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Nov. 1, 2009

CAL STATE EAST BAY FALLS ON SENIOR DAY

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HAYWARD, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay men's soccer team closed out its first season in the CCAA with a 2-0 loss to seventh-ranked Cal State LA on Sunday afternoon. The Pioneers honored senior Alex Reyes during Senior Day festivities prior to the match and finish the year with a 1-19-0 overall record and an 0-16-0 mark in league play.

"LA is a very strong and deep team," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "We never gave up and played with commitment."

Kristian Gaustad put the Golden Eagles up by a goal early on, scoring from 15 yards in the 23rd minute. The goal came after a Mauricio Barrett corner kick found Gaustad in the box, where he settled the ball and put his shot past East Bay keeper Cesar Villa.

The Golden Eagles controlled possession in the first frame, throwing 11 shots at Villa, who needed five saves to hold the 52nd ranked scoring offense in Division II to a single goal in the opening half. On the other end, the Pioneers notched three shots, putting two on target in the half.

The second frame brought more of the same from the Golden Eagles, who took another 14 shots. Frederico Cino added the insurance goal for Cal State LA in the 71st minute. After winning a free kick at the top of the box in Cal State East Bay's end, Cino curled the strike around the wall, hooking his shot just inside of the top of the goal and off the crossbar for the goal. The strike marked Cino's 10th of the season and gave the Golden Eagles a 2-0 lead.

All told, the Golden Eagles out-shot the Pioneers 25-4, forcing Villa to make 11 saves. Gaustad paced all players with five shots in the match, while four players notched a shot each for Cal State East Bay. Cal State LA freshman keeper Jose Martinez posted his first win of the season, making two saves in the shutout.

Reyes capped his East Bay career with one of the Pioneers two shots on goal, playing the full 90 minutes in the loss. The Stockton native played two seasons at San Joaquin Delta College before joining the Pioneers this year. Reyes finished the season with two assists and 20 shots in 18 starts.

"We will miss Reyes," Cumbo said. "He had a good senior year."

Oct. 30, 2009

DEFENDING CHAMPS UPEND CAL STATE EAST BAY MEN

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HAYWARD, Calif. - Despite holding Cal State Dominguez Hills scoreless for the final 75 minutes on Friday afternoon, the Cal State East Bay men's soccer team could not overcome three early goals for the Toros, falling 3-0 at Pioneer Field. Defending national champion Dominguez Hills got a hat trick from Greg Piechota in the first 15 minutes of the match and took 31 shots in its second win of the season over the Pioneers.

"We were loose defensively early on and Dominguez Hills responded with three goals," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "Our organization improved as we progressed."

The Toros needed just six minutes to get on the board in the first half. Piechota scored the eventual game winner in the 7th minute after Andrew Marinez played a ball to him in the left corner. Piechota then curled his shot from 25 yards just inside of the far post to beat East Bay freshman keeper Cesar Villa, who had already faced five Dominguez shots.

The barrage of shots continued as the Toros dominated possession, rarely leaving the Pioneer end in the opening frame. Piechota notched his second goal less than four minutes later. Finding himself free in the box and drawing Villa out, Piechota ripped a shot from 10 yards into the open net to give Dominguez Hills a 2-0 lead.

Piechota completed the hat trick four minutes later, after receiving a near-perfect long cross from Marco Pulido on the right flank. The cross from nearly 40 yards out found Pulido on the far post where he headed it home for his third goal of the match and fifth of the season, giving the Toros a 3-0 lead with almost 30 minutes remaining in the opening frame.

The Pioneers struggled to maintain possession, but had one quality chance in the opening half. After winning a ball in the CSUDH end, freshman midfielder Chris Prado blasted a shot but sent it straight to Toro keeper Markus Dickerson, who made the save to keep East Bay scoreless.

All told, Dominguez Hills notched 21 shots in the first half, keeping Villa and his backline busy. The Hayward native made seven saves on the Toros' 10 shots on goal in the first frame and got help from the defense who blocked another five strikes.

Though Cal State Dominguez Hills continued to control the pace of play after the break, the Pioneer defense rose to the task of holding the Toros off. CSUEB held the Toros to just 10 shots, with Villa making five stops including a diving save that sent him flying parallel to the crossbar midway through the half.

The Pioneers created several chances late in the half, getting help from junior Sean Lynum-Young and senior Alex Reyes to win possession in the midfield. One of East Bay's best opportunities came in the 80th minute, when Lynum-Young's shot required Dickerson to send it over the crossbar. Lynum-Young got another chance on the ensuing corner kick but sent his shot wide.

"Sean [Lynum-Young] worked really hard and Reyes had a great game," Cumbo said. "He is playing his best right now."

The second half saw the Pioneers notch three shots, tripling their first-half output. Dickerson needed three saves in the match to maintain the blanking, while Villa finished the match with a career-high 12 stops on the Toros' 31 shots. Piechota paced all players with 10 shots, followed closely by Alex Munoz' nine. On the other side, Lynum-Young led East Bay with two strikes.

Cal State East Bay will close out the season this Sunday against No. 7 Cal State LA. The Pioneers will be looking for redemption against the Golden Eagles, who notched a 4-0 win over CSUEB on Oct. 16. East Bay will honor its lone senior in Reyes prior to the match which is set to kick off at 2 p.m. at Pioneer Field.

Oct. 29, 2009

PIONEERS TO CAP SEASON WITH PAIR OF TOUGH TESTS

HAYWARD, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay men's and women's soccer teams will close out their first season in the California Collegiate Athletic Association with a pair of matches against the two of the top teams in the league this weekend at Pioneer Field. The Pioneers will play host to Cal State Dominguez Hills on Friday before celebrating Senior Day on Sunday against Cal State LA. The games mark the second time in three weeks that the teams will meet, with East Bay looking for redemption after falling to the Toros and Golden Eagles in the first round of the South Division matchups.

