Weekly Release (PDF)

Cal State Fullerton vs. Long Beach State
Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014 | 1:00 PM
Alex G. Spanos Stadium • San Luis Obispo, Calif.

THIS WEEK
Cal State Fullerton (9-7-4), the No. 1 seed in the Big West Tournament and 2014 Big West regular season champion, will play Long Beach State at 1 p.m., Sunday in the tournament title game for the right to earn the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.The Titans advanced out of the semifinals by defeating No. 4 CSUN, 1-0, as Christina Burkenroad scored in the 67th minute on Thursday night.Long Beach State advanced past Cal Poly on penalty kicks, 5-4, in the second semifinal match after the teams finished regulation and overtime tied at 0-0.

QUICK HITS
• The Titans have won three straight Big West championships - regular season titles in 2012 and 2014 and the tournament title in 2013. The Titans are also playing in their third straight Big West Tournament championship match.
• Cal State Fullerton won its seventh Big West regular season championship (1996, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2014) last Sunday after recording a 1-0 victory over Cal Poly at Titan Stadium. The Titans finished Big West play unbeaten with a record of 6-0-2. The only other Titan team to remain undefeated in league action was the 1996 squad (6-0-1).
• The Titans are unbeaten in their last nine matches (7-0-2), their longest undefeated streak since producing an 11-match winning streak from Oct. 7-Nov. 13, 2005.
• Thursday's win marked Cal State Fullerton's sixth straight victory. The Titans' six-match winning streak is the longest for the program since winning 11 straight from Oct. 7-Nov. 13, 2005.
• The Titans are an undefeated 8-0 when scoring the first goal of the game.
• The Titans finished the season averaging 794 fans per game, the largest average attendance in the history of the program with the prior record set in 2012 at 650.
• Cal State Fullerton's 4-1 victory over Idaho State on Sept. 18 marked the 200th win for the program, which started in 1993.
• Cal State Fullerton is ranked seventh in this week National Soccer Coaches Association of America top-10 regional poll for the west.

BIG WEST TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Cal State Fullerton holds a 6-4-4 overall record at the Big West Tournament and a 2-1-2 in the finals . Fullerton will be making in sixth overall appearance in the Big West Tournament title match. The Titans have been victorious twice in the championship finals (2005, 2006), and have also advanced by way of penalty kick shootouts in 2007 and 2013 as Fullerton aims for its fifth overall and second straight Big West Tournament title. Cal State Fullerton advanced to the NCAA Tournament  in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2013 following those championships. Fullerton also advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2001 after winning the Big West regular season title.

OPPONENTS & HISTORY
Long Beach State | 1:00 p.m. | Sunday, Nov. 9 | Alex G. Spanos Stadium
Long Beach State enters Sunday's game with a record of 8-6-6 overall and 4-2-2 in the Big West as the league's No. 3 seed. The 49ers have allowed only 16 goals this season, while scoring 19 led by Ashley Gonzales' eight goals and two assists. Goalkeeper Ashton McKeown boasts nine shutouts and a 0.75 goals against average.Head-to-Head: CSF leads the all-time series against LBSU with a record of 8-7-2. The last two meetings between the two programs (2013 & 2014) have ended in ties. Sunday's Big West Tournament final will mark the first meeting for the two programs in the tourney.Last Time Out: Cal State Fullerton held a dominant shot advantage over Long Beach State but could not find the back of the net playing to a 0-0 tie with the 49ers on Oct. 9 at Titan Stadium. The Titans out shot LBSU, 19-4, forcing 49er goalkeeper Ashton McKeown to make eight saves.

NOTES FROM LAST WEEK
• The Titans recorded their seventh shutout of the year  after Thursday night's 1-0 victory over CSUN.
• Fullerton has scored 26 goals this year by 12 different players.
• In regulation, the Titans have outscored opponents 26-13.
• The Titans' four goals in last Thursday's 4-2 win at UC Santa Barbara matched a season high, and CSF scored its most goals in a Big West games since a 4-1 victory at Pacific on Oct. 28, 2012.
• The Titans have recorded five multiple-goal games this season.

