Cal State Fullerton Game Notes (PDF)
FULLERTON, Calif.--- The Cal State Fullerton men's soccer team returns home this weekend as it continues Big West play vs. UC Davis, Friday at 7:00 p.m. and vs. Sacramento Sate, Sunday at 3:00 p.m.
There will be live video coverage available for both of Cal State Fullerton's games vs. UC Davis and Sacramento State. To access video for the games visit www.fullertontitans.com, click the men's soccer schedule page then click the "video" link.
There will be live audio coverage available for both of Cal State Fullerton's games vs. UC Davis and Sacramento State. To access audio for the games visit www.fullertontitans.com, click the men's soccer schedule page then click the "audio" link.
There will be live stats available for both of Cal State Fullerton's games vs. UC Davis and Sacramento State. To access stats for the games visit www.fullertontitans.com, click the men's soccer schedule page then click the "live stats" link.
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A Look at the Series...
Cal State Fullerton vs. UC Davis
Overall Record 6-6-3
Home Record 3-2-1
Away Record 3-4-2
Neutral Site Record 0-0
Longest Win Streak 3 games
Longest Losing Streak 2 games (2x)
Current Streak Loss 2
Record in Last 10 Meetings 4-3-3
First Meeting
Oct. 9, 2004 at Davis, Calif. (W, 1-0)
Last Meeting
Nov. 7, 2012 at Davis, Calif. (L, 0-2)
Series Notes: Last time these two clubs met was last year in the semifinals of the Big West Tournament, as then sophomores Matt Sheldon and Ian Palmer each scored a goal to eliminate Fullerton from the tournament and ultimately end its season...despite the Titans' brief two-game losing streak vs. the Aggies, Fullerton has won two straight vs. UC Davis at home...10 of Fullerton's last 11 matches with the Aggies have been decided by one goal or less...the Titans' largest margin of victory over the Aggies came in a 2-0 win on Oct. 22, 2005...Fullerton's largest margin of defeat was a 4-0 loss on Sept. 15, 2006.
Analyzing the Aggies
UC Davis enters this weekend with a 4-5-1 overall record with a 1-1 mark in conference play...the Aggies dropped a 2-0 contest last time out to No. 6 Cal State Northridge, but sport a 2-1-1 record over their last four contests overall...sophomore Ryan Gross leads the Aggies in overall points (5) and is tied for the team lead in goals with two....UCD currently leads the conference in corner kick opportunities with 77...the Aggies were picked to finish second in the Big West North according to the conference's preseason poll.
Cal State Fullerton vs. Sacramento State
Overall Record 4-1-0
Home Record 3-0
Away Record 0-1
Neutral Site Record 1-0
Longest Win Streak 4 games
Longest Losing Streak 1 game
Current Streak Loss, 1
Record in Last 10 Meetings N/A
First Meeting
Sept. 3, 1994 at Fullerton, Calif. (W, 1-0)
Last Meeting
Oct. 5, 2012 at Sacramento, Calif. (L, 2-1)
Series Notes: Sacramento State earned its first ever victory over Cal State Fullerton last time out, as Nate Nugen and Chris Sandoval each scored goals for the Hornets and Andrew Afia put one in for Fullerton...Fullerton has still never lost to Sacramento State at Titan Stadium in three all-time home matches, as its outscored the Hornets 9-1 all-time at home...the last time these two teams played was the first time the Titans had ever surrendered a goal to Sacramento State, as the Titans have outscored the Hornets 13-2 all-time...Fullerton's largest margin of victory over Sacramento State was a 5-0 win on Sept. 14, 1997...Fullerton's largest margin of defeat was of course a 2-1 loss on Oct. 6, 2012.
The Buzz on the Hornets
Sacramento State limps into this matchup with the worst record in the Big West at 2-5-3 and an 0-2 conference mark...the Hornets have dropped four of their last five matches overall, being outscored 11-3 during that span...Chimdum Mez leads the Hornets in points (7) and goals with two...Sacramento State leads the league in saves with 62...the Hornets were picked to finish fourth in the Big West North Division according to the conference's preseason coaches' poll.
Last Time Out For the Titans
Cal State Fullerton put together one if its best performances of the season, as a timely first half goal and stingy defense were enough to shut out Cal Poly by the final of 1-0, last Saturday afternoon at Alex G. Spanos Stadium.
"Today we got a fantastic result against a very good team," said head coach Bob Ammann. "When you keep a clean sheet against a team that has averaged nearly three goals per game this season, you've obviously put in quality work."
"There were some chances that we felt we could have put away, but at the end of the day you only need one goal to win when you don't give up any on your end."
For the Titans (4-6, 1-1 Big West), the win marks their third in their last four contests and gives them their first victory over Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo since Nov. 14, 2004.
For Cal Poly (8-4, 1-1 Big West), the loss is just its second in its last eight contests, while it's the third time it's been shutout this season.
