CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, POMONA

Bronco Sports News

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2004

Contact: Paul Helms

(909) 869-2812

 

 

WOMEN’S SOCCER

MEDIA NOTES

 

2004 CPP Record: 8-6-3. 2004 CCAA Record: 7-2-3

2004 Far West Region Ranking: T6 (NSCAA)

 

Broncos Look To Finish Regular-Season Strong: Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s soccer team, which has finally moved above the .500 mark, looks to nail down one of the four spots in the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championship Tournament. The Broncos, coming off victories over Cal State L.A. and UC San Diego, hold a four-point edge over Cal State San Bernardino and a five-point edge over Sonoma State in the race for the second wildcard with two matches remaining. The Broncos have also pulled to within one point of CCAA South Division co-leaders UC San Diego and Cal State Dominguez Hills. The top division winners and the top two wild-card teams will advance to the CCAA Championship Tournament. After an 0-4 start, the Broncos are 8-2-3 in their last 13 matches. Cal Poly Pomona is currently ranked in a tie for sixth in the NSCAA Far West Region rankings. The top four teams in the NCAA Division II Far West poll at the end of the regular season will earn playoff bids. The Broncos are coming off another successful season. Cal Poly Pomona finished the 2003 regular season with a flourish and qualified for the CCAA championship tournament for a sixth straight year. The Broncos are the only women’s team to qualify for the conference postseason tournament in each of the sixth years of its existence.

 

Last Week: Cal Poly Pomona stretched its winning streak to three games and pulled above .500 for the first time this season with wins over Cal State L.A. and UC San Diego. The Broncos scored two first-half goals and made them stand up in a 2-0 victory over the Golden Eagles at Kellogg Field. Tia Rudolph (Sr., Rancho Cucamonga, Alta Loma HS) opened the scoring in the 12th minute when she beat Cal State L.A.’s goalie to a pass from Lisa Araujo (Sr., Rialto, Eisenhower HS) and knocked the ball into the net. Then, less than nine minutes later, Araujo sent in another beautiful pass and this time Jamie Venegas (Jr., Lakewood, Los Alamitos HS) did the scoring honors, notching her second goal of the season. The Broncos enjoyed a 15-10 edge in shots, including an 11-3 advantage in the first half. Vanessa Richardson (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) made three saves to record her fourth shutout. The Broncos then came back on Monday and outscored UC San Diego, 4-3. The four goals were the most scored in a game against UC San Diego by the Broncos since 1990. The two teams exploded for five goals in the second half, three of them by the Broncos to secure the win. Jacqueline Ragudos (Fr., San Diego, U. of San Diego HS) and Erica Rodriguez (Jr., San Diego, Bonita Vista HS) scored two goals each for the Broncos. Ragudos gave Cal Poly Pomona a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute with an assist from Chelsea Hipley (Jr., Sacramento, Woodcreek HS). UC San Diego then scored the next two goals to take a 2-1 lead, but Rodriguez tied it with an assist from Araujo in the 58th minute. The Broncos took a 3-2 lead when Ragudos scored with assists from Venegas and Mary Real (Jr., Upland, Mt. San Antonio College) in the 76th minute, but UC San Diego tied it with a goal in the 81st minute. Rodriguez then got to a loose ball and drilled it into the net from 16 yards out with 7:54 remaining in regulation to give the Broncos the win. Richardson had three saves for the Broncos, who were on the short end of a 14-8 count on shots.

 

Scouting the Opposition: Cal Poly Pomona is 6-5-2 all-time against Cal State Bakersfield. The two teams tied, 0-0, on Sept. 29 at Kellogg Field. The Roadrunners were victorious in the only meeting in 2003, 4-1. Cal Poly Pomona is 14-24-5 all-time against Cal State Dominguez Hills and handed the Toros their only home defeat this season, 2-1, on Sept. 14. Lisa Araujo (Sr., Rialto, Eisenhower HS) had a pair of goals for the Broncos. The two programs have had some legendary battles over the years and met several times in postseason action. Last season, Cal State Dominguez Hills edged the Broncos, 2-1, in an opening-round game at the CCAA Championship Tournament. The Broncos eliminated the Toros in the 2001 NCAA Division II playoffs, 2-1, after beating the Toros, 2-0, in a conference tournament game.

