Fall Game Notes - Week 2
Francisco Pulido (left) and Scott Pallesen (center) will join the rest of the Pioneers at the Cal State Stanislaus Invitational this weekend. (Photo: Greg Ryan)
- September 9, 2010
The Cal State East Bay volleyball and women's soccer teams will put their undefeated records on the line as they kick off the CCAA season this weekend. Women's soccer is set to take on two ranked squads in No. 9 Cal State Dominguez Hills and No. 23 Cal State LA on Friday and Sunday, respectively, while volleyball will meet Sonoma State and Humboldt State in Friday and Saturday matches at Pioneer Gym. Men's soccer is also set for a tough test in the conference-opening weekend, facing No. 19 Dominguez Hills and No. 2 Cal State LA in the second half of the soccer doubleheaders at Pioneer Stadium. Meanwhile, the Pioneer cross country squads will travel east to take on CCAA competition at the Cal State Stanislaus Invitational in Turlock. Find this week's schedule and complete notes below.
VOLLEYBALL (5-0, 0-0 CCAA)
Game 6: Sonoma State
Friday, Sept. 10 • 7 p.m.
Pioneer Gym • Hayward
Game 7: Humboldt State
Saturday, Sept. 11 • 7 p.m.
Pioneer Gym • Hayward
Pioneers Put Undefeated Record on the Line to Open CCAA Slate: The Cal State East Bay women’s volleyball team will open the conference season this Friday, when it plays host to Sonoma State at Pioneer Gym at 7 p.m. The Pioneers are coming off a 3-0 sweep of Notre Dame de Namur in their home opener after taking home the Nanook Classic title with three straight wins in Fairbanks, Alaska last weekend. East Bay will close out the CCAA kickoff weekend on Saturday, when Humboldt State comes to Pioneer Gym for a 7 p.m. match.
Last Week: The Pioneers lost just two sets in its opening five matches, downing Charleston, Bellarmine, NDNU and Alaska Fairbanks, twice. East Bay was the only team to go undefeated in the Nanook Classic and saw senior libero Lauren Massa named tournament MVP. She joined freshman Katie Allen on the All-Tournament Team. In the opening week, the Pioneers held opponents to less than 20 points in six of 17 sets.
Looking Ahead: Cal State East Bay will begin its first and longest CCAA road trip of the season next week, heading to No. 11 UC San Diego on Wednesday before meeting San Francisco State and Cal State Monterey Bay on Sept. 17 and 18. The Pioneers won’t make another home appearance after this weekend until Oct. 1.
MEN'S SOCCER (1-2-0, 0-0-0 CCAA)
Game 4: No. 19 Cal State Dominguez Hills
Friday, Sept. 10 • 7 p.m.
Pioneer Stadium • Hayward
Game 5: No. 2 Cal State LA
Sunday, Sept. 12 • 2 p.m.
Pioneer Stadium • Hayward
Pioneers Face Two Ranked Opponents to Open Home Slate: The Cal State East Bay men’s soccer team will make its home debut at the newly renovated Pioneer Stadium this weekend against two tough opponents in No. 19 Cal State Dominguez Hills and No. 2 Cal State LA. The Pioneers (1-2-0) open the CCAA slate against the Toros on Friday night at 7 p.m. before facing the Golden Eagles on Sunday at 2 p.m. East Bay will be looking to bounce back from a pair of losses to close out its season-opening trip to Hawai’i last week.
Last Time Out: The Pioneers opened the 2010 campaign with a 1-0 victory over Hawai’i Hilo on Sept. 2. Freshman Jake Bedell scored the game’s only goal, while freshman keeper Bryce Bookhamer and Patrick Gilbertson combined for East Bay’s first shutout since August of last year. The trip continued with a 4-0 loss at Hawai’i Pacific on Saturday, before the Pioneers fell to Chaminade on Monday, despite dominating the Silver Swords in possession and shots.
Looking Ahead: Following a tough opening weekend against two ranked opponents, the Pioneers head out for their longest conference road swing of the season. Next weekend, East Bay will meet Sonoma State and Humboldt State before traveling to San Francisco State and Cal State Monterey Bay on Sept. 24 and 26, respectively. The Pioneers won’t return to Pioneer Stadium until October.
WOMEN’S SOCCER (2-0-1, 0-0-0 CCAA)
Game 4: No. 9 Cal State Dominguez Hills
Friday, Sept. 10 • 4:30 p.m.
Pioneer Stadium • Hayward
Game 5: No. 23 Cal State LA
Sunday, Sept. 12 • 11:30 a.m.
Pioneer Stadium • Hayward
CSUEB Hosts National Runner Up to Open CCAA Season: The Cal State East Bay women’s soccer team kicks off the home and conference seasons this weekend, playing host to No. 9 Cal State Dominguez Hills and No. 23 Cal State LA at Pioneer Stadium. The Pioneers (2-0-1) will put their undefeated record on the line against last year’s national runner up Toros at 4:30 p.m. on Friday before facing the 2009 CCAA Tournament champion Golden Eagles at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Last Time Out: The Pioneers had a successul opening weekend trip to Hawai’i, coming away with two wins and a draw against three Division II Hawaiian teams. East Bay opened the campaign with a 1-0 overtime victory over Hawai’i Pacific, getting the golden goal from sophomore striker Shianna Falk. Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Hawai’i Hilo saw the Pioneers fight back from a 1-0 deficit, getting a second-half strike from junior defender Breanna Baker. Despite dominating overtime, East Bay could not find the back of the net and was forced to settle for the draw. Sunday saw the Pioneers clobber Chaminade, scoring eight unanswered goals.
Looking Ahead: Following this weekend’s CCAA test, the Pioneers continue the conference season on the road at Sonoma State and Humboldt State, in the first two matches of a four-game road swing. East Bay then travels to SFSU and Cal State Monterey Bay before returning home on Oct. 1.
CROSS COUNTRY
Meet 2: Cal State Stanislaus Invitational
Saturday, Sept. 11 • 9 a.m.
Campus Course • Turlock
Pioneers Head East to Take On CCAA Competition: Following a successful opening weekend at the Notre Dame de Namur Battle of the Bay, the Pioneer men’s and women’s cross country teams will change gears and take to the paths of the Cal State Stanislaus campus in Turlock for the Cal State Stanislaus Invitational on Saturday. The men will run the 8k course beginning at 9 a.m., while the women will run the 6k course and head out at 10 a.m.
Last Time Out: The Pioneer women opened the season with a second-place showing at the NDNU Battle of the Bay on a tough, hilly 2.95 mile course at Crystal Springs. Sophomore Megan McDaniel led East Bay, which placed four runners in the top 10 in a field of nearly 60 runners. The Brownsburg, Calif., native finished fourth with a time of 19:17, followed closely by Amanda McNabb, Tiffany Duffy and Nancy Velasquez, in fifth, seventh and ninth place, resepectively, and all breaking the 20 minute mark. The performance was the best showing for the Pioneers since last year’s second-place finish at the Bronco Invitational in Santa Clara. For the men, Erik Rodriguez’ ninth-place finish on the 4.2 mile course paced the Pioneers, who finished fourth overall.
Looking Ahead: Cal State East Bay will take a two-week break from competition to get settled in for the first week of classes before returning to action on Sept. 25 at the Westmont Invitational in Santa Barbara. Last season, the Pioneer women finished third at Westmont, led by McDaniel’s eighth-place showing, while the men took ninth with Francisco Pulido leading the way in 39th place.