UCSD Returns Home for Key Divisional Games

October 10, 2013

 

THE SCHEDULE
Match 11
No. 25 Cal State San Bernardino (8-2-1, 6-1-1 CCAA)
Friday, Oct. 11 • 4:30 p.m.
Triton Soccer Stadium • La Jolla
Live Stats

Match 12
Chico State (4-5-1, 2-5-1 CCAA)
Sunday, Oct. 13 • 11:30 a.m.
Triton Soccer Stadium • La Jolla
Live Stats

UCSD BEGINS SIX-MATCH HOMESTAND FRIDAY
UCSD heads into a lengthy home stretch this week. Having played six of their first 10 games away from home, the Tritons will now round out the regular season with seven of their final eight contests in friendlier confines. Currently occupying fifth place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) South Division at 3-4-3 overall and 2-3-3 in league play, UCSD still has everything to play for, just two points back of second-place Cal Poly Pomona with two meetings left with the Broncos. Each of these next four matches to begin a six-game homestand, will be against divisional foes. That stretch begins against 25th-ranked South leader Cal State San Bernardino this Friday, Oct. 11, at 4:30 p.m., followed by a date with last-place Chico State on Sunday, Oct. 13, at 11:30 a.m. Both games will serve to open doubleheaders with the sixth-ranked UCSD men, and have live stats. All regular-season matches at Triton Soccer Stadium are free to attend.

TOUGH SCHEDULE
In addition to having a road-heavy schedule thus far in 2013, UCSD has faced a number of the top teams in the country. Friday's match-up with No. 25 Cal State San Bernardino will mark the Tritons' fifth game this season, out of 11, against a nationally-ranked opponent, and fourth at home. UCSD is 1-3 in such contests, and 1-2 inside Triton Soccer Stadium. The lone win was a come-from-behind, 2-1 decision over then-21st-ranked Seattle Pacific in the season opener for both West Region rivals back on Sept. 5. UCSD went 3-2-3 against ranked sides a year ago.

YOUTH IS SERVED
Fourteen of the 28 players on the 2013 UCSD roster are true freshmen after the program lost 10 seniors to graduation a year ago. Head coach Brian McManus has had at least six freshmen and sophomores, with at least three true freshmen, start all 10 matches in 2013. The Tritons started a high of five true freshmen against Humboldt State on Sept. 27. Fourth-year midfielder Rachel Leslie (Santee/West Hills HS) is UCSD's only senior. She, All-American Cassie Callahan (Coronado/Coronado HS) and fellow junior Izzy Pozurama are Triton tri-captains

ROAD STREAK ENDED
The loss at now-seventh-ranked Cal State Stanislaus on Oct. 4 put an end to UCSD's remarkable unbeaten streak in regular-season road matches at 30. The Tritons had gone 21-0-9 in such contests since a 2-1 loss in Arcata to Humboldt State on Sept. 17, 2010. Their only defeat outside of La Jolla in all of 2012 (11-1-3) came against West Florida in the national title match in Evans, Ga. UCSD is now an even 2-2-2 on the road in 2013.

AROUND THE CCAA
At nine points, UCSD is 10 points behind South Division leader Cal State San Bernardino. The teams face off once more in La Jolla this Friday, Oct. 11, at 4:30 p.m. The Tritons are two points back of Cal Poly Pomona, and just one behind Cal State L.A. and Cal State Dominguez Hills, with home dates remaining against all three. The top two teams in each division qualify for the CCAA Championship. No. 7 Cal State Stanislaus is now five points clear of No. 19 Sonoma State atop the North. Statistically speaking, Callahan is tied for 10th with four goals scored, and tied for 11th with 11 points. Freshman Jamie Benedetto is tied for 13th with three goals and tied for 19th with six points. Sophomore goalkeeper Kelcie Brodsky is tied for second in the league with two others at 53 saves, and eighth in save percentage (.779).

CALLAHAN LEADING TRITONS AGAIN
Callahan was named the Wilson/CCAA Player of the Week on Tuesday, Sept. 17, after having a hand in all four Triton goals in a pair of divisional road wins. She converted her 61st-minute penalty kick for the lone score at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Sept. 13, before assisting on Pozurama's 49th-minute equalizer and then heading in both the winner and the clincher in a 3-1 defeat of Cal State L.A. on Sept. 15. Callahan has 11 points from team bests of four goals and three assists this season. She also topped the UCSD charts in points (28), goals (10) and assists (eight) in 2012. Of her 17 career goals, no fewer than eight have come via header.

