With the season quickly coming to an end, the Long Beach State women’s soccer team has only four games left on its schedule before the start of the Big West Conference Tournament.
Every game for the 49ers (5-5-5) will be crucial because so few games are left to help them improve in the standings. Their remaining opponents – Hawaii, UC Davis, Cal State Northridge and UC Riverside – have a combined record of 6-6-3, half of those wins coming from CSUN.
Past performance isn’t always an indicator for future results, but a look at how the 49ers have fared against their remaining opponents in years past can give some insight into how they will finish the season.
The Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors didn’t join the Big West until 2012, but they have struggled against LBSU since 2011. The 49ers are unbeaten in their last three matches against the Warriors, and LBSU outscored them 8-0.
Last year’s match at George Allen Field ended in a 0-0 double overtime draw.
Since 2009, the 49ers are 3-1-1 against UC Davis, with all five of the matches decided by a goal or less. The Beach has a chance to break the trend of close matches against the Aggies when they travel to Sacramento on Sunday, because Davis has not won a home game since the end of August.
The 49ers have struggled in recent years against CSUN though, losing their last three meetings against the Matadors. None of the losses were blowouts – each was decided by a single goal.
The Matadors figure to be a difficult challenge again for the 49ers when they play at George Allen Field for LBSU’s last home game of the season. Despite a losing overall record, Northridge is undefeated in Big West play (3-0).
The 49ers have had success against UCR the last five years, except last year’s 2-1 loss, which snapped their three-game winning streak. Before last year, the 49ers outscored the Highlanders nine to one in three matches from 2010 to 2012.
There are many variables that can affect the outcome of games: injuries, player ejections, poor officiating and bad luck. However, if past years’ trends hold up, the 49ers will be in prime position entering conference tournament play.
2014 Big West Conference Stats
Goals (Team leaders)
- UC Santa Barbara – 27
- Hawaii – 26
- Cal Poly – 25
- UC Riverside – 24
- Cal State Fullerton – 15
- Long Beach State – 15
- UC Irvine – 15
- Cal State Northridge – 12
- UC Davis – 9
Assists (team leaders)
- UC Riverside – 25
- UC Santa Barbara – 25
- Cal Poly – 23
- Long Beach State – 16
- UC Irvine – 15
- Hawaii – 14
- Cal State Fullerton – 12
- Cal State Northridge – 11
- UC Davis – 7
Goals (Individual leaders)
- Elise Krieghoff (Cal Poly) – 11
- Rebecca Wilson (Cal State Fullerton) – 7
- Ashley Gonzales (Long Beach State)– 6
- Storm Kenui (Hawaii) – 5
Megan Abutin (Cal Poly) – 5