Soccer On The Road to Nevada

Fresno State heads to Nevada in search of its first conference win.

Soccer On The Road to Nevada

10/1/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Oct. 1, 2014

By: Kimberly Fisher
kimfisher@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com

Game 12 • Fresno State (1-10-0) vs. UNLV (6-3-1
Friday, Oct. 3, 2014 (7 p.m. PT)
Las Vegas, Nev. --- Peter Johann Memorial Field
Live Broadcast: Mountain West Network

Game 13 • Fresno State (1-10-0) vs. Nevada (3-7-1)
Sunday, Oct. 5, 2014 (1 p.m. PT)
Reno, Nev. --- Mackay Stadium
Live Broadcast: Mountain West Network

On The Road to Nevada
The Fresno State women's soccer team will make its way to Nevada for a slated two-game weekend against the University of Las Vegas and the Nevada Wolf Pack. The `Dogs will take on UNLV at the Peter Johann Memorial Field on Friday, Oct. 3rd at 7 p.m. Following Friday's game, the Bulldogs will travel from Las Vegas to Reno to take on Nevada on Sunday, Oct. 5. Kickoff for Sunday's matchup with the Wolf Pack will be a 1 p.m. at Mackay Stadium. Live stats will be accessible for both matches through Game Tracker.

About the Rebels (6-3-1) UNLV holds an overall record of 6-3-1 through 10 games of the 2014 season. The Rebels opened up conference play with a 1-0 win at Colorado State last Friday, Sept. 26. New Mexico continued Mountain West play on the road with a 3-0 loss to Wyoming the following Sunday (Sept. 28). In a five-way tie of highest number of goals scored (2), junior midfielder Jordan Magnin leads the Rebels with 10 starts, two goals, four assists and 25 shots. UNLV is headed by Chris Shaw in his sixth season and holds a career record of 66-39-1 as head coach of the Rebels. Shaw is assisted by second year Andy Pringle and Emily Grant in her first season coaching the Rebels. UNLV finished in sixth place in the 2013 season, splitting conference play with five wins and five losses.

About the Wolf Pack (3-7-1)
Led by head coach Dr. Melissa Price in her fourth season, Nevada has claimed three wins in its 11 games played during the 2014 season. In the first two matches of conference play, the Wolf Pack fell to both Wyoming (4-0) and Colorado State (1-0). Armed with 15 returners, the Wolf Pack welcomed eight newcomers this season including seven freshmen and one transfer junior. Freshman forward Angel Meriwether leads the Pack with all eleven game starts, half of the team's goals (3/6), one assist and 16 shots. Making the most starts defending the goal for Nevada is junior Devyn Bryar with nine starts (889 minutes), 55 saves and a 3-7 record.

Head-to-Head
The `Dogs all-time series record with the Rebels is tied at 2-2-2 with only two of the six face offs being at home for Fresno State. In the last meeting between the two MW opponents, Fresno State walked away with a 1-0 win over UNLV. The Bulldogs lead Nevada with a 13-1-3 series record, claiming five of the 13 victories over the Pack at Bulldog Stadium. The last match between the `Dogs and Nevada ended with a 3-1 defeat for Fresno State at home on Oct 4, 2013.

Split Time in the Net
Time in the net has been virtually split in half between sophomore Alyssa Wilson and freshman Domenique Banta. The pair has a combined total of 56 saves in 2014, 31 recorded by Wilson and 23 by Banta. Wilson has spent a total of 483 minutes guarding the net for the `Dogs with six starts and seven games played. Banta trails Wilson by 59 minutes and has recorded five starts out of the eleven games played. Wilson and Banta are both new in the box for Fresno State this season.

Bingham leads the `Dogs
Senior Jaycee Bingham currently holds the highest number of goals scored (six) for Fresno State this season with goals against Eastern Washington, Drake University, No. 16 Santa Clara, Cal Poly and New Mexico. Bingham also leads the team in shot attempts with 25 of 88 as well as shots on goal with 12 out of the team's total of 42.

Bulldog Coaches
Brian Zwaschka has entered his sixth season as the Bulldogs head soccer coach, assisted by goalie specialist Lauren McAdam and first-season assistant Sean Steele. The reigning Mountain West Coach of the Year, Zwaschka, led the `Dogs to a second place conference finish in 2013 with an overall record of 10-8-2 and 7-2-1 in MW play.

MW Rankings
Entering its third season in the Mountain West, Fresno State was chosen to finish sixth with 73 points in the Mountain West Preseason Coaches' Poll. Of the 12 collegiate programs in the running, San Diego State was favored to win the Mountain West regular-season title (115 points) by the panel of MW head soccer coaches. The conference welcomes Colorado College to the 2014 season, and the Tigers finished second in the standings with 112 points and five first-place votes. In addition to the first-place Aztecs and second-place Tigers, Boise State, New Mexico and Utah State were picked to place above Fresno State with a total of only 42 points separating the top half of the poll. Finishing four places above their predicted poll position, the Bulldogs stood second in the league at the conclusion of their 2013 regular season.

Returning Class
With only one true senior on the squad, the Fresno State coaching staff is relying heavily on upperclassman to step into leadership positions. Jaycee Bingham is one of 12 Bulldog returners, but at the start of her fourth season at Fresno State she is placed into a headship role, as the only true senior on the team. In addition to Bingham, the squad welcomes back Sam Brechmann, Joana Lopez, Alyssa Cruz, Fanny Johansson, Dani Rodrigues, Alyssa Holsworth, Rianna Cota, Amanda Nunes,Angie Weiner, sophomore goal keeper Alyssa Wilson and Mountain West Freshman of the Year Ariana Holmes as they head into their 2014 season.

Newcomers
The 2014 Fresno State soccer roster is made up of 23 total players, in which 11 of them are new to the squad. Of the group of incoming freshmen, 10 of them come from various cities within California including Kacy Dunn from Clovis, Alissa Phamfrom Morgan Hill, Myra Delgadillo from Union City, Peyton Cline from Woodland, Maria Gomez from Los Angeles, Julia Camposfrom Dinuba, Miranda Rudolph from Fresno, Ashari Hines from Sacramento, Sara Jo Ciapponi from Alameda and Carly Brackenfrom Granada Hills. In addition to Johansson, freshman Domenique Banta is the second individual on the team from out of state, joining the squad from Meridian, Idaho. This large group of freshmen not only brings new talent but also adds depth as the `Dogs continue their season under head coach Brian Zwaschka.