| CSUDH IN THE FAR WEST
REGIONAL PLAYOFFS |
| The No. 2-seeded Cal State Dominguez Hills
Toros (14-5-3) will face No. 3-seeded Seattle University
(14-3-3) Thursday in the first semifinal beginning at 4:00 p.m.
Seattle Pacific (19-0-1), ranked No. 1 in the NSCAA/adidas
national poll, will take on No. 4 seed Chico State (11-5-4) on
Thursday, Nov. 11 at 7:00 p.m. The Far West Region Championship
game will be played on Saturday, November 13, at 7:00 p.m., with
the winner of this weekend's Far West Regional Championships
advancing to the NCAA Quarterfinals against the winner of the
Midwest Regional Championship on a date and at a site yet to be
determined. In claiming the CCAA Championship, the Toros
leap-frogged Chico State, UC San Diego and Seattle University to
the second spot after wins last week over UCSD and Chico State
in the CCAA Championship Tournament. |
THIS WEEK IN TOROS SOCCER
NCAA II FAR WEST REGION CHAMPIONSHIP
Nov. 11 Seattle University vs. CS Dominguez Hills Interbay
Stadium, 4:00
Nov. 13 CSUDH/SU winner vs. SPU/CSUC winner Interbay Stadium,
7:00
CSUDH TOROS - CCAA CHAMPIONS:
The Toros head to Seattle riding a wave of momentum, defeating UC
San Diego and Chico State during the CCAA Tournament to claim
their first conference crown since 1998. Seniors Nikki Szlak and
Kristen Walsh provided both leadership and goals in the wins as
Walsh provided the game-winner in the semifinal vs. UCSD, while
Szlak brought the title to CSUDH against the Wildcats in double
overtime.
NIKKI SZLAK SEIZES OPPORTUNITY AS TOROS
TAKE CCAA CROWN:
Senior midfielder Nikki Szlak scored off a rebound late in the
second overtime to give the Toros a 1-0 win over Chico State and
the 2004 California Collegiate Athletic Association Women's Soccer
Championship, the Toros' first CCAA title since 1998. Szlak's goal
came after teammate Katie Roche's blocked shot found Szlak at the
mouth of the goal, and the 5-5 senior seized the opportunity by
blasting her shot past Chico goalkeeper C.J. Jimenez to the near
post in the 107th minute for the sudden victory.
KRISTEN WALSH REIGNS ON UCSD's PARADE:
In the semifinal two days earlier, senior midfielder Kristen
Walsh scored late in the first half to lift the host Toros to a
1-0 win over the tournament's top seed, UC San Diego, in the
second semifinal of the 2004 California Collegiate Athletic
Association Women's Soccer Championship Tournament. It was the
Toros' second 1-0 shutout over UCSD in less than two weeks as
CSUDH won the season series. Walsh took a lob pass from Michelle
Sena deep in UCSD territory, beat her defender, and fired the
decisive shot from the mouth of the goalkeeper box with 1:16
remaining in the first period.
McDONALD NAMED CCAA PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
Sophomore forward Rachele McDonald was named the 2004 CCAA
Women's Soccer Most Valuable Player of the Year as selected by the
league head coaches last week. McDonald, a sophomore from Ventura,
CA, led the Toros to the team's second-straight berth in the CCAA
Championship Tournament, the sixth time the Toros have qualified
for the CCAA Tournament over the past seven years. McDonald
finished the regular season as the CCAA leader in goals scored
(11), goals per game average (0.58), points (25) and points per
game (1.32). She also tied for the league lead in game winning
goals with four.
"Rachele has been tremendous for
us this year," says Head Coach Joe Flanagan. "We had
high expectations for her this year and she didn't let us down. We
are looking forward to a great weekend in the league championship
tournament, as well as two more solid years."
EIGHT TOROS IN ALL NAMED TO ALL-CCAA TEAMS:
In addition to McDonald, CSUDH was represented by seven other
Toros who were named to All-CCAA squads. Nikki Szlak , junior
defender Elizabeth Arreola, freshman forward Corrie Hirokawa and
freshman defender Sandra Lloyd all were selected to the All-CCAA
Second-Team, while Walsh and freshman midfielder Amy Livergood
were named to the All-CCAA Third-Team ballot.
DOMINGUEZ RIGHT AT HOME:
Junior goalkeeper Mallory Dominguez feels right at home in net.
In addition to having a surname that fits very well on the Carson
campus, Dominguez has been a wall in between the pipes during the
season's second half. After posting just two shutouts through
September, the junior transfer has been nearly impenetrable over
the last month and a half. In October alone, Dominguez has
anchored a defense that posted five shutouts and has suffered only
one loss in nine matches. Adding the two shutout victories in the
CCAA Tournament, and Dominguez has notched eight shutouts on the
year heading into the Far West Regionals.
YOUTH MOVEMENT:
The Toros will graduate just two seniors from this year's squad,
giving CSUDH great hope for the future. Included in next year's
crop of seniors will be goalkeeper Mallory Dominguez and defenders
Elizabeth Arreola and Katie Roche. Next year's juniors will
include forward Rachele McDonald and midfielder Candace Hearn,
while the sophomore class will field forwards Corrie Hirokawa and
Tara Senff, midfielder Amy Livergood and defenders Sandra Lloyd,
Fawna Waldo and Monique Castro, all of whom played key roles
during the Toros' run to the CCAA Championship and NCAA Division
II Far West Regional playoffs.
TOROS SPORTS HOTLINE:
For results, schedules and other information on Toros soccer,
call the Toros Sports Hotline 24 hours a day at (310) 243-3174.
TOROS ON THE WEB:
Follow Toros athletics on the web. For latest scores, recaps and
statistics, just stay where you are! |