The Titans struck for the only score of the game in the 11th minute, as Jaime Cano converted on a penalty kick after a foul in the box to put Fullerton on top 1-0, making it the seventh time its scored first in a match this season.
Fullerton outshot Cal Poly 7-6 in the first half, but the Mustangs held a commanding 5-0 edge in corner kick opportunities, as Fullerton held a slim 1-0 lead at halftime.
The first half goal turned out to be all Fullerton would need, as senior goalie Bryan Escalante led a fantastic defensive effort, as he collected six saves while earning his first shutout win of the season.
The Titans were outshot 16-14 for the match and lost the corner back battle 6-1, but were able to capitalize when they needed to most.
With Fullerton's first conference win of the season in the books, it now shifts its focus to next week when it continues Big West play with a home game vs. UC Davis, Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Titan Stadium.
Breaking Down the Win at Cal Poly
Last Sunday's 1-0 win at Cal Poly was Fullerton's first win in San Luis Obispo since Nov. 12, 2004 (0-6 during that span)...the win also marked Fullerton's second ever shutout win at Cal Poly with the only other one coming on Oct. 14, 2001 (1-0).
As Clean as it Gets
Bryan Escalante looked magnificent in his first start back in goal since Sept. 13 at Colgate, as he recorded a season-high tying six saves and led the Titans to their second shutout win of the season.
Save This Stat
Senior goalkeeper Bryan Escalante currently ranks second in the Big West with 38 saves, while his .745 save percentage is good enough for fifth in the league...his 38 saves is tied for the 49th most in the nation.
In the Polls
The Titans, Aggies, and Hornets all come into the weekend unranked by the NSCAA and Top Drawer Soccer...However Cal State Fullerton is ranked 77th in the nation by Bennett Rank, while UC Davis is placed at 130th and Sacramento State is ranked 162nd.
For Openers
Fullerton is 19-17-2 all-time in conference openers...the Titans are 7-11-0 in road conference openers, as opposed to 12-6-2 in home league openers...the Titans have lost their last three Big West home openers going back to 2009.
Setting it Up
Fullerton has scored a goal on a set piece in four of their last five matches...seven of the Titans' 13 goals this season have come off set pieces.
How We Rank
The Titans rank second in the Big West in saves (46) and fourth in shot percentage (.109).
Keeping Their Cool
After leading the Big West a year ago in yellow cards issued with 44 for the season, through 10 matches the Titans are tied for fifth in amount of yellow cards issued in the Big West with 17 yellow cards...the Titans are just one of two teams in the league that has not picked up a red card so far this year...Fullerton didn't pick up its first caution until the third match of the season (Sept. 6 vs. Loyola Marymount).
Road Warriors?
Coming into last weekend Fullerton was 2-14-2 in its last 18 road affairs going back to the 2011 campaign and had been outscored 35-16 during that span...Despite this, the Titans have now won two of their last three road contests.
Second Half Struggles
Cal State Fullerton has outscored opponents 9-5 and has a 26-24 corner kick advantage vs. the opposition in the first half this season. However, the Titans have been outscored 12-4, outshot 103-66, and have lost the corner kick battle 27-25 in the second half or overtime this season.
Oh So Close
Three of Fullerton's six losses this season have come by just one goal...In the three one-goal defeats, all three game-winning goals have come in the 73rd minute or later (73rd minute vs. Memphis, 106th minute at San Diego, and 96th minute at Cornell).
What's Trending
Cal State Fullerton has had either more or the same amount of corner kicks as the opposition in six of 10 matches this season...Titans have scored first in seven of their last nine matches...Fullerton has scored on a set piece in four of its last five contests.
Fullerton's Fantastic Trio
Ian Ramos, Jaime Cano, and Amara Soumah have combined to score seven of Fullerton's 13 goals so far this season (.538)
Injury Report
Senior midfielder Ritchie Gonzalez is out for the year with an torn ACL....freshman midfielder Dean Wright is out for the season with a leg injury.
Follow His Lead
Ian Ramos leads the Titans in total shots (21), points (6), and goals (3).
Dishing Em Out
Junior Spencer Johnson leads the team in assists with three.
Sharing is Caring
Cal State Fullerton has 12 total goals on the year, scored by nine different players...Ian Ramos and Amara Soumah are the only Titans with more than one goal.
Recycled Notes
Milestone Moment
Cal State Fullerton's 2-1 win over Albany on Sept. 1 marked head coach Bob Ammann's 50th career win as a Titan head coach...Al Mistri is the only other Titan head coach that has more wins with 264.
Men's Soccer Ticket Information
Single-game tickets for regular season matches are priced $5-$8. Tickets for future games can be purchased at FullertonTitans.com, in-person at Cal State Fullerton's Athletic Ticket Office (M-F 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.) or over the phone at 657-278-7547. Game day ticket sales will also be available starting one hour before kickoff at the ticket windows outside Titan Stadium.
