Fresno State Athletics
Women's Soccer in Action this Weekend
8/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
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This Week Fresno State will open its 2002 season with an exhibition match against Cal State Northridge at Bulldog Stadium, Satruday, 7 p.m. Last season the two faced at Cal State Northridge in a regular season match, which was won by the Matadors 2-0.
All-time Series
Fresno State has split the all-time series against Cal State Northridge 2-2. Although, this match will not count on the all-time record, the Bulldogs will try to snap their two-game losing streak against the Matadors. The teams faced for the first two times in 1996 and '97 with Fresno State taking both contests, outscoring the Matadors 5-0 in those matches. In the last two meetings, Fresno State has been outscored 0-3, including a 2-0 loss last season at Northridge.
Fresno State vs. Cal State Northridge - The Last Time
(NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Sept. 19, 2001)
The Bulldogs headed into Matador Field with a 2-0 an record, but ran into a tight Northridge defense that allowed just two shots on the day. It would be the lowest output for any Bulldog match last season and only match in which FS did not attempt a shot on goal. Cal State Northridge scored twice in the first half with goals coming in the 22nd and 26th minute of action. The loss was the first in Fresno State's string of four consecutive with all being on the road.
Goals-a-Plenty
The 2002 team returns 14 of its 20 goals from last season, incuding its top scorer in junior Erin Sayegusa. The forward/midfielder led the Bulldogs with 13 points last season including two game-winners. She had five goals to tie her with sophomore forward Angela Tafolla, who also returns to round out the frontline. Other goal-scorers that return are forward sophomores Barbara Davis and Heather Fox. The two combined for three goals and four assists last year.
Path of Most Resistance Once Again
A year after playing the toughest schedule in program history, including eventual national champions Santa Clara, the Bulldogs will continue the trend this season. Fresno State will test its might early in the UNLV Tournament, facing Southern Utah followed by the host school. The Bulldogs will then face six schools in three conferences starting with WCC powerhouses San Diego and Pepperdine. FS will return home to face Pac-10 foes UCLA and Cal, followed by Big West opponents Pacific and Cal Poly. Last year the Bulldogs were 4-6 against non-conference opponents, with three of them being nationally ranked.
From All Over
The 2002 Bulldogs will feature a diversified squad made up of seven non-Californians. Erin Sayegusa and Katie Powell are the two varsity returnees, from Honolulu and Vancouver, Wash., respectively. After redshirting last season Eriko Yoshiki (Satte City, Japan) from Japan will join the team. Incoming freshmen include Reno, Nev. natives Kristen and Ashley Saibini and Chelsea Mays (Littleton, Colo.) from Colorado. The final freshman comes from Finland. Katri Nokso-Koivisto (Kokkola, Finland) will look to make her debut fresh from her Finnish National Team selection in the spring of this year, in which she played against the U.S National Team.
Run at the Records
Last season Reyna Green and Aimee Thompson cemented themselves as all-time greats in Bulldog history, finishing in the top 10 in all three offensive categories. Green established herself as the all-time assists leader in Fresno State history with 21 and third all-time in points with 50. This season junior Erin Sayegusa will attempt to move up on the all-time lists along with sophomore Angela Tafolla. Sayegusa moved into ninth place in points and goals and is seventh in assists last season. Tafolla enters the season with five goals from her freshman year and needs just one more to enter the top 10 list. At the goalkeeper spot Mary-tyler Wahl looks to improve her save and shutout totals, which already place her second all-time.
Providing Excitement
The road less traveled can prove to be difficult but exciting as the 2001 Bulldogs found out. Of their 18 matches, 12 were decided by one goal. Fresno State proved to be clutch in these situations going 8-4. Six different players scored game-winning goals for the Bulldogs. Aimee Thompson and Erin Sayegusa each connected twice to account for four of the eight victories. Arguably, the most exciting match came against San Francisco, Sept. 2, when a then-junior Virginia Jenkins headed in the game-winner with 38 seconds left in the match to give Fresno State the 2-1 victory.
Tale of Two Teams...