TRITON NOTES
At 0-3-3 over its last six with three successive defeats, UCSD is in the midst of its longest winless and losing streaks under McManus, now in his 27th year at the helm ... The Tritons' highest National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) national ranking this season was No. 3 in the preseason edition ... They were last rated No. 23 on Sept. 17 ... UCSD has overturned two 1-0 halftime deficits to rally and win this season, with a 2-1 home decision in the opener vs. then-21st-ranked Seattle Pacific (9/5) and a 3-1 victory at Cal State L.A. (9/15) ... Benedetto's first collegiate goal came just 24 seconds into the 1-1 draw at CSUSB (9/22).

HEAD COACH BRIAN McMANUS
McManus is in his 27th season in charge of the UCSD women's soccer program. With a career record of 437-71-45, he has achieved the most wins (tied with Gabe Mejail of Merrimack College) in NCAA Division II women's soccer history. McManus' career winning percentage of .831 ranks among the top 10 in college women's soccer annals, both overall and Division II only. He is tied for fourth among all divisions in wins. McManus has directed UCSD to seven national championships and a record eight CCAA crowns, with the Tritons advancing to the national semifinals an incredible 15 times in his 26 years. Under his guidance, UCSD has qualified for the NCAA postseason all 13 seasons during the Division III days and all but one of 13 years (2004) since the move up to Division II, including the last eight in succession.

ABOUT THE COYOTES
Cal State San Bernardino is 8-2-1 overall and 6-1-1 in the CCAA. The Coyotes are unbeaten in their last seven (6-0-1), with four straight wins, all on the road. Most recently, they edged Chico State (2-1) and Cal State Monterey Bay (1-0) last weekend. The overtime decider in Chico came from junior Jasmine Williams at 98:29. CSUSB is rounding out a season-long six-match road stretch this week, and is 7-2 away from home thus far in 2013. Freshman San Diego product Kiana Quarles (Steele Canyon HS), who notched the lone goal at CSUMB in the 80th minute, leads the team offensively with 11 points from five goals, four of them winners, and one assist. Williams (three assists) and freshman Paige Kang have two goals each, while senior midfielder Carissa Kutkowski has provided a team-best four assists. Senior goalkeeper Chelsey Jones (0.72 GAA, 33 saves, seven shutouts) has seen a large majority of the minutes in the Coyote net. Travis Clarke is in his fifth year at the CSUSB helm.

SERIES HISTORY
UCSD has largely dominated the all-time series at 30-5-6. The teams played to a 1-1 draw in San Bernardino back on Sept. 22 as Benedetto and Jessica Koch traded first-half goals. They split their two meetings a season ago, with the Coyotes grabbing a rare win, 1-0 in overtime, in La Jolla after the Tritons had earlier posted a 1-0 victory of their own through a Callahan goal just 49 seconds into the second overtime period.

ABOUT THE WILDCATS
Chico State is 4-5-1 overall and 2-5-1 in CCAA play. The last-place Wildcats are new to the South Division this year, swapping spots with San Francisco State in the CCAA's two-year rotation. They placed fourth in the North a season ago after winning the West Region en route to a national semifinal appearance in 2011. Chico State suffered a pair of narrow defeats last weekend, falling 2-1 in overtime at home to Cal State San Bernardino on Friday before a 1-0 setback Sunday at SF State. Scotie Walker leads the 'Cats offensively with 12 points from four goals and four assists. Fellow senior Carly Singer also has four assists to go along with one goal, while junior Brianna Furner (1.21 GAA, 31 saves) has seen most of the minutes in net. Kim Sutton is in her 13th season in charge of the Wildcats. Chico State, an even 3-3 away from home in 2013, plays at Cal Poly Pomona on Friday prior to heading further South to La Jolla on Sunday.

SERIES HISTORY
UCSD leads the all-time series, 10-5-2. The teams tied in Chico on Sept. 20, 2-2, after the home side equalized late through Hannah Halstenson at 87:57. UCSD had taken a 2-0 lead through a Kylene Hill strike and Wildcat own goal. The Tritons took the lone meeting in 2012, 3-0 at home on Senior Day, with Pozurama collecting a second-half brace off a pair of assists from Callahan. The Wildcats had ended UCSD's 2011 campaign in the NCAA Championship Second Round in La Jolla, 1-0. The Tritons have gone 2-0-2 in the last four regular-season match-ups since a 2-0 loss in Chico in 2009.

GEAR HERE
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THE BIG PICTURE
We want to reward you for posting your creative photos. Tweet and Instagram your pics from any UCSD Athletics event and include our #TritonsRising hashtag. At the end of every month, we'll pick our favorite photos and dole out some swag to the winners!

UP NEXT
UCSD continues a season-long six-match homestand over the remainder of the month of October next weekend against South Division rivals Cal State Dominguez Hills (Oct. 18, 7 p.m.) and Cal Poly Pomona (Oct. 20, 2 p.m.).

#TritonsRising

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