Titans Go "West" to Claim Big West Title

by Jason Spencer
October 28, 2012

FULLERTON, Calif. -- Cal State Fullerton junior Janali West scored a natural hat trick in the second half and sophomore Rebecca Wilson added a goal and an assist Sunday afternoon, lifting the Titans to their first Big West Conference title since 2007 with a, 4-1, victory over host Pacific to close out the 2012 regular season.

Top-seeded Fullerton (10-8 overall, 7-2 in the Big West) will meet fourth-seeded tournament host UC Irvine in the second semifinal on Thursday (Nov. 1) night at approximately 7:30 p.m., at Anteater Stadium in Irvine. Second-seeded Cal State Northridge and third-seeded Cal Poly will meet in the first match at 5 p.m.

The Tigers completed their season 3-14-1 overall and 0-8-1 in their final Big West Conference campaign before moving to the West Coast Conference in 2013-14.

"This is a great accomplishment for our program," Head Coach Demian Brown said following the victory. "I am especially proud of our seniors, whose hard work and dedication over their career has brought us to this moment."

West, who finished with two goals and an assist as a sophomore in 2011, scored consecutively in the 53rd, 59th, and 77th minutes for her first goals of the year, and her first career hat trick, after the Titans and Tigers played to a scoreless first half. The first came off a rebound off a shot by Ann Marie Tangorra that was saved off the line by the Pacific defense and flicked in while the second and third scores came off passes by JeAnne Mazeau and Wilson for the 3-0 lead.

She became the first Titan with a hat trick since Tangorra scored three times in a win over North Texas on Sept. 18, 2011.

"Janali was unbelieveable today," Brown said. "Today was a great example of her ability to finish off goals."

Brittni Beeman broke up the shutout in the 81st minute with her fourth of the year, chipped in from the top of the box off a pass from Maricela Padilla, but Wilson got the goal back for the Titans seven minutes later, putting home a loose ball to an empty net for the final, 4-1, score.

Cal State Fullerton outshot Pacific, 17-10, for the match led by West's match-high five shots (all on frame), while the Titans finished with the only two corner kicks of the afternoon.

Junior goalkeeper Lindsey Maricic made four saves without allowing a goal in 78 minutes in net before giving way to junior Katie Pulliam, who played the final 12-plus minutes.

NOTES: Fullerton's Big West regular season title is its sixth in the history of the program (1996, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012) and it's fourth solo title after sharing the crown in 2004 and 2007... the Titans have won three Big West Tournament titles, all coming in back-to-back-to-back years in 2005-07... Fullerton is 5-3-1 all-time in the Big West Tournament, going 3-3 in the semifinals and an unbeaten 2-0-1 in the finals... the Titans are 1-0 against UC Irvine in the Big West Tournament, posting a 2-1 double-overtime win in 2007... Fullerton has never met Cal State Northridge in the tournament... the Titans are 1-3-1 against Cal Poly in the conference tournament... Cal State Fullerton's 10 wins are the most since 2007 (12-8-2 overall) while its seven conference victories are the most since the Titans finished 7-1-1 in 2004.

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