Thursday, August 15
Riverside, Calif.
7:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
at
California Baptist
CSUN Opens 29th Season of Women's Soccer This Week
8/14/2024 12:35:00 PM | Women's Soccer
GAME NOTES
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Women's Soccer kicks off its 29th season on the road this week. The Matadors travel to California Baptist in the 2024 season opener on Thursday at 7 p.m. before heading to No. 8 Texas Tech on Sunday at 5 p.m. PT/7 p.m. CT. Both matches will be broadcast on ESPN+.
NEW ERA IN CSUN WOMEN'S SOCCER
The 2024 season represents the first under first-year head coach Gina Brewer who brings to CSUN two decades of coaching experience. She is the seventh head coach in CSUN's nearly three decade history of women's soccer. Brewer most recently spent last season as an assistant coach at UCLA where she helped the Bruins to a Pac-12 championship and a 16-win season. From 2011-19, Brewer spent nine seasons as head coach at Hawaii Pacific University, accumulating 71 victories as the program's longest-tenured head coach. In her coaching career, she has spent time on the coaching staffs at Santa Clara, LMU, Hawai'i, Utah State and Idaho.
Kevin Pineda has also joined the Matadors as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator this season while Dan Solli and Michael Armas have returned to the team as assistant coaches.
TEAM AT A GLANCE
CSUN returns 16 letterwinners from last season's roster along with three redshirts and seven newcomers. A total of five Matadors started 10 or more matches last season and played over 1,000 minutes on the field. CSUN has brought back four players that hit the net in 2023 while the team's starting goalkeeper returns as well. The Matadors have four seniors on the roster in 2024.
Junior captain and goalkeeper Hayden Mauldin returns for her third season with CSUN. Last season, Mauldin started a career-high 18 matches in front of the net as she was second in The Big West in saves per game (5.22) and third in overall saves (94). A two-time Big West Defensive Player of the Week, Mauldin had three shutouts in 2023.
On defense, senior Angelica Claiborne is coming off leading CSUN in minutes played with over 1,600 in 18 starts. A senior midfielder, Ashly Torres also returns for her final season with CSUN after she had a goal in 18 matches. Other seniors on the team include midfielder Brooklin Woolf, who played 12 matches last year, and midfielder Kaylee Gutierrez, who had one goal in 18 matches in her first season with CSUN in 2023.
On the offensive side, junior midfielder and forward Cassidy Imperial-Pham hit the net last season over her 18 matches played as she has two goals and seven points in her CSUN career. Fellow junior midfielder Yoshi Rubalcava netted her first goal for CSUN last season and saw action in 18 matches. On the backline, CSUN returns junior Sami Kolin and sophomore Paige Califf along with junior midfielders Jackie Victorio, Cailey Jackson and Cami Alarcon, and sophomore midfielders Savannah Estrada and Priyanka Pottekkat. Junior forward Sunny Bowlin-Stacy and junior goalkeeper Kennedy Williams round out the returning letterwinners.
Returning back to the field after missing all of last season will be sophomore defender Samantha Healy, who last played in 2022, as well as junior goalkeeper Riley Liebsack and freshman forward Jordyn Canister.
MEET THE MATADORS
Brewer has brought in seven newcomers, six of which freshman, in her first recruiting class with CSUN.
On defense, Gabriella Sanchez is the team's lone transfer this season. She lettered two seasons at Mt. San Antonio College where she was a teammate of current Matador Kaylee Gutierrez. Sanchez registered six points and two goals in helping Mt. SAC to a division championship and a conference tournament runner-up finish this past season. She also won a conference title with Mt. SAC as a freshman in 2021.
Freshman defender Sydney Lipkin joins CSUN from Bothell High School in Washington where she was an all-state prep player and played club for Seattle United. Michelle Monroy is also a freshman defender who attended Pacifica High School and played club soccer with Eagles SC while fellow freshman defender Ella Witherspoon was an all-state player for Issaquah High School while she played club for Eastside FC.