BE A FOLLOWER
Fans can keep up with the latest in Titans athletics by following us on Facebook (CSUF.Athletics) and Twitter (@FullertonTitans). In addition, the women's soccer team has established its own Facebook and Twitter presence. Search for "Cal State Fullerton Women's Soccer" on Facebook or follow them on Twitter at @CSUF_WSoccer.

IT'S A SECOND-STRAIGHT SWEEP!
Christina Burkenroad and Serena Smith-Banas helped lead Cal State Fullerton to two victories and the 2014 Big West Conference regular season championship last week, marking the second straight week a pair of Titans have swept the league's player of the week awards. Involved in three of Fullerton's five goals, Burkenroad captured Big West Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week honors. Burkenroad scored her second and third goals of the season in Thursday's 4-2 win at UC Santa Barbara. The forward was responsible for the assist that led to Adriana Gjonovich's game-winning goal in a winner-take-all battle for the Big West championship against Cal Poly on Sunday. Smith-Banas earned Big West Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week honors. In a 4-2 win at UC Santa Barbara, Smith-Banas collected the game-winning goal, her first of the year, in the 65th minute.Smith-Banas, at her central defender spot for the regular season finale against Cal Poly, led the defensive effort in a 1-0 shutout.

BIG WEST HONORS
Fresh off the program's seventh Big West Conference regular season championship, the Cal State Fullerton women's soccer program received a number of all-league honors led by Coach of the Year Demian Brown and Offensive Player of the Year Rebecca Wilson, it was announced by the league on Wednesday.
• In his eighth year at the helm for Cal State Fullerton, Brown claimed his third Big West Coach of the Year award after leading his squad to its seventh regular season title.
• Wilson became the third Titan to be named Offensive Player of the Year after recording 10 goals and one assist for 21 points.
• Joining Wilson on the Big West Conference First Team is junior midfielder Christina Burkenroad as well as junior defender Morgan Batcheller – making her second straight appearance on the first team.
• Receiving Big West Conference honorable mention accolades include freshman Connie Caliz, sophomore Amanda Howard, sophomore Jazzmin Mancilla, senior Colleen Ortega and sophomore Jennifer Stuart.
• Along with Caliz, Kaycee Hoover was named to the Big West All-Freshman Team.

BIG WEST STATS & RANKINGS
• Second in the Big West in goals allowed (18) and goals against average (0.87).
• Rebecca Wilson's 21 points rank fourth and her 10 goals tie for second in the Big West. Her three game winners rank fourth.
• Jennifer Stuart leads the league in goals against average (0.74) and her .776 save percentage ranks third.
• In Big West games only, Fullerton is tied for first in the league with 13 goals.
• In Big West games only, the Titans are tied for the league lead with five goals allowed and a 0.59 goals against average (0.59).
• In Big West games only, Rebecca Wilson is tied for the league lead with 13 points and six goals. She also leads the Big West with three game-winning goals.
• In Big West games only, Jennifer Stuart's 0.69 goals against average ranks second and her .792 save percentage ranks third.

OLD HABITS DIE HARD
In 2013, it was almost routine for the Titans to play an overtime period, entering extra time play on 10 occasions  -- one shy of their NCAA record-tying 11 overtime matches in 2011.In 2014, nine of Fullerton's 20 matches have entered overtime. The Titans were unbeaten in overtime (3-0-7) in 2013, but this season, the Titans have suffered five losses in extra time, including surrendering the golden goal with less than two minutes remaining on three occasions. Fullerton is 13-15-25  in extra time during Head Coach Demian Brown's eight seasons. 

EXTRA TIME
Cal State Fullerton has played 1945.37 minutes on the field this season. The team's nine overtime matches have added 125-plus minutes.

DISSECTING SCORING
In regulation, Cal State Fullerton has outscored opponents, 26-13, however, in overtime, the Titans have been shut out, 5-0.

ON FIRE
Redshirt junior Rebecca Wilson leads Cal State Fullerton with 10 goals as the Placentia, Calif., native has scored nine goals in the Titans' last 12 games.Wilson's 10 goals tie for sixth in CSF single-season history, and she is also the last Titan to accomplish the feat since Kandace Wilson in 2004.