The Pioneer men will meet the Toros at 3 p.m. on Friday afternoon before honoring lone senior Alex Reyes before Sunday's matchup with No. 7 Cal State LA at 2 p.m. Cal State East Bay is looking to continue its improved play of late after holding opponents to just two goals last weekend and holding the 30th-ranked scoring offense in Division II to just one goal in Sunday's 1-0 overtime loss to Cal State San Bernardino. Despite losing several starters to injury, the Pioneers have battled through and are looking to end their first season under Head Coach Andy Cumbo on a high note.

Freshman midfielder Michael Rossi leads the squad with three goals and six points on the year, but is out for the season after suffering a foot injury. Sophomore midfielders Manny Cardenas and Arnoldo Mendoza are tied for second the squad with five points apiece. Freshmen keepers Billy Morales and Cesar Villa have shared time in goal, with Villa making each of the last five starts between the posts. East Bay is still searching for its first CCAA victory, but face a tough task against the Toros and Golden Eagles this weekend.

On the men's side for Dominguez Hills, the Toros carry a 12-5-1 mark overall and a 9-4-1 conference record into the final week of the season. CSUDH is ranked fourth in the West Region and is led by Andrew Marinez' six goals and 16 points on the season. Keeper Markus Dickerson has posted seven shutouts and an 0.84 goals against average this year.

Sunday's meeting with Cal State LA will see the Pioneers looking to contain the 52nd ranked scoring offense in Division II. The Golden Eagles boast the best record in the CCAA with a 15-2-1 mark overall and an 11-2-1 record in league play. Frederico Cino leads LA with 26 points on nine goals and eight assists in 2009, while keeper Tobias Hummel has notched all 15 wins for the Golden Eagles and has compiled an 0.84 goals against average so far.

Sunday will mark the final day in the Red and Black for Cal State East Bay seniors Carissa Martin, Britanie Strei and Alex Reyes. Martin and Strei are four-year letterwinners for Head Coach Amy Gerace. Strei has been a key cog in the Pioneer defense during her career, while Martin has been an important reserve for East Bay over the past four years. Reyes joined the Pioneer men after two seasons at San Joaquin Delta College and has notched two assists in his first year at East Bay.

The final weekend of play for Cal State East Bay soccer gets underway on Friday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. as the women take on the Toros, while the men kick off the second game of the doubleheader at 3 p.m. Sunday's Senior Day festivities open with the women's match with Cal State LA at 11:30 a.m., followed by the men at 2 p.m.

PIONEERS CLIPPED BY CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO IN OVERTIME, 1-0

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HAYWARD, Calif. - Despite a gritty performance with an injury-plagued lineup, the Cal State East Bay men's soccer team dropped a heartbreaker, 1-0, to Cal State San Bernardino in overtime on Sunday afternoon at Pioneer Field. The Pioneers hung with the Coyotes - ranked fourth in the West Region - for nearly 95 minutes before Danny Rodriguez put away the game-winning golden goal in the first overtime period.

"The guys came ready and played hard for 95 minutes," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "That was our most complete game yet. Our midfield and front line played well together. It's clear from our recent results that we are making progress."

The first half saw the Coyotes control possession, notching six shots and keeping the ball in the Pioneer end for a majority of the period. San Bernardino took six shots, forcing freshman keeper Cesar Villa to make two saves in the initial 45 minutes to keep the Coyotes scoreless.

On the other end, the Pioneers created a few opportunities in the opening frame, but took just one shot. Cal State San Bernardino keeper Tanner Olinger, making his first start of the season, didn't make a save in the first half, as the teams went to the break locked in a scoreless tie.

Coming out of the half, Cal State East Bay looked determined to put a shot into the back of the net. With the sun in Olinger's eyes, the Pioneers set out to disrupt and pester the keeper and his backline, looking to capitalize on any mistake. The opening 25 minutes of the half saw East Bay match the Coyotes' offensive output, taking four shots and forcing two saves.

As the second frame continued, the Pioneers looked on the verge of putting away a goal. In the 84th minute, East Bay had one of its best chances as freshman midfielder Alex Dickerson's header off a free kick from freshman midfielder Tyler Andersen went just wide of goal. Two minutes later, a cross came into the box for the Pioneers which found the head of junior midfielder Sean Lynum-Young and was nearly tapped in by junior forward Aric Johnson, but Olinger came up with the save to keep the game tied at the end of regulation.

The Pioneers finished the second half with six shots, putting four on target. Villa made another two saves in the second frame, including a key stop from close range on a shot from Demetri Burgos in the 70th minute, and faced five Coyote shots in the half.

"Villa had a big save in each half to keep us in the match," Cumbo said.

With its South Division second-place standing on the line, Cal State San Bernardino regrouped to open the first overtime period and scored the game winner five minutes later. After bringing the ball into the box, Jose Godinez ripped a shot that hit the left post and rebounded out to Rodriguez who put away his eighth score of the season to lead the Coyotes to their 14th win of the season.

All told, Cal State San Bernardino took 14 shots in the match, forcing Villa to make five saves, while Olinger needed four stops on East Bay's eight shots to record his first win and shutout of the year. Godinez and Burgos paced San Bernardino with three shots apiece, while Johnson and Lynum-Young both notched two shots for CSUEB.

Despite the loss, the Pioneers made it clear that they have improved since their first meeting with San Bernardino, a 7-0 loss on Sept. 25. With redemption still on the mind, Cal State East Bay will now cap the 2009 season with home dates against Cal State Dominguez Hills and No. 10 Cal State LA. Both the Toros and Golden Eagles recorded victories over the Pioneers last weekend in Southern California. CSUEB will host Dominguez Hills on Friday at 3 p.m. before welcoming Cal State LA on Sunday at 2 p.m. for Senior Day at Pioneer Field.