All Cal State Fullerton students are admitted FREE to regular season men's soccer home games. Each student must present a valid Titan Card at the main entrance to Titan Stadium for admission. All student sections are general admission. Admission is first-come, first-served and based on availability. Just show your Titan Card for admittance.
Titans Tabbed Third in Big West Media Poll
Cal State Fullerton was selected to finished third in the Big West South Division according to the Big West preseason coaches' poll, which was released on Aug. 22nd by the league office, making the Titans favorites to earn a trip to the Big West Conference Tournament for a third time in four seasons.
Defending South Division champion Cal State Northridge garnered the respect of the league once again this year, as it was picked as the preseason favorite to win the South for a second straight year, collecting six first place votes and 30 points overall.
Orange County rival UC Irvine finished second in the South voting, earning 21 points overall (one first place vote), followed by the Titans (one first place vote) and UC Riverside, each accumulating 16 and 13 points respectively.
There was less of a clear favorite in the North Division with three teams being separated by four points or less in the polls.
UC Santa Barbara got the nod as the slight favorite to come out of the North Division, collecting five first place votes to go along with 25 points overall. 2012 North Division Champions UC Davis finished just behind the Gauchos with 23 points and three first place votes.
Traditional powerhouse Cal Poly also looks to contend this season, as it garnered 21 points to claim a third place spot in the poll, while Sacramento State was picked fourth with 11 points.
Straight From the Coach's Mouth
Be sure to visit www.fullertontitans.com and click on the men's soccer page to watch the 2013 men's soccer season preview video featuring head coach Bob Ammann.
Eyeing Ian (Ramos)
Junior Titan midfielder Ian Ramos was selected to the Big West's 11-man preseason all-conference squad. Ramos enters the season as one the most dynamic players in the league, as he led the Titans in points, goals, shots, and shots on goal during conference play a season ago.
A Brand New Look
A new team, a new year, and yes new jerseys. After being outfitted by adidas for numerous years, both the men and women's soccer programs have switched to new Nike kits for the 2013 season.
The home jerseys sport blue and orange horizontal stripes across the top with blue "Fullerton" lettering across the chest, complete with blue shorts and blue socks on the bottom.
The away jerseys for the men feature a white top with an orange sash with navy blue trim extending from the left shoulder down to the right hip. Orange "Fullerton" lettering is printed across the chest, along with shorts and matching white socks.
(A Lot of) New Kids on the Block
2013 truly represents a new era of Titan soccer, as the program welcomes in the largest class of new players in the Bob Ammann era, with 16 newcomers (11 freshman and five transfers).
New Experience?
While Fullerton holds one of the younger squads in the nation, that doesn't mean the Titans don't hold plenty of experience. Out of Fullerton's 11 newcomers, five of them are transfers in forward Marc Fenelus, midfielder Garrett Losee, midfielder Alex Cannas, forward Amara Soumah, and midfielder Erik Stephenson. Forwards Fenelus and Soumah were both named as NJCAA First Team All-Americans in 2012, while Fenelus also led Western Texas College to its first ever National Junior College National Championship appearance.
Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Cal State Fullerton boasts a rigorous eight-game non-conference schedule, which includes six games away from Titan Stadium. For the season the Titans will play four teams that are either ranked or received votes in the NSCAA's preseason top 25 poll. Fullerton will take on ranked opponents in back-to-back games on the road on Sept. 8 at No. 16 San Diego and Sept. 13 at No. 22 Cornell. Once the Titans enter Big West play, Fullerton will continue to take on top-tier competition, as it'll face Cal State Northridge twice and UC Santa Barbara once. Both schools received top 25 votes.
Road Trippin'
The Titans will play 11 of their 18 (61 percent) regular season games away from Titan Stadium this season, which is the most since Fullerton also spent 11 games away from home during the 2009 campaign. Six of Fullerton's eight non-conference games will be away from home, including six of the first seven contests to begin the year. The six non-conference games away from home are the most Fullerton has had since it played seven in 2008. The Aug. 30 regular season opener vs. Memphis will mark the first time the Titans have started a season on the road since 2010.
Roster Breakdown
The Titans currently have 29 players on the 2013 roster. 20 players are from the state of California, five are from outside of the United States, three are from Utah, and one is from Colorado.
Filling in the Holes
Cal State Fullerton returns just 26 percent (7) of the team's 27 goals scored last season, 55 percent (12/22) of all assists produced, and 46 percent of shots taken (139/299).
Better Chance to Dance
The Big West Tournament format has changed in 2013. Now instead of the top two teams from each division qualifying for the conference tournament, starting this year the top three teams from both the North and South divisions will advance to postseason play with each division's No. 1 seed receiving a first round bye, for a total of six teams in the field. The tournament schedule is as followed:
Tuesday, November 12 - First Round
Friday, November 15 - Semifinals
Sunday, November 17 - Championship
