With two games remaining, the Big West Conference has turned into a three-team race between Long Beach State, UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly.
LBSU sits atop the Big West standings, three points ahead of UCSB and four ahead of Cal Poly. A win over UCSB would allow the 49ers to clinch their third consecutive regular season Big West crown and have home field-advantage throughout the conference tournament starting Nov. 6.
Long Beach State 49ers (11-4-3, 5-0-1 Big West)
• Remaining matches: at UC Santa Barbara (Friday, 7 p.m.), at Cal Poly (Sunday, noon)
• LBSU has notched back-to-back shutouts heading into the road trip. All four of the 49ers’ defeats this season have been by one goal; they out-shot opponents, 44-37, in the losses.
• Midfielders Lindsay Bullock and Hayley Bolt lead the 49ers with nine and seven goals, respectively.
UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (11-5-1, 4-1-1 Big West)
• Remaining matches: vs. Long Beach State (Friday, 7 p.m.) At UC Irvine (Sunday 5 p.m.)
• The second-place Gauchos carry a four-match unbeaten streak into tomorrow’s contest, coming off wins over Cal Poly and UC Davis.
• Forward Genelle Ives leads the Gauchos’ attack with eight goals and six assists. Jacqui Simon has five goals and six assists. UCSB has outscored opponents 33-17 this season.
Cal Poly Mustangs (9-8-0, 4-2-0 Big West)
• Remaining matches: vs. UC Irvine (Friday, 7 p.m.), vs. Long Beach State (Sunday, noon)
• To win the Big West regular season title, Cal Poly needs to win its two remaining matches, while needing the Gauchos to defeat LBSU and lose to UCI.
• The Mustangs have a 1.24 goals against average this season, outscoring opponents 27-21.
• Forward Ashley Vallis leads the third-place Mustangs with four goals and two assists. Midfielders Morgan Miller and Tiffany Gummow are tied with four goals and one assist each.
The team that I want to see our ladies knock the knickers out of is Cal Poly. This team seems to find some way to knock us out in the Big West semis. While I know what we can do against UCSB, I’m concerned of a letdown against the Mustangs and Alex Crozier (who I despise, not because of his personality, but the mere fact that he able to get his ladies to outplay us at the best time possible).
Don’t let me down, Mauricio. Tell your women that their role as bridesmaids are OVER, and that it’s time to play like the brides they will be this year. NOW.