Oct. 23, 2009

CAL STATE EAST BAY EDGED BY CAL POLY POMONA, 1-0

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HAYWARD, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay men's soccer team gave up just one goal against Cal Poly Pomona on Friday afternoon, but the single score was just enough as the Broncos snuck past the Pioneers, 1-0, at Pioneer Field. An injury-riddled CSUEB squad battled to the end, but could not find the back of the net and continues its hunt for its first CCAA victory.

"We have a lot of injuries and players in positions that they are not used to," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "The guys are fighters and never gave up."

The opening half saw both squads create some decent opportunities and set the tone for a physical match. Early on, Cal State East Bay created a chance, as midfielder Chris Prado brought the ball into the box before a pair of Cal Poly Pomona defenders won the ball back to clear it.

The Pioneers earned eight free kicks in the first frame and notched six shots to Pomona's five, but could not find the back of the net. Bronco keeper Ryan Thomas needed three saves to keep East Bay scoreless in the first 45 minutes, and faced three corner kicks in the half. On the other end, the Broncos struggled to put a ball on target, as freshman keeper Cesar Villa didn't make a save in the opening frame.

The Broncos came out of the break looking to score. East Bay second-half substitution Billy Morales stepped up in goal, making four saves in 45 minutes. The Broncos got a good chance in the 67th minute, as Dustin Suppe saw his shot cleared off the goal line by a header from Pioneer freshman defender Ryan Herriage.

With the momentum shifting the Broncos' way, Suppe put away the game winner in the 70th minute, heading home a corner kick from Miguel Abascal to beat East Bay second-half keeper Billy Morales. The goal was Suppe's fifth of the season and gave the Broncos the 1-0 lead.

The Broncos continued to work in the Cal State East Bay end, pressuring Morales and the backline. Suppe and midfielder Derek Lindsey combined to force Morales to make another three saves in the final 20 minutes. Morales also got help from the woodwork, making two second-half saves that deflected off his hands and clanged off the frame to keep the Broncos out of the back of the net.

The Pioneers, however, were not deterred, as they turned up the offensive pressure in the final minutes of the match. Freshman defender Jeff Nolan had two of East Bay's best chances of the match with less than five minutes remaining. The first came in the 88th minute when the Pioneer's won a free kick in the Pomona end and freshman midfielder Tyler Andersen played a ball into the box, where Nolan's header was pushed over the bar by Thomas. With less than a minute left, Nolan got his head on a ball in the box again, nearly sending junior Aric Johnson's long throw into the back of the net, missing just wide.

"Jeff [Nolan] had some good chances at the end," Cumbo said. "We just couldn't close the deal."

Despite being without the services of several key players, including leading scorer Michael Rossi and center back Andy Pauley, the Pioneers managed to hang with Cal Poly Pomona, notching 13 shots to the Broncos' 16. Suppe and Lindsey led Pomona with three shots apiece, while Nolan paced the Pioneers with three strikes of his own.

Defensively, Thomas needed six saves to post his second blank sheet of the season. For Cal State East Bay, Morales notched four saves while Villa didn't need a stop to hold the Broncos scoreless in the opening frame.

Cal State East Bay returns to action this Sunday, playing host to Cal State San Bernardino at Pioneer Field. The Pioneers will be looking to return the favor after falling to the Coyotes in San Bernardino earlier this season. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.

"We play a strong team on Sunday," Cumbo said. "We're looking forward to getting back on the field."

Oct. 18, 2009

PIONEER MEN KNOCKED OFF BY DEFENDING CHAMPS

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CARSON, Calif. - Despite holding defending national champion Cal State Dominguez Hills to two goals in the first half and trailing by a single goal through most of the second frame, the Cal State East Bay men's soccer team dropped a 4-1 decision to the Toros in Carson on Sunday. The Pioneers snapped a two-match scoreless streak in the loss that capped their road schedule for the 2009 season.

"Cal State Dominguez Hills is a solid team that likes to go forward," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "We had a strong start to the second half and scored a really nice goal."

Dominguez Hills opened scoring in the first half, taking a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute after a goal from Brian Alvarez. Andrew Marinez collected a loose ball deep in the Pioneer end before feeding it to Alvarez who beat CSUEB freshman keeper Cesar Villa for his third goal of the season.

With less than three minutes remaining in the half, the Toros struck again, getting a goal from Scott Locken at the 42:52 point. Greg Piechota played a cross into the box, connecting with Locken who put it away inside the right post to give Cal State Dominguez Hills a two-goal advantage heading into the break.

The East Bay defense had its hands full in the first half, as the Toros controlled offensive possession, taking 19 shots and putting seven on target. Villa needed six saves to hold Dominguez Hills to the two-goal lead. Villa also got help from his backline and the woodwork, as the Toros had three shots blocked and another hit the post in the opening frame.

The Pioneers came out of the half looking to reel the Toros back in, and did just that, cutting the lead to one goal in the 53rd minute. After linking up with senior midfielder Alex Reyes, sophomore forward Arnoldo Mendoza played a cross in for sophomore midfielder Manny Cardenas, who beat Dominguez Hills keeper Mitch Weeks to break a 235-minute Pioneer scoring drought.

Looking to draw even, the Pioneers continued to pressure the Cal State Dominguez Hills defense and had the ball deep in the Toros' end in the 74th minute. The Dominguez Hills defense, however, won the ball on the endline and initiated a counter-attack that ended with Scott Mariano and Alvarez combining for a give-and-go at the top of the box to beat East Bay freshman keeper Billy Morales. The goal was Alvarez' second of the day and gave the Toros a 3-1 advantage in the 76th minute.

