Historically, pre-season expectations for the Long Beach State women’s soccer team have been modest. But with Mauricio Ingrassia going into his third season as head coach, and after two consecutive nationally-ranked recruiting classes, expectations have changed.
The 49ers have all 11 starters returning from last year’s squad, which finished with the best record in school history (12-5-3). The Big West pre-season coaches voted LBSU the favorite to win the conference in 2006. Soccerbuzz.com, which posts the most respected women’s soccer rankings, selected the 49ers as the No. 28-ranked team in the country in its pre-season poll.
“In the past, we have been the underdogs at the start of the season,” said three-year team captain Natalie Messina. “It is different this season. We didn’t lose anyone from last year and we have a lot of depth. I’m excited about this team now and in the future.”
High pre-season expectations aren’t anything new for Ingrassia. Before coming to LBSU, Ingrassia built Long Beach Community College into a perennial powerhouse at the junior college level.
“It’s nice to be recognized, and it is an honor,” Ingrassia said. “But at the end of the day it comes down to winning games, and that’s what really matters.”
Ingrassia’s ability to recruit top players in Southern California has been the major source of the 49ers’ new found success. Last season, Ingrassia started eight freshmen, which included the 49ers leading goal scorer Kim Silos, who found the net 10 times.
“Our goals this year [are] to win the Big West and to reach the NCAA Tournament,” Silos said.
This season, Ingrassia has brought in another top recruiting class. Midfielder Yeraldy Furtado, from Ventura, Calif., headlined the group that was ranked as a top-50 recruiting class by Soccerbuzz.com. LBSU will also use the service of forward Kristen Childers, an LBCC graduate and Junior College Player of the Year in 2004.
“We have brought in players that have really stepped up,” Ingrassia said. “Compared to the players here three years ago, the players we have now are of a higher caliber.”
The success of LBSU this year might lie at the feet of Hayley Bolt.
In her freshman year, the offensive-minded midfielder scored seven goals and led the squad with eight assists. She and Silos were the first 49ers to be named to the Freshman All-American Team. Bolt’s performance didn’t go unnoticed, as she was called to the Under-20 National Team this spring.
On the backline, the 49ers will lean on Messina. The fifth-year senior is a three-time All-Big West selection and is one of the few veterans on an otherwise young team.
“[Messina] is tough and physical,” Ingrassia said. “She is a great leader and the other players look up to her.”
Sophomore Liz Ramos will again be handed the goalkeeping duties. Last year, Ramos had the best season of any goalie in LBSU history. Her 0.66 goals against average and 10.5 shutouts were both single-season 49er records.
As a team, the 49ers are expected to play an offensive brand of soccer, with Bolt and Silos being the focus points.
“We like to attack,” Ingrassia said. “We have a lot of speed and a lot of flair on the field. We’re an exciting team to watch.”
The 49ers were an impressive 9-1-0 at home, but 2-4-2 on the road.
This season, eight of the team’s nine non-conference games are away from George Allen Field. In the Big West, the 49ers will be on the road against Cal State Fullerton, UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly, the three teams that were picked to finish between second and fourth by the conference coaches.