In the midfield, Bryanna Lozano graduated from Norte Vista High School and competed for Legends FC. Keilani Claiborne has also been added to the team as she joins forces with her sister Angelica Claiborne. The younger Claiborne won a CIF San Diego Section title with Monte Vista High School last year and competed for Rebels SC.
Forward Kayden Perigo rounds out the incoming class. Perigo totaled 22 goals with Capital High School last year while she played club for Washington Premier FC.
LOOKING AT THE POLLS
The Matadors were picked to finish 11th in the 2024 Big West Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll. Long Beach State was tabbed to win the conference after garnering six first-place votes by the conference's head coaches.
SCOUTING CALIFORNIA BAPTIST
CBU went 11-2-6 overall last season with a 6-0-3 record in the WAC. After taking second place last season in the WAC, the Lancers were picked to finish fourth in the conference in 2024. In the 36-member roster, CBU has brought in 16 newcomers this season. Taylor Summit is among the team's top returners as she collected WAC Preseason Defender of the Year honors this season. Other key returners include Jayden Ramirez and Marcella Brooks, which combined for 10 goals last season.
Series History: CSUN and CBU have played just once in women's soccer during regular season play with the Matadors coming out on top 2-1 two seasons ago in Riverside. Ashley Cruz had the winning goal with a strike in the 66th minute.
SCOUTING TEXAS TECH
The Red Raiders were ranked No. 8 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25. Last season, Texas Tech went 16-2-5 overall and 8-0-2 in the Big 12 as the team advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 round. After winning the Big 12 last season, Texas Tech was picked to finish second in the conference this season. Sam Courtwright, who netted five goals with eight assists in 2023, was named a Preseason All-America Third Team selection this season. Along with Courtwright, the trio of Macy Blackburn, Kylie Bahr and Ashleigh Williams were named Preseason All-Big 12. Williams had a team-high 14 goals last season.
Series History: Texas Tech leads CSUN 4-0 in the all-time series. The teams last competed in 2018 in Northridge with the Red Raiders coming out on top 2-0.
#GoMatadors
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NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Women's Soccer kicks off its 29th season on the road this week. The Matadors travel to California Baptist in the 2024 season opener on Thursday at 7 p.m. before heading to No. 8 Texas Tech on Sunday at 5 p.m. PT/7 p.m. CT. Both matches will be broadcast on ESPN+.
NEW ERA IN CSUN WOMEN'S SOCCER
The 2024 season represents the first under first-year head coach Gina Brewer who brings to CSUN two decades of coaching experience. She is the seventh head coach in CSUN's nearly three decade history of women's soccer. Brewer most recently spent last season as an assistant coach at UCLA where she helped the Bruins to a Pac-12 championship and a 16-win season. From 2011-19, Brewer spent nine seasons as head coach at Hawaii Pacific University, accumulating 71 victories as the program's longest-tenured head coach. In her coaching career, she has spent time on the coaching staffs at Santa Clara, LMU, Hawai'i, Utah State and Idaho.
Kevin Pineda has also joined the Matadors as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator this season while Dan Solli and Michael Armas have returned to the team as assistant coaches.
TEAM AT A GLANCE
CSUN returns 16 letterwinners from last season's roster along with three redshirts and seven newcomers. A total of five Matadors started 10 or more matches last season and played over 1,000 minutes on the field. CSUN has brought back four players that hit the net in 2023 while the team's starting goalkeeper returns as well. The Matadors have four seniors on the roster in 2024.
Junior captain and goalkeeper Hayden Mauldin returns for her third season with CSUN. Last season, Mauldin started a career-high 18 matches in front of the net as she was second in The Big West in saves per game (5.22) and third in overall saves (94). A two-time Big West Defensive Player of the Week, Mauldin had three shutouts in 2023.