"We kept pressing and had the ball in their box a few times," Cumbo said. "We left ourselves exposed and they countered."

Cal State Dominguez Hills added another in the 88th minute, as Alex Munoz played a ball from the central midfield for Andre Turoldo who scored from the top of the box. Turoldo notched his second score of the year and gave the Toros their final 4-1 lead.

Weeks and first-half keeper Markus Dickerson needed no saves to combine for the shutout, facing just two Cal State East Bay shots. On the other end Morales and Villa made eight total saves in the loss and saw the Toros put 16 of their 27 total shots on frame.

With the road schedule now complete, the Pioneers return home for their four remaining games this season. Cal State East Bay will host rematches with Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State San Bernardino this weekend before closing out the slate against the Toros and Cal State LA on Oct. 30 and Nov. 1, respectively.

"We're looking forward to playing these teams again at home," Cumbo said.

Oct. 16, 2009

CAL STATE EAST BAY DOWNED BY NO. 13 CAL STATE LA

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LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay men's soccer team battled 13th-ranked Cal State LA, falling to the Golden Eagles, 4-0 on Friday evening at Jesse Owens Stadium. The match marked the Pioneers' second meeting with a nationally ranked team in the last four games.

"Cal State LA is a good team and we struggled to compete with them," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "We are a little thin from injuries but we are still working hard."

An injury-stricken East Bay squad allowed two goals in each half, while failing to find the back of the net for the seventh time this season. Cal State LA opened scoring in the seventh minute, as Hector Macias fed a ball to Mauricio Barrett who connected to give the Golden Eagles an early 1-0 lead.

Macias got in on the action again in the 25th minute, driving home the Eagles' second score of the game after getting an assist from Frederico Cino to beat Pioneer freshman keeper Cesar Villa, making his second straight start.

The East Bay offense struggled to get organized against a defense that boasts the 33rd-ranked goals against average in Division II. The Pioneers managed just a single shot in the first frame, while Villa and the backline faced 16 Golden Eagle shots, including nine on goal, in the opening 45 minutes.

The second half saw more of the same from Cal State LA, who scored early on again after being awarded a penalty kick in the 55th minute. Aza Gomez stepped up to the spot and converted, beating Cal State East Bay halftime substitution Billy Morales to take a three-goal lead.

The Golden Eagles continued their offensive assault, for the full 90, scoring their fourth and final goal in the 85th minute. Macias notched his fourth point of the match, playing a ball for Spencer Tripp who beat Morales for the score.

All told, Cal State LA finished the match out-shooting the Pioneers 30-3, putting 18 of those strikes on frame. Morales, Villa and the East Bay defense combined to make 14 saves, while Eagles' keeper Tobias Hummel needed just two saves through 61 minutes of play to post his 12th victory of the season and get his team back on track after falling twice last week. Derrek Horn and Tripp paced all players with six shots apiece for Cal State LA, while three players accounted for one shot each for East Bay.

The Pioneers' final road trip of the season does not get any easier this Sunday, as they travel to defending national champion Cal State Dominguez Hills for an 11:30 a.m. kickoff. The Toros just slipped past UC San Diego on Friday afternoon, topping the Tritons, 3-2. Dominguez Hills brings a 9-5-1 overall record and an 8-4-1 mark in CCAA play into Sunday's match. The game will be broadcast live online here.

"We play a strong team Sunday and we will be mentally prepared to play," Cumbo said.

Oct. 11, 2009

CAL STATE EAST BAY FALLS AT UC SAN DIEGO, 2-0

Final box score

LA JOLLA, Calif. - In its second meeting with UC San Diego in three days, the Cal State East Bay men's soccer team could not overcome an early Tritons goal, falling 2-0 at RIMAC Field on Sunday afternoon. Despite playing with a man-advantage for nearly 55 minutes, the Pioneers failed to find the back of the net and are still looking for their first win in CCAA play.

"Overall I think we made some small improvements today," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "Unfortunately it wasn't enough to get a result at this level."

The Tritons opened scoring in the fourth minute after winning a free kick in the Pioneer end. Jonathan Sawyer took the kick, bouncing the ball into the box where Aaron McDowell headed the ball in from the left side. The goal was McDowell's first of the season and gave UCSD a 1-0 lead.

UCSD continued to pester the East Bay backline, taking 10 shots in the first half. With 10 minutes remaining in the half, a red card to forward Mikel Samaniego left the Tritons playing a man down for the remainder of the match. CSUEB nearly took advantage of the opportunity immediately, nearly scoring minutes after the send off and finishing the first half with three shots.

"We didn't get off to a fast start," Cumbo said. "But we responded well and continued to work."

After being out-shot 10-3 in the first frame, Cal State East Bay came out for the second half looking to put away the tying goal. Despite taking 10 shots in the second half and playing with a man-advantage, the Pioneers struggled to possess the ball and could not find the back of the net.

"Once they went down a man, it really changed the composition of the game," Cumbo said. "We needed to possess the ball and move forward but we couldn't take advantage. We were somewhat effective and made some improvements in the second half. However, we're very young and inexperienced, especially when playing up a man. We were forced to adjust our style of play."

On the other end, UC San Diego notched another 14 shots in the half, scoring on the counter-attack in the 77th minute, as Kian Malek received a cross from Shane Micheil and beat East Bay keeper Cesar Villa to give the Tritons a two-goal lead.

UCSD finished the match with a 24-13 shooting advantage, forcing Villa to make four saves in the loss. Sawyer paced all players with four shots, while junior midfielder Aric Johnson led the Pioneers with four strikes. UCSD keeper Peter Akman needed three saves to record the shutout.

The Pioneers now look ahead to a next weekend which holds a challenging trip to Southern California to face defending national champion Cal State Dominguez Hills and No. 1 Cal State LA.

