CSUN Opens Big West Men's Soccer Play This Week

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. --- CSUN opens Big West men's soccer play this week with a pair of road matches. Action gets underway Thursday when the Matadors head to Sacramento State. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. Live stream and live stats are available on the men's soccer schedule page on GoMatadors.com.

Sacramento State went 4-4 during non-conference play including a 1-0 loss to Saint Mary's Sunday afternoon. Trevor Jackson leads the team in goals (3), points (7), and shots (11). Justin Bedig has recorded two goals and is tied for the team lead in assists (2) with Brad Bumgardner. James Del Curto has played every minute in goal for the Hornets, making 20 saves.

This is the 21st meeting between the two clubs with CSUN leading the all-time series 13-6-1. The Matadors are 2-0-1 over the last three matches against Sacramento State.

CSUN travels the 23 miles from Sacramento to Davis for a Saturday matchup against UC Davis. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. The live stream and live stats are available on GoMatadors.com as well.

UC Davis is 3-5-1 entering this week. The Aggies host UC Irvine Thursday to open Big West play. Matt Baringer is sixth in the Big West in points with eight at the start of this week. He is tied with two others including Sac State's Trevor Jackson for sixth in the conference in goals scored with three. Wallis Lapsey has started all nine matches for UCD in goal and has made 28 saves.

He is tied for third in the league in the category with UC Riverside's Vincent Morales. This is the 20th meeting between the two clubs with UC Davis leading the all-time series 8-7-4. CSUN defeated the Aggies 2-1 last season in Northridge.

CSUN, the defending Big West Conference Tournament champion, was picked first in the South Division as the conference preseason men's soccer poll. CSUN received six first place votes for a total of 30 points in being chosen first in the South Division in the preseason for the first time since 2014. Cal State Fullerton got the other two South Division first place votes to come in second with 24 points. UC Riverside (14) is third, followed by UC Irvine (12).

In the North, the coaches selected UC Santa Barbara first for the fifth straight year. The Gauchos had one first place vote for 25 points. Cal Poly earned the remaining first place vote to come in third with 17 points. Sacramento State (10) rounds out the division. The Matadors' Papi Diouf was the lone CSUN representative on the preseason All-Conference team.

CSUN enters league play with a 5-4 record, the third highest winning percentage (.556) among the eight Big West clubs. The five non-conference wins are the most for the Matadors since 2013 when CSUN was 10-3 in non-conference play.

Emmanuel Usen Jr. continues to lead the conference in goals (5) and points (12). Daniel Trejo scored his fourth goal of the year in CSUN's 2-1 loss at UCLA Sunday night. Trejo is now tied for second in the Big West with three others in goals scored. He is also tied with three others for second in the league in points (9).

~www.GoMatadors.com~

CSUN Opens Big West Men's Soccer Play This Week

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Players Mentioned

Papi Diouf

Daniel Trejo

Emmanuel Usen Jr.