California State University at Northridge
Sacramento State
CSUN Hosts Sacramento State in Big West Tournament Semifinal
11/8/2016 10:05:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Matadors Face Hornets with Spot in the Finals on the Line
GAME NOTES IN PDF FORMAT
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. --- The CSUN Matadors (8-6-4) host the Sacramento State Hornets on Wednesday, Nov. 9 in a Big West Conference Tournament Semifinal match at 7 p.m. at Matador Soccer Field. The Matadors and Hornets will meet in the San Fernando Valley for a berth in the Big West Tournament Championship, which will be held on Saturday, Nov. 12. A video feed produced by the CSUN Sports Network will feature Mike Martinez on the call while a Spanish audio-only broadcast featuring Eduard Cauich and Jose Avalos will also be available. There will also be live stats available for the contest and fans are encouraged to check with the CSUN athletic department's official Twitter accounts (@GoMatadors, @CSUNCapeCrew) for updates throughout the week.Â
In their last match, CSUN captured the Big West South Division title in dramatic fashion on Senior Night against UC Riverside. Scoreless into overtime, Samuel Dadzie headed home a flicked header from Patrick Hickman off a long throw-in from Gabe Robinson in the second minute of the first extra period to give the Matadors the league division title for the second time in program history.
In addition to the dramatic win, a host of Matadors received All-Big West honors. Senior Kevin Marquez was named Big West Goalkeeper of the Year, senior Patrick Hickman was named Big West Defensive Player of the Year and Terry Davila won his record-setting sixth Big West Coach of the Year award. Juan Fernando Samayoa joined Marquez and Hickman on the First Team while Emmanuel Usen Jr. and Robinson received Honorable Mention All-Big West and Edwin Quiroz was named the Big West All-Freshman Team.
The Matadors and Hornets will meet for the second time this season at Matador Soccer Field Wednesday evening. Earlier this season, CSUN posted a 1-0 victory on Oct. 1 as the teams opened Big West Conference play.Â
A Closer Look at Sacramento State
The Sacramento State Hornets come to the San Fernando Valley for a Big West Tournament Semifinal Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. at Matador Soccer Field. The Hornets posted a 2-1 victory over visiting UC Riverside on Saturday, Nov. 5 in the Big West Tournament Quarterfinals, finding the game-winning goal in the 77th minute of the contest.
Alex Bettencourt leads Sacramento State with seven goals, three assists and 17 points on the year and earned Second Team All-Big West honors this season. Ivan Ramirez, who scored the game winner against the Highlanders on Saturday, has five goals and a team-high five assists while Nate Nugen also has five goals on the year. The Hornets have scored 14 of their 22 goals on the season in the first half and average 10.5 shots and 4.7 corner kicks per match.
On defense, James Del Curto has played the vast majority of the minutes in goal for Sacramento State and earned Second Team All-Big West honors. He has a 1.36 goals-against average, 73 saves and a .745 save percentage on the season. The Hornets have conceded 28 goals on the season with 16 coming in the second half. Opponents have averaged 13.7 shots and 5.1 corner kicks per contest.
The Matadors and Hornets earlier this year with CSUN recording a 1-0 victory at home. Patrick Hickman headed home the game-winning goal on a long throw-in from Gabe Robinson. CSUN leads the all-time series with Sacramento State 13-6 and is 7-3 at home in the series.Â
Juan Fernando Samayoa -- First Team All-Big West
- Senior Juan Fernando Samayoa leads the Matadors with six goals, six assists and 18 points on the season
- Samayoa earned First Team All-Big West honors in 2016 after receiving Second Team honors in 2014
- Five of Samayoa's goals in 2016 have come from the penalty spot and he had two vs. UC Davis on Sept. 29Â
- Samayoa has also scored PKs against San Diego, CSU Bakersfield and UC IrvineÂ
- Samayoa had a goal and two assists in the Matadors' home win over UC Irvine on Oct. 22
- Samayoa now has seven goals and 12 assists and 26 points in his three-plus years of service with the Matadors
- He posted an assist on Diouf's goal vs. Tulsa and also had helpers vs. CSU Bakersfield, Cal Poly and Cal State Fullerton
Kevin Marquez -- 2016 Big West Goalkeeper of the Year
- Senior Kevin Marquez was named Big West Goalkeeper of the Year and has played every minute this season
- Marquez made his first career start and recorded six saves for his first career win in 2-1 victory over Tulsa
- Has at least four saves in all but four matches in 2016, including a career-high nine stops vs. Cal State Fullerton on Oct. 12Â
- Marquez had seven stops against Air Force and at Cal Poly; he also has five games with six saves this season
- Marquez earned his first career shutout with four saves in a 1-0 victory over Sacramento State on Oct. 1
- Marquez ranks second in the Big West Conference with a .795 save percentage and 89 saves
Patrick Hickman -- 2016 Big West Defensive Player of the Year
- Senior defender Patrick Hickman became the second-straight Matador to earn Big West Defensive Player of the Year
- Hickman also received First Team All-Big West honors for his 2016 season
- He scored the game-winning goal in CSUN's 1-0 victory over Sacramento State
- Hickman added his second goal of the year in a 1-1 draw at Cal Poly
- Hickman scored his career-high third goal of the year in the Matadors' home win over UC Irvine
- Hickman has earned consecutive Honorable Mention All-Big West Honors (2014, 2015)