When They Won
Last season when the Bulldogs won they outscored their opponents 17-9. They averaged 15.8 shots per match while only allowing 9.2. The defense was especially tough allowing only 1.1 goals per match including two shutouts. The wins didn't come easy, though, as Fresno State won all its matches by a goal each. Twice they had to come back with one of the victories coming in overtime. Aimee Thompson and Angela Tafolla led the way for the Bulldogs during these matches. Thompson had four goals and three assists while Tafolla had a team-best five goals.
When They Lost
Lack of offense was usually the story when it came to losses last year. In Fresno State's 10 losses they scored only three goals while allowing 25. The Bulldogs were shut out seven of the ten losses. Fresno State averaged nine shots per match while allowing 16.8 to its opposition. Erin Sayegusa was the leading scorer during the losses with a goal and two assists. Being on the road didn't help Fresno State either as eight of its 10 losses came on the road.
.500 Still OK
Fresno State finished the regular season with a 4-4 record in WAC play last season. The record was good enough for third best all-time in program history. Two of the four losses against WAC opponents were 1-0 heartbreakers, Tulsa and Boise State. The .500 record trails the 1999 (4-0-2) and '97 (3-2) teams for best WAC record.
What About the Road?
The road proved to be a tough one for the 2001 Bulldogs. Last season Fresno State was 3-8 on the road getting outscored 25-8. With the win against UTEP, Oct. 14, the Bulldogs snapped their six-game road losing streak which was the longest in program history. In that stretch, however, the Bulldogs faced three top-six nationally ranked opponents which is the toughest stretch of opposition ever faced by a Fresno State team.
At Bulldog Stadium
Fresno State closed out its home schedule on a positive note last year with a 3-2 victory against Nevada, Oct. 21. The Bulldogs finished the season 4-2 mark at home with a 2-2 record against WAC opponents. The Bulldog defense was especially tough at home allowing only 1.2 goals per match. Junior goalkeeper Mary-tyler Wahl posted a 1.11 GAA at home with 24 saves including a shutout against Rice. Angela Tafolla led the offense at home with three goals on the season. Senior Reyna Green and Barbara Davis led the team in assists at home with two each.
Bulldogs Against Ranked Opponents
Fresno State is 3-9 all-time against top-25 nationally ranked opponents. Last season the Bulldogs faced an all-time high three top-10 opponents, No. 4 Stanford, No. 6 Cal and No. 4 Santa Clara. The highest ranked team FS has ever beaten was in 1999 when the Bulldogs downed No. 7 USC 2-1. The highest ranked opponent FS has defeated on the road also came in 1999 when the Bulldogs beat No. 13 James Madison. This year Fresno State came close to beating the highest ranked opponent ever losing 2-1 to Stanford.
2001 Team Highs
Points: 10 (vs. Tulsa Nov. 7)
Goals: 3 (vs. Tulsa Nov. 7, vs. Nevada Oct. 21, vs. Colorado Sept. 9)
Assists: 4 (vs. Tulsa Nov. 7)
Shots: 23 (vs. Nevada Oct. 21)
Shots on goal: 14 (vs. Rice Oct. 5)
Saves: 8 (at Hawai'i Nov. 3, at Santa Clara Oct. 9, at Pacific Sept. 23)
Corner kicks: 10 (at San Jose State Oct. 25)
Player Highs
Points: 4, Erin Sayegusa (vs. Nevada Oct. 21)
Goals: 2, Erin Sayegusa (vs. Nevada Oct. 21)
Assists: 2, Aimee Thompson (at San Jose State Oct. 25), Barbara Davis (vs. Nevada Oct. 21)
Shots: 8, Erin Sayegusa (at Hawai'i Nov. 3)
Shots on goal: 4, Aimee Thompson (at SMU Nov. 8), Erin Sayegusa (vs. Rice Oct. 5)
Saves: 8, Mary-tyler Wahl (at Pacific Sept. 23)
Head Coach Stacy Welp
Stacy Welp enters her second season at the helm after finishing her first season with an 8-10 mark. Welp served as an assistant for the Bulldogs the past two seasons in which the team went 25-15-2. Before coming to Fresno State, she served as an assistant coach for Clemson. Welp graduated from Tulsa in '94 where she earned South Regional honors as a player.
