CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, POMONA

Bronco Sports News

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2004

Contact: Paul Helms

(909) 869-2812

 

 

WOMEN’S SOCCER

MEDIA NOTES

 

2004 CPP Record: 3-4. CCAA Record: 2-0-0

 

Broncos Set to Continue CCAA Play: Cal Poly Pomona’s women’s soccer team, currently riding a three-match winning streak, will host a pair of tough divisional foes this week at Kellogg Field. The Broncos will host Cal State San Bernardino on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. and then entertain defending CCAA champion UC San Diego on Saturday at 7 p.m. In 2003, the Broncos defeated the Tritons 2-1 in the last game of the regular season to advance to the conference postseason tournament. The Broncos are coming off another successful season. Cal Poly Pomona finished the 2003 regular season with a flourish and qualified for the California Collegiate Athletic Association 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: The Broncos, after losing their first four matches of the season, extended their winning streak to three games with two victories last week to begin California Collegiate Athletic Association play. Last Tuesday in their conference opener, the Broncos got their first win away from Kellogg Field by defeating Cal State Dominguez Hills 2-1 in Carson. Lisa Araujo (Sr., Rialto, Eisenhower HS) scored a pair of goals including a penalty kick to pace the Bronco win. Goalkeeper Vanessa Richardson (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) recorded six saves for the Broncos. The Broncos continued their winning ways with a 6-0 home victory against CCAA newcomer CS Monterey Bay Friday afternoon. Five different players scored for the Broncos, who also benefited from a Cal State Monterey Bay own goal. Araujo picked up her fourth goal in the past three games, while Stephanie Mrazik (Fr., Brea, Brea-Olinda HS), Karen Nembhard (Fr., Pasadena, Pasadena HS), Jacqueline Ragudos (Fr., San Diego, University of San Diego HS) and Kimberly Stillman (Fr., Arcadia, Arcadia HS) also added goals. Mrazik, Nembhard and Ragudos picked up the first goals of their Cal Poly Pomona careers, while Stillman scored her second goal of the season. Goalkeeper Vanessa Richardson (Jr., Upland, Upland HS) recorded her first shutout of the season for the Broncos.

 

Scouting the Opposition: Cal Poly Pomona holds a 17-5-1 advantage all-time against Cal State San Bernardino. The two teams split a pair of games last season. The Coyotes rallied from a 3-1 halftime deficit and stunned the Broncos, 5-3, in San Bernardino, while the Broncos broke open a 1-0 game with five second-half goals in a 6-1 win over the Coyotes in Pomona. Cal Poly Pomona is 7-17-4 all-time against UC San Diego. The two teams split a pair of games last season. The Tritons beat the Broncos, 2-1, in an early-season game in Pomona, while the Broncos rallied for a 2-1 win in La Jolla in the last regular-season game. That victory enabled the Broncos to reach the CCAA postseason tournament for the sixth straight season.

 

Rankings: Cal Poly Pomona does not appear in the NSCAA national rankings. Sonoma State is ranked 18th in the country, while Cal State Stanislaus and Cal State San Bernardino received votes, but were not ranked in 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. 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 will be formally inducted into the Hall of Fame in October. 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 24-18-3 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. 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 seven 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 11 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. Kimberly Stillman (Fr., Arcadia, Arcadia HS) and Jacqueline Ragudos (Fr., San Diego, University HS) are expected to contribute as forwards, while midfielders Sara Flowers (Fr., Santee, Santana HS) and Stephanie Mrazik (Fr., Brea, Brea-Olinda HS) are also top recruits. A fifth freshman, Lindsey Latham (Fr., San Diego, Our Lady of Peace HS), is expected to be a major contributor on defense.

 

A Look Ahead: After the matches this week, Cal Poly Pomona will play the final match of a four-game homestand when the Broncos host Cal State Bakersfield next Wednesday, Sept. 29, at 7 p.m. The Broncos will then face Cal State L.A. on Sunday, Oct. 3, in Los Angeles.

 

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*                       4:30 p.m.

9/25     vs. UC San Diego*                               7 p.m.

9/29     vs. Cal State Bakersfield*                     7 p.m.

10/3     at Cal State L.A.*                                3 p.m.

10/8     at Cal State Stanislaus*                         3 p.m.

10/10   at Chico State*                                     12:30 p.m.

10/15   vs. Sonoma State*                                4:30 p.m.

10/17   vs. San Francisco State*                       3 p.m.

10/20   at UC San Diego*                                7 p.m.

10/23   vs. Cal State L.A.*                               4:30 p.m.

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