"We're going to get back home and get back to work," Cumbo said. "We still have time to make progress. There's still a lot of the season left."

Oct. 9, 2009

PIONEERS EDGED BY UC SAN DIEGO IN THRILLER, 3-2

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HAYWARD, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay men's soccer team battled to the final seconds, but was thwarted by the woodwork, falling to UC San Diego on Friday afternoon, 3-2, at Pioneer Field. The Pioneers nearly sent the match to overtime, hitting the post with just seven ticks remaining, but will get a chance at redemption on Sunday afternoon when they meet the Tritons in La Jolla.

"The guys played hard all the way to the end," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "That was a very exciting end to the match. During the game we made a few mistakes that we shouldn't still be making and UCSD capitalized. The guys are fighting, they're still hungry and competitive. That was clear today."

Trailing 3-1, with under five minutes to play, East Bay turned up the heat on the UC San Diego defense, winning a corner kick in the 88th minute. The corner found freshman midfielder Alex Dickerson whose header forced Triton keeper Peter Akman to make a save. The rebound came out to freshman forward Dustin Stevens, an 85th-minute substitution, who got a head on the ball, hitting the crossbar. Stevens' rebound fell in front of freshman defender Michael Rossi who connected to cut the UCSD advantage to one. The goal was Rossi's team-leading third of the season, while the assist marked Stevens' first career point.

With a chance to send the match to overtime in sight, the Pioneers continued to pressure the UCSD defense, keeping the ball in the Tritons' end for the remainder of the match. With the seconds ticking down in the final minute, freshman midfielder Tyler Andersen quickly took a corner for Cal State East Bay from the right side. The ball came through the box, finding sophomore forward Arnoldo Mendoza, whose curling shot appeared to be on its way into the back of the net but instead clanged off the post. The rebound came out to freshman defender Jeff Nolan who nearly nearly put it away with four seconds left, however a UCSD defender made the win-saving block to close out the match.

"I think Mike Rossi did a great job playing center back and had a great individaul effort to score that second goal," Cumbo said. "Tyler Andersen did a good job for us in the midfield, helping out our attack."

UC San Diego opened scoring in the 21st minute, as Mikel Samaniego scored his first of two goals on the day from the left side of the box, beating East Bay freshman keeper Billy Morales on the ground from 15 yards out.

The Tritons nearly held the Pioneers scoreless in the opening frame, but a goal in the final minute of the first half saw the two squads head to the break tied up at one goal apiece. Cal State East Bay freshman defender Ryan Herriage won a ball on the right flank before playing it to junior midfielder Aric Johnson in the middle. From there, Johnson found sophomore midfielder Manny Cardenas inside the box where he beat Akman to his right to draw even with UCSD in the 45th minute.

Coming out of the half, both teams were looking to take the advantage, with the UC San Diego striking first in the 67th minute. After breaking free from his defender, midfielder Shane Micheil brought the ball into the box on the left side, putting a cross in for an oncoming David Bakal who tapped in the go-ahead goal.

The Tritons put away the eventual game winner in the 83rd minute after earning a penalty kick on a foul in the box. Samaniego converted the penalty to double up in the match and score his second game winner of the season.

The Pioneers out-shot their opponent for the first time since Sept. 7, finishing the match with 19 shots, including six on frame. Akman needed four saves to secure his sixth victory of the season, but got help from his backline that blocked five East Bay shots. On the other end, the Tritons notched 18 shots, putting 12 on frame and forcing Morales to tie his season-high with nine saves.

Bakal and Samaniego paced UCSD with six shots apiece, combining for 10 of the Tritons' 12 shots on goal. Dickerson and Cardenas led the Pioneers with three shots each.

"Even though we're bitter about the end result, we get a chance to play them again on Sunday," Cumbo said. "We're looking forward to playing them again."

The two teams will take a day to rest and travel before meeting again on Sunday in La Jolla. The rematch is set to kickoff at Noon at UC San Diego's RIMAC Field. Live stats for Sunday's match will be available here.

Oct. 8, 2009

PIONEER SOCCER SET TO MEET UC SAN DIEGO

Sunday live stats

HAYWARD, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay men's and women's soccer teams will take on UC San Diego this weekend, as the men open a home and away set with the Tritons on Friday at 12:30 p.m. at Pioneer Field before joining the women in traveling to La Jolla for their second meeting of the season with UCSD on Sunday. The Sunday doubleheader will see the men kickoff at Noon, while the women wrap up the weekend at 2:30 p.m. at the Tritons' RIMAC Field.

The Pioneer men enter the second half of the CCAA season looking to turn things around and earn their first league victory after going 0-8-0 to open their first year in the conference. Freshmen midfielders Michael Rossi and Alex Dickerson are guiding the East Bay offense with two goals apiece on the year, while freshman keeper Billy Morales has played in all 12 matches, notching one shutout.

The Tritons bring a 5-3-4 overall record and a 2-3-3 mark in conference play into the back-to-back matchups with the Pioneers. UC San Diego is coming off a 2-1 victory over Humboldt State last week and is led by junior midfielder Shane McNeil's seven points on three goals and an assist.

Friday's men's match is set to kick off at 12:30 p.m. at Pioneer Field, while the rematch at UCSD is scheduled for Noon on Sunday. The Pioneer women will meet the 14th-ranked Tritons at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday at RIMAC Field. Fans can follow Sunday's matches via live stats by clicking the link above.

Oct. 4, 2009

NO. 7 SONOMA STATE TOPS PIONEER MEN, 3-1

Final box score

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HAYWARD, Calif. - Despite holding No. 7 Sonoma State to a 1-1 tie through 60 minutes, the Cal State East Bay men's soccer team could not contain the Seawolves' attack, falling 3-1 on Sunday afternoon at Pioneer Field. The Pioneers scored first for the second straight match but remain winless in conference play, while Sonoma State maintained its undefeated record with the victory.

