15 of the 17 games last year, coming off the bench. After making her collegiate debut against UC Irvine, she registered goals against UC San Diego and San Francisco to notch four points in her rookie season.
PROFESSIONAL BEACH
• The Beach currently have four alumni amongst the professional ranks around the world with Lena Silano playing for the Washington Spirit in the NWSL, Kaitlin Fregulia playing for Xolos Femenil and Marta Alameny Sanchez playing for Queretaro in Mexico, and Aimee Medwin playing for Western United FC in Australia.
• Silano is the second LBSU alum to appear in the NWSL after becoming the second draftee in program history in last year's draft.
SCOUTING THE RAINBOW WAHINE
• Hawai'i enters Thursday's contest having also clinched a spot in the Big West Tournament, and is battling the Beach for seeding, one point behind LBSU with one game to play.
• The Rainbow Wahine are 4-3-1 in Big West play, and have split their last six games with three wins and three losses, most recently falling 2-1 at home to Cal Poly.
• Amber Gilbert is the top scorer for Hawai'i with six goals on the year, leading a solid offense that is averaging 1.7 goals per game, trailing only Long Beach State in team goals per game this season.
EYES ON THE POSTSEASON
• Long Beach State secured its spot in the 2023 Big West Championship as one of six teams that will be competing to represent the Big West in the NCAA Tournament with a tournament championship.
AN ANNIVERSARY YEAR FOR THE BEACH
• The Long Beach State women's soccer team was revived after an 11-year hiatus beginning back in 1987. With its revival in 1998, the upcoming fall season marks the 25th anniversary of Beach soccer since the program was restarted.
• On a similar note, the Beach is also celebrating its 15th anniversary since the program made its first ever NCAA appearance in 2008. Since then, they have appeared in NCAA Tournaments, including the 2011 Elite Eight. The seven appearances is most in Big West history.
THE INGRASSIA ERA REACHES 20
• Head Coach Mauricio Ingrassia will be leading The Beach for the 20th year of his coaching career. In that time, he has posted a 188-128-48 overall record and 79-53-28 mark in Big West games. He has racked up a total of nine Big West titles combining the regular season and postseason to go along with seven NCAA appearances.
• He is currently the third longest tenured coach in The Big West with his overall win total and conference win total ranking third behind Cal Poly's Alex Crozier and UCSB's Paul Stumpf. His .582 win percentage ranks second among active Big West coaches and fifth in league history.
GET SOCIAL WITH US
• Fans can follow all of Long Beach State Athletics on Facebook, X (@lbsuathletics), Instagram (@lbsu), and on Tik Tok (@lbsuathletics).
• The women's soccer team is also on social and can be followed on both X and Instagram at @lbsusoccer.
ABOUT LAST WEEK
• A win against UC Riverside as well as other results through the week ensured Long Beach State will participate in the upcoming Big West Championship, as the team will head to the tournament for the 12th time, all coming under the leadership of head coach Mauricio Ingrassia.
• Cherrie Cox, Maddy Perez and Kassandra Ceja each scored for Long Beach State on the road at UC Riverside as the Beach defeated the Highlanders 3-1.
• An early red card for LBSU spoiled the rivalry matchip against Cal State Fullerton in a 3-0 defeat.
CLIMBING THE RANKS
• Long Beach State continues to flirt with the national rankings, having spent two weeks receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches Division I poll.
• The Beach has also been ranked as high as No. 3 in the West Region poll from United Soccer Coaches, and remains ranked 7th in the region.
• The Beach is also showcasing their development with two players in the latest individual Top Drawer Soccer player ratings. Senior Elysia Laramie was rated as the No. 56 player in the nation, while standout freshman Brookyln Antonucci came in at No. 36 in the freshman class.
NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• Sixth year captain Elysia Laramie enjoyed a historic first week to begin her final collegiate season. In the team's two games, she totaled five goals and an assist for an 11-point week with history attached.
• She began the week with a goal and an assist against No. 15 Texas before finding the back of the net four times in the Beach win over Boston College.
• The performance earned her National Player of the Week honors from Top Drawer Soccer headlining their weekly Team of the Week. She was also named this season's first Big West Offensive Player of the Week.
ACE MAKES HISTORY
• As mentioned, Laramie had a historic opening week, primarily against Boston College. In the 4-2 win, the Simi Valley native scored all four goals all of which came in a 15-minute window during the start of the second half.
• The four goal night is the first in program history and Laramie's eight points sets a new single-game record. It is also the twelfth occurrence of a player scoring four-or-more goals in Big West history and first since 2014.
• Laramie is second on the team Long Beach State with eight goals, six assists and 22 points, and is tied with former Beach greats Shawna Gordon and Nichole Hubbard for 10th in school history with 17 career goals.
THE CHERRIE ON TOP
• Sophomore Cherrie Cox had a tremendous opening week performance as well, totaling seven points in the two games tallying a pair of goals and three assists.
• Cox has scored two goals in a game four times this season, and has moved past Laramie for both the Long Beach State and Big West goals lead with 11 on the year.
• The preseason All-Big West selection is coming off an incredible debut season that earned her Big West Freshman of the Year and an All-Big West Honorable Mention leading into a spot on the WPSL Coastal Division Best XI this past summer.
MORE WEEK ONE HISTORY
• Cox also made her own history during the season's opening week along with her seven point performance.
• In the season opener, she registered the opening goal against No. 15 Texas in just 41 seconds after the first whistle. It is the fastest goal scored in program history which had been 43 seconds set in 2013.
• Her encore performance for game two came in the makings of a three-assist game against Boston College. It is just the fifth occurrence in program history of the feat and first since 2014.