 

Rankings: Cal Poly Pomona does not appear in the NSCAA national rankings. Among California Collegiate Athletic Association programs, Cal State Dominguez Hills is 18th and UC San Diego is 25th.

 

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. He guided the Broncos to a 10-8-1 record last season and their sixth straight appearance in the California Collegiate Athletic Association championship tournament. Caligiuri was elected to the United States Soccer Hall of Fame earlier this year and was formally inducted into the Hall of Fame in Oneonta, N.Y., on Oct. 11. In his first season as the Broncos’ head coach, Caligiuri guided the Broncos to an 11-6-2 record and into the CCAA Championship Tournament. He has a 29-20-6 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 Back: Cal Poly Pomona has some talented players returning from its 2003 squad that finished with a 10-8-1 overall record. Leading the list of returners is Lisa Araujo (Sr., Rialto, Eisenhower HS), who was the CCAA Freshman of the Year in 2001 and earned first-team All-CCAA honors the past two seasons. Araujo was second on the team last year in scoring with six goals and 12 points. She has six goals and 14 points so far this season. She has scored 26 goals in her Cal Poly Pomona career, which places her sixth on the all-time Cal Poly Pomona career list. She has 66 points, which also places her sixth. Also returning is the team’s third-leading scorer from last season, Erica Rodriguez (Jr., San Diego, Bonita Vista HS), who had three goals, four assists and 10 points. Vanessa Richardson (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) returns in goal for the Broncos. She has recorded 10 shutouts in her Cal Poly Pomona career, including five last season. Chelsea Hipley (Jr., Sacramento, Woodcreek HS), who earned second-team All-CCAA honors as a freshman, is another top returner. She had eight assists as a freshman and has a total of 15 in her Cal Poly Pomona career. The Broncos also welcome back Tia Rudolph (Sr., Rancho Cucamonga, Alta Loma HS), who earned second-team All-CCAA honors in 2002 and sat out last season.

 

Look Who’s New: The Broncos are very excited about what they consider to be an outstanding recruiting class. Jacqueline Ragudos (Fr., San Diego, University HS) is  contributing as a forward, while midfielders Sara Flowers (Fr., Santee, Santana HS) and Stephanie Mrazik (Fr., Brea, Brea-Olinda HS) are also top recruits. A fourth freshman, Lindsey Latham (Fr., San Diego, Our Lady of Peace HS), is contributing to the Bronco defense. Ragudos is currently second on the team in scoring with five goals and 12 points.

 

A Look Ahead: After the matches this week, Cal Poly Pomona is hoping it has qualified for the CCAA Championship Tournament, which will be held on Nov. 5-7 at Cal State Dominguez Hills. Cal Poly Pomona is the only team to reach the CCAA Championship Tournament in each of its first six years of existence.

 

CAL POLY POMONA

Women’s Soccer

 

CPP Schedule & Results

 

8/26     vs. Bryant University                             L 2-3 (OT)

8/28     at Western Washington                         L 0-1

8/30     at Seattle Pacific                                   L 0-4

9/7       at Azusa Pacific                                    L 0-1 (OT)

9/10     vs. Concordia                                       W 2-1

9/14     at CS Dominguez Hills*                        W 2-1

9/17     vs. Cal State Monterey Bay*                W 6-0

9/21     vs. CS San Bernardino*                       T 1-1

9/25     vs. UC San Diego*                               L 1-3

9/29     vs. Cal State Bakersfield*                     T 0-0

10/3     at Cal State L.A.*                                W 1-0

10/8     at Cal State Stanislaus*                         W 3-0

10/10   at Chico State*                                     L 0-1

10/15   vs. Sonoma State*                                T 2-2

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

10/23   vs. Cal State L.A.*                               W 2-0

10/25   at UC San Diego*                                W 4-3

10/27   at Cal State Bakersfield*                      7 p.m.

10/30   vs. CS Dominguez Hills*                       4:30 p.m.

11/5-7  CCAA Championships                         TBA

 

*Denotes CCAA Game