"I really believe the team is making progress," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "Sonoma State is a great team. They are very deep and I thought we did a good job against them."

Freshman midfielder Alex Dickerson opened scoring early in the match, giving East Bay a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute. Senior midfielder Alex Reyes brought the ball up on the left side before playing it into the box for Dickerson whose shot from approximately 15 yards out on the right side found its way past Sonoma keeper Brook Johnson and into the back of the net. The goal was Dickerson's second of the season and marked the second consecutive match in which the Pioneers have scored in the opening 10 minutes.

"We had a great start," Cumbo said. "It was really good to see us score first again."

Trailing 1-0 early on, the Seawolves looked to even the match and did just that in the 14th minute. After earning a free kick on the right side about 15 yards into the East Bay end, Sonoma State's Cam Vickers put a ball into the box and found 6-4 midfielder David Holleran, who headed it home to beat CSUEB freshman keeper Billy Morales and tie things up at one goal apiece.

Despite the momentum shift, the Pioneers continued to fight, hanging with the Seawolves and holding them to just five shots in the half. Morales made one save in the opening 45 minutes to keep the match locked at 1-1 heading into the break.

The second half saw both squads step up their play, looking for the go-ahead goal. Already a physical match, the Pioneers and Seawolves battled it out in the final 45 minutes, combining for 14 fouls and six cautions in the second frame.

Sonoma State applied steady pressure through the first 20 minutes of the half, breaking the stalemate in the 61st minute on one of its five second-half corner kicks. Frank Becerril took the corner on the right side, putting the ball into the box for Taylor Jones who connected on his third goal of the season, giving the Seawolves a 2-1 lead.

Less than 10 minutes later, Jones sealed the victory for Sonoma with his second score of the match. Erick Delgado played a ball into the box from the left flank, finding Jones in position to head it past Morales to give SSU its final 3-1 lead.

Though they trailed by two goals, the Pioneers continued to work, pressuring Sonoma for the full 90 minutes. East Bay finished the half with three shots and created several good chances in the Seawolves' end, but could not get one past the ninth-ranked defense in Division II.

Sonoma State finished the match with a 13-6 advantage in shots, putting six on frame and forcing three saves from Morales in the loss. On the other end, Johnson made two saves to remain undefeated with this 10th win of the season. Ben Langwith and Trevor Hurst paced the Seawolves with three shots apiece, while East Bay junior midfielder Sean Lynum-Young led the Pioneers with two shots, both on frame.

Cal State East Bay now looks ahead to this weekend's home and away dates with UC San Diego. The Pioneers and Tritons will meet on Friday, Oct. 9 at Pioneer Field at 12:30 p.m. before CSUEB travels to La Jolla for a rematch with the Tritons on Sunday at Noon.

Oct. 2, 2009

PIONEER MEN HOLD HSU SCORELESS IN SECOND HALF, FALL 3-1

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HAYWARD, Calif. - Despite holding Humboldt State scoreless in the second half, the Cal State East Bay men's soccer team dropped a 3-1 decision to the Jacks at Pioneer Field on Friday afternoon. The Pioneers scored first but could not stop the HSU offense, giving the Jacks their first CCAA win of the season.

"Overall, I think the guys had a better second half, we had more of the ball and offensively, the guys generated a little bit more play than we normally do," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "I think we made some progress and we're getting better. We still just need to be more organized defensively."

The Pioneers opened scoring early, taking a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute. After winning the ball on the left side, junior midfielder Aric Johnson served the ball to the back post for oncoming junior midfielder Sean Lynum-Young. Lynum-Young headed the ball across the face of the goal, finding sophomore Chris Prado who dove to connect with a header into the back of the net. The goal was Prado's first of the season and marked just the second time this year that East Bay has scored first.

"That was a great goal," Cumbo said. "It was great service from Aric Johnson and Sean [Lynum-Young] did a great job of playing it over to [Prado]. We took a step forward in some ways today, we finally scored first. Unfortunately we gave up some goals shortly after because we lacked organization."

The 1-0 lead for the Pioneers was short-lived, however, as Humboldt State drew even in the 18th minute. Jacks forward Roland Demombynes blasted a shot from the right side, beating East Bay freshman keeper Billy Morales for his first goal of the year.

Less than 10 minutes later, the Humboldt State offense struck again, as midfielder Lloyd Sinclair got in and found the back of the net to give the Jacks a 2-1 advantage and the eventual game winner.

With the half drawing near, HSU defender Peter Darquea added an insurance goal for the Jacks. Darquea's sailing shot from 10 yards hit off of Morales' hands and found its way into the back of the net to give Humboldt State a 3-1 lead.

The Jacks finished the half out-shooting East Bay 11-4, putting seven of those shots on frame. Morales made four saves in the opening 45 minutes while HSU keeper Kyle Verle needed just one stop to maintain the lead going into the break.

Trailing 3-1, the Pioneers tried to make the most of the second half, gaining more possession and creating several scoring opportunities in the final 45 minutes. Despite taking just three shots, CSUEB forced two saves and put pressure on the Humboldt State defense, but could not beat Verle to cut the Jacks' lead.

On the other end of the field, the Pioneer backline held strong as HSU threw 12 shots at Morales but were held scoreless in the final 45 minutes. All told, Morales made a career-high nine saves on the day and faced 23 Humboldt State shots.

Senior midfielder Zlatan Sahmanovic paced all players on the day with five shots, while both sophomore midfielder Alex Reyes and Johnson led the Pioneers with two shots apiece. Cal State East Bay finished the match with seven shots, including four on frame, forcing Verle to make three saves to earn the win.

