Soccer, Sports, Women's Sports

Looking ahead at LBSU, women’s soccer Big West Tournament

The Long Beach State women’s soccer team starts as the No. 1 seed in Big West Tournament for the first time in seven years.

Grabbing the top seed in the tournament, which starts on Thursday in Fullerton, means that LBSU will avoid facing the host team and get a much-desired rematch with UC Riverside, the only team in the tournament that the 49ers failed to beat.

“[The loss] fresh in our minds,” head coach Mauricio Ingrassia said. “We’ll use it to motivate us.”

The Highlanders upset the 49ers 2-1 at George Allen Field on Oct. 16 thanks to two long-range strikes from midfielder Blanca Barrio. UCR got the win despite being outshot by LBSU 13-7. Junior midfielder Mimi Rangel is convinced Thursday’s result will be different.

“It’s redemption time for us,” Rangel said. “And this time, when it comes around, I know we’re not going to let this opportunity go to waste.”

The 49ers will be wary of Barrio when they meet her on the field at Titan Stadium. Ingrassia said they’ll keep an eye on her and senior forward Tyler Cunninham, but the majority of the focus will be on his own team.

“We just get ready for anyone that comes up,” Ingrassia said. “We’re really just focused mostly on ourselves.”

Cal State Fullerton and UC Santa Barbara will battle it out in the other half of the tournament bracket. LBSU got a pair of 1-0 wins against both teams with sophomore striker Ashley Gonzales bagging both game winning goals.

LBSU claimed their victory over the Titans three minutes into overtime in the conference opener on Oct. 4. Gonzales netted her fifth goal of the season on her eighth shot of the game against Fullerton, and then she scored her sixth goal exactly a week later for the game winner against UCSB.

Titans’ senior striker Rebecca Wilson went on a tear after the LBSU backline shut her down, scoring eight goals in the next seven games. Wilson’s eight goals brought her season total to 18; the fourth highest goal total in Big West history.

Senior Christina Burkenroad also powers a robust Fullerton offense. The fullback leads the Big West with 10 assists and is second on the team with seven goals. Her and Wilson have set each other up for 11 of CSUF’s 38 goals.

The Gauchos have their own one-two punch in freshman midfielder Mallory Hromatko and sophomore striker Amanda Ball. Both players have four goals with two assists each in conference play.

“When it comes to Santa Barbara and Fullerton, that’s just a game that is going to come down to ‘who wants it more,’” Rangel said. “We for sure do, especially if we play Fullerton again. That’s an emotional game for us.”

The 49ers didn’t allow a single goal or assist from Wilson, Burkenroad, Hromatko or Ball the first time around, but it’s always tougher to repeat great performances.

“Basically it’s going to come down to what we can do,” said junior goalie Ashton McKeown, who was the starter until she injured her shoulder earlier in the season. “We just need to control ourselves, it’s all we can really focus on.”

The biggest question surrounding LBSU is: how will freshman goalkeeper Imani McDonald respond to the starting role at such a crucial part of the season? She has two shutouts and three wins in her first three starts, and Ingrassia said he feels good about his young keeper.

LBSU starts the Tournament against UC Riverside on Thursday at 5 p.m. in Titan Stadium.

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