Three teams in hunt for Big West championship

With two games remaining, the Big West Conference has turned into a three-team race between Long Beach State, UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly.


LBSU sits atop the Big West standings, three points ahead of UCSB and four ahead of Cal Poly. A win over UCSB would allow the 49ers to clinch their third consecutive regular season Big West crown and have home field-advantage throughout the conference tournament starting Nov. 6.


Long Beach State 49ers (11-4-3, 5-0-1 Big West)

• Remaining matches: at UC Santa Barbara (Friday, 7 p.m.), at Cal Poly (Sunday, noon)

• LBSU has notched back-to-back shutouts heading into the road trip. All four of the 49ers' defeats this season have been by one goal; they out-shot opponents, 44-37, in the losses.


• Midfielders Lindsay Bullock and Hayley Bolt lead the 49ers with nine and seven goals, respectively.


UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (11-5-1, 4-1-1 Big West)

• Remaining matches: vs. Long Beach State (Friday, 7 p.m.) At UC Irvine (Sunday 5 p.m.)

• The second-place Gauchos carry a four-match unbeaten streak into tomorrow's contest, coming off wins over Cal Poly and UC Davis.


• Forward Genelle Ives leads the Gauchos' attack with eight goals and six assists. Jacqui Simon has five goals and six assists. UCSB has outscored opponents 33-17 this season.


Cal Poly Mustangs (9-8-0, 4-2-0 Big West)

• Remaining matches: vs. UC Irvine (Friday, 7 p.m.), vs. Long Beach State (Sunday, noon)

• To win the Big West regular season title, Cal Poly needs to win its two remaining matches, while needing the Gauchos to defeat LBSU and lose to UCI.


• The Mustangs have a 1.24 goals against average this season, outscoring opponents 27-21.


• Forward Ashley Vallis leads the third-place Mustangs with four goals and two assists. Midfielders Morgan Miller and Tiffany Gummow are tied with four goals and one assist each.