The Pioneers are still looking for their first conference win of the season and to snap their current 10-match losing skid. The competition will be touch on Sunday as the eighth-ranked Sonoma State Seawolves arrive at Pioneer Field with an undefeated record (9-0-2, 6-0-1 CCAA). Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.

"We've got a tough game on Sunday against Sonoma State and we're looking forward to regrouping tomorrow in training and getting ready to go," Cumbo said.

Sept. 27, 2009

PIONEER MEN END ROAD SWING WITH LOSS AT CAL POLY POMONA

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POMONA, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay men's soccer team closed out its first road trip of the conference season with a 2-0 loss at Cal Poly Pomona on Sunday afternoon. The Pioneers held the Broncos scoreless in the first half, but allowed two second-half goals in the defeat.

"We had a better performance today than we did on Friday," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "We had a pretty good first half but we gave up a goal early in the second half. That was pretty disappointing. We just weren't ready to go from the kickoff."

The opening 45 minutes saw Cal Poly Pomona take 10 shots, forcing CSUEB freshman keeper Billy Morales to make three saves to keep the Broncos out of the net. On the other end of the field, the Pioneers notched two shots, putting one on frame.

After regrouping at the break, the Broncos needed just 55 seconds to put away their first goal of the match. Tyler Reinhart chipped a ball into the box, finding Marc Glogowsky, a halftime sub, who tapped it in to give Pomona the 1-0 lead.

The Broncos continued to pressure the Pioneer defense, taking 19 shots in the second frame and forcing Morales to make five saves to keep the Cal Poly Pomona lead at one.

Still trailing, 1-0, with time running out, the Pioneers looked to push forward and score the equalizer. With the focus on getting a goal, the Broncos got inside the backline, as Kevin Ramirez played a ball on the left side to Dustin Suppe, who punched in a shot in the 88th minute to give Cal Poly the insurance goal and the 2-0 lead.

The Pioneers had one more scoring chance just after the Pomona goal, as freshman midfielder Tyler Andersen headed a ball and forced Bronco keeper Brad Jones to make a save in the 89th minute.

"The guys worked hard," Cumbo said. "They're trying their best, we just came up short again today. We made a couple mistakes and Pomona made us pay."

Cal Poly Pomona finished the match with a 29-5 advantage in shooting, forcing Morales to make a career-high eight saves. Freshman forward Chris Prado led the Pioneers with two shots, both on target, while Suppe paced the Broncos with five.

"I think we are improving in certain ways," Cumbo said. "The guys are working hard and are being coachable and staying focused. We're looking forward to playing a couple teams from up north this weekend."

Cal State East Bay will continue its quest for its first conference win of the season as it returns home this weekend to face Humboldt State and Sonoma State. The Pioneers will meet Cumbo's former team at 3 p.m. on Friday afternoon at Pioneer Field before hosting the Seawolves on Sunday.

Sept. 25, 2009

CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO DOWNS PIONEER MEN

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SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - On a hot Friday afternoon in Southern California, the Cal State East Bay men's soccer team fell to Cal State San Bernardino, 7-0, at Premier Stadium. The Pioneers gave up four first-half goals and could not recover in the penultimate match of their current four-game road trip.

"We were outplayed by San Bernardino," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "They are a very good team with some great players. They're very well organized and they did a great job finishing their chances."

The Coyotes scored early and often in the first frame, kicking off the match with two goals in the opening 10 minutes. Danny Rodriguez netted the first for CSUSB in the 6th minute, one-timing a shot after Albert Cabrera dished a ball into the box from the endline.

San Bernardino took a 2-0 lead less than five minutes later, as Mark Peters tapped in his first goal of the season. Peters remained in the thick of the action as he played a ball in for Jeremiah Marquez in the 17th minute. Marquez took the shot and placed it in the far corner, giving the Coyotes a 3-0 lead with just under 30 minutes remaining in the opening frame.

Marquez spread the wealth as well, this time playing a ball for Obi Agwu in the 18th minute. CSUEB freshman keeper Billy Morales got a piece of Agwu's rocket shot but could not keep it out of the net. The goal marked Agwu's fifth of the season and first of two in the match, and put San Bernardino up 4-0 early.

Trailing 4-0 with 27 minutes left in the opening half, the Pioneers regrouped and held CSUSB scoreless for the remainder of the half. Morales faced eight shots from the Coyotes in the half, making four saves. On the other end, San Bernardino held the Pioneers to just one shot.

"The guys worked really hard," Cumbo said. "We tried to focus on the things that we could control. One of those was our commitment to play hard for 90 minutes and I was happy with their effort."

The second half saw Cal State San Bernardino add another three goals, however, Cal State East Bay had three chances of its own, putting each of its three second-half shots on target and testing CSUSB keeper Tanner Olinger. Sophomore midfielder Chris Prado led the way, putting both of his two shots on frame.

"We regrouped at the half," Cumbo said. "We tried to play with as much heart as possible. The guys kept working and they were coachable and never gave up." Freshman keeper Cesar Villa entered the match at the half and faced 16 shots, making a career-high six saves in the just 45 minutes of play. Olinger and starting keeper Arath De La Rocha combined for four saves in the shutout. Agwu paced the Coyotes with seven shots, all of which were on target.

"We're looking forward to Sunday," Cumbo said. "We're just working on moving forward and we'll be physically and mentally ready to go against Pomona." The Pioneers will now look to rebound on Sunday, as they travel to Cal Poly Pomona for the final match of the road swing. The Broncos entered the week 3-4-0 overall and 1-3-0 in conference play. Kick off is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Sept. 20, 2009

PIONEER MEN SCORE TWICE, FALL TO CAL STATE STANISLAUS, 3-2

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TURLOCK, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay men's soccer team came back from down two goals in the second half before giving up the game winner in a 3-2 loss to Cal State Stanislaus in Turlock on Sunday afternoon. Despite being out-shot 20-5, the Pioneers stayed in the match with goals from freshmen Alex Dickerson and Tyler Andersen.

