The first match of what should be an intense conference schedule is on the docket this weekend as defending Big West regular season and tournament champion UC Irvine heads to Santa Barbara to take on preseason favorite UC Santa Barbara in a prime-time showdown Sunday evening. The two clubs battled for the title in the league's inaugural tournament a year ago in Irvine.
That won't be the only big time match on the docket as Cal Poly heads to Seattle, Wash., to take part in the Husky Fever Classic against Portland and tourney host Washington, UC Riverside travels to nationally-ranked Loyola Marymount and Cal State Fullerton hosts Coastal Carolina, Denver and conference foe Cal State Northridge in a weekend tournament.
NOTEWORTHY
Head Coach Tim Vom Steeg - UCSB
Now in the 11th year at the helm of his alma mater, UC Santa Barbara head coach Tim Vom Steeg is on the verge of a major Big West milestone. With just three more victories, Vom Steeg will be the all-time winningest coach in Big West lore, passing former Fresno State manager Jose Elgorriaga’s total of 126 wins. Vom Steeg is already the career leader in league-only triumphs, coming into 2009 with 59 wins against Big West foes.
Celso Makes the Leap
Following a 2008 season in which he registered five goals, Cal State Fullerton forward Celso Alvarez has broken out into a major offensive weapon. He already has four goals and an assist this season, leading the resurgent Titans with nine points. Alvarez has also picked up a point in each of CSF’s last three outings, which includes tallying a goal in the narrow road defeat to UCLA last week. Among the NCAA leaders, Alvarez ranks 42nd in points per game (1.50) and 29th in goals per outing (0.67).
Nobody Likes Ties Anyways
It only took 39 matches, but the Big West finally recorded its first tie of the 2009 season when UC Santa Barbara tied Wisconsin in a neutral match played in Milwaukee, Wis. It's latest date (Sept. 20) for a tie since the league reinstated men's soccer in 2001.
Aggies' Struggles Continue
In its first two years of Division I play, UC Davis won 25 games, tallied two NCAA Tournament appearances and won its first NCAA tourney match. But with the loss of the core players of those two squads, the Aggies have struggled so far in 2009. The club is in the midst of a four-game losing streak, its longest since becoming an official DI member, and its five losses are half of the total the team posted in the past two seasons combined. The youthful Aggies certainly have better days ahead as 17 of the 26 players on the team are either freshmen or sophomores.
Body Blows Before the Knockout
Cal State Northridge is making sure that the fans are getting their money's worth this season as the Matadors have played in four one-goal matches, three of which have come in CSUN’s last three outings. The Matadors are also showing their penchant for being a second-half team as eight of their nine goals, 58 of their 96 shots and 19 of their 32 corners have come in the second half. In fact, Cameron Sims' goal in the eighth minute against SMU last Sunday marked the first time this season that CSUN scored in the first half of a contest.
Cal Poly Breaks Out
After going the first 280:41 of the 2009 season without scoring a goal, the Cal Poly offense has been revving in high gear. In their last four outings, the Mustangs have put nine balls past opposing goalkeepers, a clip of 2.25 per game. The club has also shown an ability to spread the wealth as seven players have hit the back of the net, tying UC Santa Barbara for the most goal scorers in the league. Paul Holocher’s side will need the improved offense this weekend as the club heads to Seattle, Wash., for the Husky Fever Classic. The Mustangs will square off against Portland and tourney host Washington.
Big West Performs Well in Non-Conference
No one really figured the Big West could top its non-conference showing of a year ago when the league posted a 40-28-7 (.580) record (excluding the Big West Tournament), helping the conference pick up a record four NCAA Tournament teams. So far in '09, the Big West is once again putting forth a great non-conference record as the seven teams are a combined 24-20-1 (.544) with the bulk of non-league play in the books. The conference has fared particularly well against a couple of BCS conferences as the league is 4-1-0 against the Big East and 1-1-1 against the Big Ten.
Big West TV to Broadcast CSF Tourney
Big West TV will have two of the league’s surprise clubs on this weekend as Cal State Northridge and Cal State Fullerton will have their matches during CSF’s tourney broadcast live on the web streaming network. The Titans will square off against Coastal Carolina Friday then Denver Saturday, while the two opponents flipped for the Matadors on those two days.
Big West Live to Twitter
The Big West Conference is excited to bring Big West Live to Twitter, a Twitter feed designed to give fans an in-the-stands view of select Big West Events. Bringing near-instantaneous photos, commentary, and updates, Big West Live is the first feed of its kind. Moving beyond the scores and stats, Big West Live delivers the “color” of Big West events.