CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, POMONA

Bronco Sports News

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2004

Contact: Paul Helms

(909) 869-2812

 

2004 CPP Record: 7-11-1. CCAA Record: 5-8-1

 

Broncos Conclude Season With Losses To Heavyweights: Cal Poly Pomona’s men’s soccer team, which stayed alive in the race for the CCAA Championship Tournament until the final few days of the season, wrapped up its 2004 season with losses to conference powers Cal State Bakersfield and Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Broncos finished the season with three wins in their last five contests and four wins in their final seven matches. Cal Poly Pomona showed its dramatic improvement when the Broncos knocked off tournament qualifier UC San Diego, 3-2, in double overtime last Monday after losing to the Tritons earlier in the season, 6-1, at Kellogg Field. After starting off conference play at 1-5-1, the Broncos were 4-3-0 in their final seven matches. The Broncos finished the season with a 5-5 record at home and a 2-6-1 mark on the road.

 

Last Week: Cal Poly Pomona played three matches last week and won once. The Broncos rallied from a 2-0 deficit and knocked off UC San Diego, 3-2, in double overtime, on Monday. Dustin Venegas (Fr., Lakewood, Los Alamitos HS) scored two goals in the final 20 minutes of regulation to send the game into overtime and Ben Van der Fluit (Fr., Calabasas, Calabasas HS) got the game-winner 5:49 into the second overtime with an assist from Joe DeVito (Sr., Walnut Creek, De La Salle HS). Jeff Coombs (Jr., Palm Springs, Palm Springs HS) made eight saves for the Broncos. Cal Poly Pomona then dropped a 3-0 decision on Thursday at Cal State Bakersfield. The Roadrunners held a 13-10 edge in shots. Coombs made three saves for the Broncos. Cal Poly Pomona trailed by just a 1-0 margin until the Roadrunners scored on a penalty kick in the 68th minute. Cal Poly Pomona then finished its season with a 3-1 loss to Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday at Kellogg Field. The Broncos honored seven players who finished their soccer careers at Cal Poly Pomona on Saturday: Gabriel Ward (Sr., Chino Hills, Damien HS), Peter Wallace (Sr., San Martin, De Anza JC), Joe DeVito (Sr., Walnut Creek, De La Salle HS), Andrew Bornstein (Sr., Los Alamitos, Long Beach CC), Robert Cardenas (Sr., Chino Hills, Mt. San Antonio College), Jeff Coombs (Jr., Palm Springs, Palm Springs HS) and Kory Felix (Sr., Brea, Brea-Olinda HS). The Broncos, who lost to Cal State Dominguez Hills, 9-0, early in the season, were much more competitive on Saturday in a physical match that included seven yellow cards – five on Cal State Dominguez Hills. Wallace scored the Broncos’ lone goal in the 79th minute after nice passes from Vic Perkins (Fr., Palmdale, Highland HS) and Bornstein. Ward and Coombs combined to make five saves for the Broncos.

 

Rankings: Cal Poly Pomona did not appear in NSCAA national rankings. Cal State Dominguez Hills is ranked 10th in the nation, but is the only California Collegiate Athletic Association team ranked nationally. UC San Diego received votes in the most recent poll, but did not make the Top 25.

 

About The Coach: One of the most recognizable names in United States soccer history, Paul Caligiuri is in his third year as Cal Poly Pomona’s head coach. Caligiuri was elected to the United States Soccer Hall of Fame earlier this year and was formally inducted into the Hall of Fame on Monday, Oct. 11. Caligiuri led the Broncos to a 7-11-1 overall record in 2003, including a 5-8-1 record in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. Cal Poly Pomona was 4-3-0 in its last seven matches of the season and stayed in contention for the final CCAA Championship Tournament spot until the final few days of the season. Caligiuri led the Broncos to a 7-9-2 record in 2002, including a 6-7-1 record in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. In his first season as head coach, he guided the Broncos to an 8-9-1 record, which was a huge improvement from the 3-15-1 mark in 2001. He has a 22-29-4 overall record with the Broncos. Caligiuri is a former member of the Los Angeles Galaxy and United States National Team member. One of the most memorable moments of his playing career came in 1990 when he scored the game-winning goal – known as the “Goal Heard Round The World” – against Trinidad & Tobago that qualified the U.S. for its first World Cup appearance in 40 years. Caligiuri made 110 game appearances for the United States National Team.

 

Look Who’s New: Cal Poly Pomona is extremely excited about its recruiting class and several newcomers made immediate impacts, including one who made a big splash in his Cal Poly Pomona debut. Matthew Barker (Fr., La Verne, Bonita HS) scored two goals in his first game for Cal Poly Pomona in a season-opening win against Bryant University and finished with four goals for the season. Ben Van der Fluit (Fr., Calabasas, Calabasas HS), Peter Hazdovac (Fr., San Pedro, San Pedro HS), and Dustin Venegas (Fr., Lakewood, Lakewood HS) all made immediate contributions to the Broncos. Venegas led the team with six goals and scored four goals in the last four games of the season. Van der Fluit recorded a team-high six assists and also had two game-winning goals, including the deciding goal in double overtime against UC San Diego on Oct. 25. Dawit Berhanu (Fr., Montclair, Ontario HS) was also a regular starter in the Broncos’ lineup in recent weeks.

 

A Family Hat Trick: It was quite a day for the Venegas family when the Broncos battled Cal State L.A. on Oct. 23. Jamie Venegas (Jr., Lakewood, Los Alamitos HS) scored a goal in the Bronco women’s 2-0 win over Cal State L.A. and younger brother Dustin Venegas (Jr., Lakewood, Los Alamitos HS) scored a pair of goals in a 3-2 win over the Golden Eagles. Dustin Venegas leads the men’s team in scoring with six goals and 12 points, while Jamie Venegas had a pair of goals and six points for the Bronco women.

 

 

CAL POLY POMONA

Men’s Soccer

 

CPP Schedule & Results

Final

 

8/26     vs. Bryant College                                W 4-2

8/28     at Western Washington                          L 1-3

8/30     at Seattle Pacific                                   L 0-1

9/1       at Seattle University                              L 1-3

9/10     vs. Concordia University                       W 1-0

9/14     at Cal State Dominguez Hills*               L 0-9

9/17     vs. Cal State Monterey Bay*                L 0-1

9/21     vs. Cal State San Bernardino*              W 2-1

9/25     vs. UC San Diego*                               L 1-6

9/29     vs. Cal State Bakersfield*                     L 0-2

10/3     at Cal State L.A.*                                L 0-2

10/8     at Cal State Stanislaus*                         T 2-2

10/10   at Chico State*                                     W 2-0

10/15   vs. Sonoma State*                                L 1-2 (OT)

10/17   vs. San Francisco State*                       W 2-1 (OT)

10/23   vs. Cal State L.A.*                               W 3-2

10/25   at UC San Diego                                  W 3-2 (2 OT)

10/27   at Cal State Bakersfield*                      L 0-3

10/30   vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills*              L 1-3             

 

*Denotes CCAA Game