ANCHOR IN THE BACK
• Maddy Perez returns for her junior campaign coming off her second consecutive All-Big West First Team selections and an All-West Region honor. The midfielder-turned centerback has led the Beach in minutes on the pitch in each of the last two seasons, and is again leading the Beach in 2023.
• The 2021 Big West Freshman of the Year also enjoyed a terrific summer in the WPSL where she was named to the Coastal Division Best XI as well as Defensive Player of the Year honors.
ZORA'S ZONE
• Junior Zora Standifer returns and expects to see significant time in goal once again. Across her first two seasons, she totaled nearly 1800 minutes in net in 23 games. In that time, she allowed just 17 goals for a 0.85 goals against average while making 85 saves and posting a 0.833 save percentage.
• After debuting against Boston College this season, Standifer has made 15 starts and 59 saves while posting three shutouts and a 8-5-2 overall record.
• Standifer's latest shutout came at George Allen Field against Cal Poly in a 0-0 draw.
SUMMER AT THE BEACH
• Junior forward Summer Laskey is back for her third year. A sparkplug off the bench last year, she was tied for the second most points on the team with 15, registering six goals and three assists.
• Her most notable performances last year included a brace against Fresno State and the game-winning goal in the Big West Championships semi-final against Cal Poly.
• Laskey played a crucial role in Long Beach State's win at CSUN, scoring the game-winning goal as well as adding an assist and making a defensive clearance off the line to deny the Matadors a chance to go into the lead.
WE WANT MOORE
• Sophomore Julia Moore returns for her second year in black and gold after a tremendous rookie season in 2022. Starting all 21 games last year, she totaled 1777 minutes which ranked fifth most on the team.
• Moore is one of just three players in 2023 to start every game of the season.
• Moore is currently third in goals on the team this season and scored in three straight games for the Beach against UC Irvine, Northern Colorado and UC Santa Barbara.
CEJA THE STRIKER
• Senior Kassandra Ceja played her first three collegiate years at Fresno State where she etched her name into the record books. Totaling 16 goals, she ranks tenth in program history for goals scored in her career. The striker also added nine assists for a total of 41 points with a .500 shot on goal percentage. Last year, she started 11 of 17 games totaling 11 points.
• Ceja was named the Big West Offensive Player of the Week on August 28 after her brace on the road at San Diego State in a 3-0 win over the Aztecs.
GATORADE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
• One of the top newcomers joining the roster this season is freshman Jordan Candelaria. An attacking midfielder, she was named the New Mexico Gatorade Player of the Year at the end of her senior year of high school when she scored 26 goals and 15 assists.
• Originally committed to the University of Cincinnati, she finished high school a semester early, spent the spring season with the Bearcats before transferring to Long Beach this summer.
• Candelaria opened her account with the Beach at Fresno State, scoring the winner in the 1-0 victory.
FRESHMEN INTERNATIONAL TALENT
• An international prospect, Kana Uchida comes to the Beach from Japan. Most recently, she served as a starting defender for JEF Ichihara Chiba, one of the top club teams in Tokyo. With them, she won a pair of National Club Youth titles and the U-18 National Cup title.
• The rookie also has national team experience, playing for Japan's U-17 National Team in 2021.
• Uchida is now third on the team in minutes played, and was named the Big West Freshman of the Week after a pair of assists against UC Santa Barbara.
• Freshman Julie Lopez is also competing internationally with her country, representing Mexico in their October U20 camp featuring friendlies against Columbia.
NO SLEEP TIL BROOKLYN
• A very decorated freshman, Brooklyn Antonucci is expected to make a big impact on the defensive end for the Beach in her rookie campaign. In three years of varsity at Etiwanda High School, she helped her team to three league titles will earning three All-CIF First Team selections.
• As a senior, she was named Inland Empire Player of the Year and Etiwanda Athlete of the Year as well as her second straight Baseline League MVP award to wrap up her high school career.
• Antonucci claimed two Big West awards after a two assist week in wins over #22 Harvard and Fresno State, nabbing both Big West Freshman of the Week and Defender of the Week September 4.
FROM LIONS TO THE BEACH
• The Beach are welcoming five transfers, including a pair from Loyola Marymount in midfielder Makayla Demelo and forward Amanda Perez.
• Demelo played all 17 games last year with 11 starts for the Lions, registering an assist and a 0.417 shot on goal percentage. From a talented family, her sister Savannah played four years at USC and is a current member of the US Women's National Team.
• Perez played 15 of the 17 games last year, coming off the bench. After making her collegiate debut against UC Irvine, she registered goals against UC San Diego and San Francisco to notch four points in her rookie season.
PROFESSIONAL BEACH
• The Beach currently have four alumni amongst the professional ranks around the world with Lena Silano playing for the Washington Spirit in the NWSL, Kaitlin Fregulia playing for Xolos Femenil and Marta Alameny Sanchez playing for Queretaro in Mexico, and Aimee Medwin playing for Western United FC in Australia.
• Silano is the second LBSU alum to appear in the NWSL after becoming the second draftee in program history in last year's draft.
SCOUTING THE RAINBOW WAHINE
• Hawai'i enters Thursday's contest having also clinched a spot in the Big West Tournament, and is battling the Beach for seeding, one point behind LBSU with one game to play.
• The Rainbow Wahine are 4-3-1 in Big West play, and have split their last six games with three wins and three losses, most recently falling 2-1 at home to Cal Poly.
• Amber Gilbert is the top scorer for Hawai'i with six goals on the year, leading a solid offense that is averaging 1.7 goals per game, trailing only Long Beach State in team goals per game this season.
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