SAN FRANCISCO -- Both the SF State men’s and women’s soccer teams will begin their 2010 season this Labor Day weekend. The Gator women will face two non-conference regional opponents in Western Washington and Central Washington, while the men’s squad will host Menlo College.
GATOR WOMEN
SF State’s women will face Western Washington on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 2:30 p.m. in a neutral-site game at Chico. Then on Labor Day at noon, Central Washington will travel to SF State’s Cox Stadium for an early important West Regional game.
The Gators finished the 2009 season with an 8-8-4 overall record and a 6-7-3 mark in conference play, finishing tied for second in the CCAA North Division. Head coach Jack Hyde returns 10 letterwinners from last year’s team, including eight starters. Of the returnees, the Gators return second leading goal scorer and All-CCAA performer
Carly Bliss (San Diego, California, Ranch Bernardo), who tallied four goals last year. In addition, Coach Hyde returns another All-CCAA performer in
Myriah Johnson (Lakewood, Washington, Clover Park). She scored three goals last season, including two game-winners and had four assists. Sophomore
Nicole Vanni (Manteca, California, Sierra ) is back after her freshman season in which she scored three goals and totaled four assists.
Sophomore Nicole Vanni is the Gators' Returning Leading Scorer
SF State also returns its goalkeeper in
Annicia Jones (Sacramento, California, West Campus), who posted a 0.77 goals against average along with 47 saves and six shutouts.
GATOR MEN
The Gator men will host a pair of non-conference games next week beginning with their regular-season home opener against Menlo College on Labor Day at 3 p.m. SF State finished the season with a 6-10-4 overall record, including a 3-9-4 mark in the CCAA which placed them in sixth place in the North Division.
Head Coach Joe Hunter returns 11 letterwinners from last year’s team, including seven starters. Sophomore
Edgar Villagrana (Pittsburg, California, Pittsburg) is the Gators’ leading returning scorer with six goals and two game-winners. Also returning for the Gators is junior
Antonio Ugarte (Danville, Calforna, San Ramon Valley ), who scored four goals along with
Sasha Chalak (Concord, California, Acalanes) (two goals and one assist) and
Charles Conway (Albuquerque, New Mexico, University of New Mexico) (one goal and two assists).
SF State returns all three goalkeepers in
Mike McNeill (Oakdale, California, Cal State Stanislaus),
Eric Scolman (Oceanside, California, Oceanside), and
Thomas Comer (Danville, California, San Ramon Valley). McNeill saw action in ten matches and posted a 1.03 goals against average while recording 50 saves and three shutouts. Scolman saw action in eight matches and had a 1.39 goals against average with 27 saves and one shutout while Comer had 18 saves in four matches.
Mike McNeill Posted a 1.03 GAA Last Year in His First Season as One of the Gators' Goalie
After their non-conference matches, the Gators will host their conference opener on Friday, Sept. 10 against Cal State Stanislaus. The men’s match will start at 12:30 p.m., with the women to follow at 3 p.m.