October 5, 2007

Pacific has high hopes vs. 49ers

By Jason Anderson
Record Staff Writer

STOCKTON - Pacific women's soccer coach Keith Coleman doesn't see stars when he watches his team. But he can see the moon, and the Tigers will start shooting for it when they open Big West Conference play against preseason favorite Long Beach State at 7 p.m. today at Stagg Memorial Stadium.

"I think this team is kind of a starless group," Coleman said. "Everybody's stepped it up at some point during the season, and it's going to take all of them being focused and really committed to each other to be really successful. There's no one player who can carry us."

Senior forward Bunny Dickson has team highs of five goals and 11 points. Freshman Sammi Teramae has five assists and nine points, and senior Mandi Van Dorn has three goals and eight points.

The Tigers (5-3-2) have been stellar defensively with a backline that features seniors Alisha Bledsoe, Natalie McCrackin, Montez Harrison and Christy Hickel, and sophomore Chelsea Gomes. Senior goalkeeper Jaime Souza has posted six shutouts, and Pacific leads the Big West in goals-against average (0.57), save percentage (.882) and shutout percentage (.600).

"You can say we're kind of a group of really good players that work hard, but Jaime's solid," Coleman said. "If she's not the best goalkeeper in the conference, she's being underrated."

The Tigers were picked seventh in the preseason coaches' poll, but Coleman thinks they can contend for one of four spots in the Big West Tournament on Nov. 9-11. The conference tournament winner receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Pacific hasn't been to the NCAA Tournament since 1998.

Long Beach State (7-4) is vying for its second consecutive conference title after earning a share of its first regular-season title in 2006. Defending conference tournament champion Cal State Fullerton (6-3-1, 1-0 Big West) had the best nonconference showing, followed by the 49ers, UC Irvine (5-3-1), UC Riverside (6-4) and Pacific. Cal Poly (1-7-1) and UC Santa Barbara (3-5-2) have struggled after tying for second in the preseason poll, but both may prove formidable.

"Cal Poly may be the most scary team in the conference because they're so athletic," Coleman said. "Santa Barbara had won a game or two going into conference last year and ended up being co-champions, so I don't know if that means a whole hill of beans."

Cal State Fullerton is the only Big West team with a win over a Top-25 opponent, beating then-No. 14 Cal 2-1.

The Tigers lack a signature win, though they had near misses in a 1-0 loss to No. 16 BYU in Provo, Utah, and a 2-1 loss to No. 22 San Diego State at home.

Coleman said wins would have been nice, but he believes his team's postseason hopes hinge on the next five weeks.

"Our opportunity to get into the NCAA Tournament is by doing well in the Big West," Coleman said. "We've been trying to keep our eye on the prize all year, and that means attacking the Big West to the best of our ability."