The Long Beach State women’s soccer team will finally get some home cooking after playing six of its first nine matches of the season on the road.
The 49ers (4-5), 2-4 on the road this season, play their next four matches at George Allen Field, starting tomorrow at 3 p.m. when they host Pacific in both teams’ Big West Conference opener. Weekend conference action also includes a match against UC Davis on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Nine matches into the season, sophomore midfielder Shawna Gordon has notched a pair of goals and leads the 49ers with four assists. The 2008 Big West Midfielder of the Year, Lindsay Bullock, and defender Nicole Hubbard share team-high honors with three goals, while also tallying one assist apiece.
Sophomore goalkeeper Nicoline Jorgensen has started in six matches this season, posting a 1.49 goals against average to go along with a 3-3 record.
LBSU is coming off a nonconference slate that kicked off with seven teams from last season’s NCAA Tournament field. The team’s notable wins have come on the road at Missouri and Harvard, and at home against Pepperdine. The ‘Niners experienced setbacks against No. 3 UCLA and No. 6 Boston College, getting shutout, 4-0, by both national powers.
Pacific (6-3-2) enters its match against The Beach coming off a 3-0 win over Air Force. The Tigers also held a 2-0 lead over USC last Friday before the Women of Troy netted three unanswered goals within a 10-minute span to steal the win.
UOP’s attack is anchored by a talented underclassmen midfield duo in freshman Maricela Padilla and sophomore Angelica Figueroa. Through 11 matches, Padilla has compiled seven goals and two assists, while Figueroa has five goals and six assists heading into conference play.
UCD (5-2-1), which hosts Saint Mary’s on Friday, share one common opponent with the ‘Niners in Fresno State, falling 1-0 to the Bulldogs last Sunday.
The Aggies are paced by Rochelle VanBuskirk, whose nine goals in eight matches is tops among all Big West players. Marisa Boge provides UCD with another weapon, recording five goals and three assists on the season.
The second half of the 49ers’ four-match homestand also includes nonconference games against San Diego in a rematch of last season’s NCAA first round on Oct. 7, and Cal State Bakersfield (Oct. 11).