On defense, senior Angelica Claiborne is coming off leading CSUN in minutes played with over 1,600 in 18 starts. A senior midfielder, Ashly Torres also returns for her final season with CSUN after she had a goal in 18 matches. Other seniors on the team include midfielder Brooklin Woolf, who played 12 matches last year, and midfielder Kaylee Gutierrez, who had one goal in 18 matches in her first season with CSUN in 2023.
On the offensive side, junior midfielder and forward Cassidy Imperial-Pham hit the net last season over her 18 matches played as she has two goals and seven points in her CSUN career. Fellow junior midfielder Yoshi Rubalcava netted her first goal for CSUN last season and saw action in 18 matches. On the backline, CSUN returns junior Sami Kolin and sophomore Paige Califf along with junior midfielders Jackie Victorio, Cailey Jackson and Cami Alarcon, and sophomore midfielders Savannah Estrada and Priyanka Pottekkat. Junior forward Sunny Bowlin-Stacy and junior goalkeeper Kennedy Williams round out the returning letterwinners.
Returning back to the field after missing all of last season will be sophomore defender Samantha Healy, who last played in 2022, as well as junior goalkeeper Riley Liebsack and freshman forward Jordyn Canister.
MEET THE MATADORS
Brewer has brought in seven newcomers, six of which freshman, in her first recruiting class with CSUN.
On defense, Gabriella Sanchez is the team's lone transfer this season. She lettered two seasons at Mt. San Antonio College where she was a teammate of current Matador Kaylee Gutierrez. Sanchez registered six points and two goals in helping Mt. SAC to a division championship and a conference tournament runner-up finish this past season. She also won a conference title with Mt. SAC as a freshman in 2021.
Freshman defender Sydney Lipkin joins CSUN from Bothell High School in Washington where she was an all-state prep player and played club for Seattle United. Michelle Monroy is also a freshman defender who attended Pacifica High School and played club soccer with Eagles SC while fellow freshman defender Ella Witherspoon was an all-state player for Issaquah High School while she played club for Eastside FC.
In the midfield, Bryanna Lozano graduated from Norte Vista High School and competed for Legends FC. Keilani Claiborne has also been added to the team as she joins forces with her sister Angelica Claiborne. The younger Claiborne won a CIF San Diego Section title with Monte Vista High School last year and competed for Rebels SC.
Forward Kayden Perigo rounds out the incoming class. Perigo totaled 22 goals with Capital High School last year while she played club for Washington Premier FC.
LOOKING AT THE POLLS
The Matadors were picked to finish 11th in the 2024 Big West Women's Soccer Preseason Coaches' Poll. Long Beach State was tabbed to win the conference after garnering six first-place votes by the conference's head coaches.
SCOUTING CALIFORNIA BAPTIST
CBU went 11-2-6 overall last season with a 6-0-3 record in the WAC. After taking second place last season in the WAC, the Lancers were picked to finish fourth in the conference in 2024. In the 36-member roster, CBU has brought in 16 newcomers this season. Taylor Summit is among the team's top returners as she collected WAC Preseason Defender of the Year honors this season. Other key returners include Jayden Ramirez and Marcella Brooks, which combined for 10 goals last season.
Series History: CSUN and CBU have played just once in women's soccer during regular season play with the Matadors coming out on top 2-1 two seasons ago in Riverside. Ashley Cruz had the winning goal with a strike in the 66th minute.
SCOUTING TEXAS TECH
The Red Raiders were ranked No. 8 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25. Last season, Texas Tech went 16-2-5 overall and 8-0-2 in the Big 12 as the team advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 round. After winning the Big 12 last season, Texas Tech was picked to finish second in the conference this season. Sam Courtwright, who netted five goals with eight assists in 2023, was named a Preseason All-America Third Team selection this season. Along with Courtwright, the trio of Macy Blackburn, Kylie Bahr and Ashleigh Williams were named Preseason All-Big 12. Williams had a team-high 14 goals last season.
Series History: Texas Tech leads CSUN 4-0 in the all-time series. The teams last competed in 2018 in Northridge with the Red Raiders coming out on top 2-0.
#GoMatadors
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