ANOTHER STAT CARRIES OVER FROM 2013
Fullerton made it a habit of scoring late last season, netting nine of its 18 goals in the 70th minute or later.This season, 17 of Fullerton's 26 goals have been scored in the second half, and 14 of CSF's 26 goals this season have come after the 60th minute. During CSF's nine-match unbeaten streak, the Titans have outscored opponents 14-5, recording the first goal of the game on six occasions while scoring six goals in the first half.

TITANS WIN THREE STRAIGHT TITLES
Cal State Fullerton has claimed three consecutive crowns after the Titans won the 2014 Big West regular season championship last Sunday. Last year, the Titans clinched their fourth Big West tournament title in school history and earned the league's automatic NCAA postseason berth in 2013. In 2012, Fullerton won its sixth Big West regular season championship in school history.  Cal Poly and Fullerton are now tied for a Big West leading seven regular season championships in program history. This season's title was Fullerton's fifth solo crown after sharing the top spot in 2004 and 2007, the program's sixth in the last 13 seasons, and the third second under Head Coach Demian Brown.

RECORD BREAKERS
The Titans' attendance of average 794 set a new record for the program.Cal State Fullerton fell just short of setting the record attendance at a women's soccer match as 1,536 attended the Oct. 9 women's and men's soccer doubleheader at Titan Stadium. The women's soccer attendance record is still 1,570 from Oct. 19, 2001 vs. Long Beach State.Fullerton fans did however set a new record as 1,365 onlookers were in attendance on Aug. 22, 2014 at Titan Stadium - the largest crowd for a home opener and the third largest crowd all time.

"O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!"
Cal State Fullerton senior midfielder Chelsey Patterson will serve as team captain for the third straight season along with junior defender Morgan Batcheller and junior forward Rebecca Wilson.

ROAD MAP
The 2013 Big West Tournament Champions will return to the pitch in 2014 with a challenging schedule as four of their opponents completed last year in the top-75 of RPI, while two competed in the NCAA Tournament.

A NEW LOOK
CSF has a strong combination of newcomers and returners on its roster. The Titans return 13 letterwinners from last year's championship squad while welcoming 11 newcomers and four returning redshirts. Of Fullerton's 13 returners, five were starters last season. BY THE

NUMBERS
Cal State Fullerton totaled 51 points last season (18 goals/15 assists) and will need to replace 57 percent of that production as top scorers Erica Mazeau (4 goals, 6 assists), Nikki McCants (3 goals) and Janali West (2 goals, 2 assists) have graduated.

DE-FENSE (CLAP, CLAP)
Fullerton's 2013 defense emerged as one of the best in the league, ranking atop the Big West statistical rankings in fewest goals allowed (17), goals against average (0.71), and saves (113), while standing tied for third in shutouts (7). 

TV TIME
For the third consecutive season, it was announced that the championship match of this year's Big West Conference women's soccer tournament hosted by Cal Poly would be televised live on FOX Sports PrimeTicket at 1 p.m. on Nov. 9. 

STAFF CHANGE
Fullerton's coaching staff remains largely intact for 2014 with one exception as Michael Thomas joins the staff following the departure of Diego Bocanegra, who accepted a position at Notre Dame. 

A TRADITION UNLIKE ANY OTHER
Sophomore Nicole Ulrich and junior Alyssa Cabral will be carrying on a tradition of sorts in 2014 as their No. 2 and No. 5 jerseys are the only two numbers in the history of the Fullerton program to be worn every season since the program began in 1993.

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Cal State Fullerton, the defending Big West Tournament Champion, was picked to finish fourth in Big West Conference Women's Soccer Preseason Poll, while Cal Poly was selected to repeat as the regular season champion with six first-place votes. UC Irvine received two first-place votes with 64 points while Long Beach State collected 59 points for third place. Cal State Fullerton received one first-place vote of its own and finished out the top four teams with 58 points. Hawai'i (37 points), UCSB (30), CSUN (27), UCD (27) and UCR (26) rounded out the preseason poll.Senior midfielder and captain Chelsey Patterson was named to the Big West Preseason All-Conference Team.