The Black and Blue Rivalry Series begins for the Long Beach State women’s soccer and volleyball teams Friday evening, and both squads find the UC Irvine Anteaters closely chasing them in the Big West standings.
While women’s soccer looks to remain in first place in the conference standings, women’s volleyball – coming off a tough loss to Cal Poly on Saturday– is intent on fending off UCI while trying to keep pace with Cal Poly for first place.
Women’s soccer head coach Mauricio Ingrassia said he was impressed with his team’s resurgence in Sunday’s 1-0 victory over UC Riverside. He called the victory “the team’s best performance yet.” LBSU had 17 shots and allowed only three from the Highlanders.
LBSU now turns its attention to UCI, a place the 49ers have never won at. In four games at UCI, LBSU has been outscored 10-4 in the losses. The team’s biggest opportunity to win at UCI was in 2003, when it lost 3-2 in overtime under former head coach Peter Reynaud.
Ingrassia, however, is the only LBSU women’s soccer head coach in history to defeat UCI. In fact, he has done it twice: a 3-1 home victory in his first season (2004) and a 3-0 win last year at George Allen Field.
For the women’s soccer team to remain the conference’s best, it must overcome its historic woes in Irvine. UCI, 3-1 in conference play, is on a three-game winning streak. The Anteaters have scored six goals and allowed only two during the streak, but are only 2-2-1 at home so far this season.
UCI possesses a similar defensive presence to LBSU. Both teams have allowed 13 goals, but the 49ers have seven shutout victories, while the Anteaters have six. LBSU brings an offensive arsenal led by junior midfielders Kim Silos (six goals this season) and Hayley Bolt (four goals this season), including freshman forward Kristen Kiefer, who also has six goals. Silos also leads the team with seven assists this season.
UCI is equally dangerous, with three players with five goals this season. Midfielders Kate Berrini (sophomore) and Frankee Kelly (senior), along with freshman forward Tanya Taylor, complete a formidable trio that could challenge junior goalkeeper Liz Ramos and the defense. Freshman forward Caty Cope is an assist machine with 10 this season.
Meanwhile, winning in Irvine has not been impossible for the women’s volleyball team. LBSU has won the last two matches at UCI, both of them 3-0 victories. Overall, LBSU has won the last five matches against UCI.
LBSU’s last two wins at UCI have been statistically overwhelming. In the 49ers’ victories, they out-killed the Anteaters 103-67, while holding them to under .200 in attack percentage. LBSU’s 22.5 total team blocks in two games are twice as many as UCI’s total team blocks (11).
A win in Irvine only keeps LBSU alive in the race for first place, as Cal Poly – the only team so far to defeat the 49ers in Big West play – controls the lead. Boasting a 7-2 conference record, LBSU is now being challenged by UCI for second place. The Anteaters have been hot lately, winning four of their last five games to improve their conference record to 6-2.
While LBSU features standout senior middle blocker Alexis Crimes (285 kills, 89 blocks) and senior libero Talaya Whitfield (conference-high 5.37 digs per game), UCI counters with two outside hitters with over 300 kills each (freshman Kari Pestolesi and junior Lauren Kellerman) and a senior setter (Kristen Kelley) leading the conference in total assists with 998. The game should be a defensive stalwart, as UCI and LBSU rank first and second, respectively, in digs per game in the conference.
In all, women’s soccer and volleyball are in for tough outings, with the balance of power in the Big West Conference at stake.