"We are still young and making young mistakes at times but we are moving forward," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "We aren't pleased with the result today but we are pleased that we are making progress. Now, we're looking to regroup and have a good trip down to Southern California next week."

The opening half saw the Warriors control possession, notching 11 shots and forcing freshman keeper Billy Morales to make two saves. Jose Velasquez got scoring started in the 24th minute, connecting with a diving header after a cross from Nolan Holdridge to give Cal State Stanislaus a 1-0 lead.

The Pioneers, who started the match without the services of freshman midfielder Michael Rossi who has notched goals in back-to-back matches, looked to be on the verge of scoring, creating a one-on-one opportunity just after the Cal State Stanislaus goal. Junior midfielder Sean Lynum-Young went head-to-head with Warriors' keeper Steven Waite, who made the stop to keep East Bay from evening the score at one.

"Sean had a positive effect in the first half and created a great scoring chance," Cumbo said. "He worked hard and made an impact."

The Warriors extended their lead to two in the 36th minute, as leading scorer Victor Regalado put away a rebound in front of the net. The goal was Regalado's ninth of the season and gave CSUS a 2-0 advantage going into the half.

Cal State East Bay came out of the half looking to score and did just that 10 minutes later as freshman midfielder Alex Dickerson created his own scoring chance in the box, beating Waite to cut the Warriors' lead to one. The goal marked Dickerson's first of the season and his career.

"Alex Dickerson scored for us today and had a good game overall," Cumbo said. "He played really well this weekend and has been showing a lot of consistency for us, which is exactly what we need right now."

The Pioneers needed just three minutes to find the back of the net again, tying the game at two in the 59th minute. After winning a free kick, CSUEB sophomore midfielder Arnoldo Mendoza played the kick over the wall, finding Andersen in the box for the score.

"We had a great response at the half," Cumbo said. "We came out more focused in the second half and tried to get one. We felt that if we got one we could get another." Despite drawing even, the Pioneers still had their work cut out for them as the Warriors continued to put pressure on the backline. Cal State Stanislaus broke through again in the 67th minute after winning a corner kick. Bladimir Murillo took the corner and found Trevor Grimbleby in the box where he connected on a header that was tapped in by Jose Velasquez for the go-ahead goal.

"The third goal for Stanislaus was really a result of us checking out mentally at the back post," Cumbo said. "We gave them an opportunity to get back in the game and they took it."

With the lead, the Warriors kept the Pioneers from notching another shot in the match, while on the offensive end, CSUS posted another four strikes following the goal. The East Bay backline had its work cut out for it, as Stanislaus notched nine shots and the backline came up with four blocks in the second frame.

Lynum-Young led the Pioneers with two shots, putting both on frame, while Regalado paced all players with four strikes in the match. Morales made three saves in the loss. CSUEB falls to 1-7-0 overall and 0-4-0 in conference play with the defeat.

Cal State East Bay now returns home before heading back onto the road to wrap up the four-match road swing at Cal State San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona next weekend. The Pioneers take on the Coyotes at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25.

CAL STATE EAST BAY MEN EDGED BY CHICO STATE, 2-1

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CHICO, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay men's soccer team scored a goal in the waning minutes against Chico State but could not close down the two-goal lead, falling to the Wildcats, 2-1, under the lights Friday night in Chico. The Pioneers remained aggressive, however, notching a goal in the final minutes of the match for the second straight game.

"Overall it was a better performance tonight than last weekend," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "Chico State is a very good team. It was very difficult to hold onto the ball going into their half of the field." Although the Wildcats controlled the ball for the majority of the half, the two teams were stuck in a scoreless tie until the 41st minute. Chico State's Aren Hawkins played a cross into the box where Chris Akwaja connected on a header to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead just before the half.

Chico State out-shot the Pioneers 16-4 in the opening frame, forcing East Bay freshman keeper Billy Morales to make five saves. On the other side of the ball, CSUEB struggled to maintain possession thanks to excellent play by the Chico State midfield and backline.

Though they led 1-0 coming out of the break, the Wildcats did not find the back of the net again until the 74th minute. After drawing a foul in the Cal State East Bay end, Ryan Villalpando took the free kick, finding Evan Armstrong in the box who headed home his third goal of the season to give Chico a two-goal lead.

Despite trailing 2-0, the Pioneers showed their character, maintaining their composure and continuing to work towards the Chico State goal. East Bay finally broke through in the 83rd minute, getting a long throw from junior midfielder Aric Johnson that found freshman midfielder Michael Rossi in the box where he headed in his second goal in as many games.

Chico State finished the match with 24 shots, putting nine of those on goal and forcing Morales to make seven saves. On the other end of the field, Chico State keeper Michael Keohane needed just one save to earn the win after facing seven shots. Akwaja and Evan Armstrong paced all players with four shots apiece, while Rossi and fellow freshman midfielder Alex Dickerson led the Pioneers with two shots each.

"Michael Rossi, Alex Dickerson and [sophomore] Arnoldo Mendoza really had a good game in the midfield," Cumbo said. "We are definitely making progress and moving forward. We're excited and motivated to play again on Sunday."

The Pioneers now look ahead to Sunday's matchup with Cal State Stanislaus in Turlock, Calif. The Warriors topped UC San Diego 2-1 on Friday and bring a record of 5-2-0 overall and 2-2-0 in the CCAA into the match. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Sept. 13, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO STATE TOPS EAST BAY MEN, 4-1

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HAYWARD, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay men's soccer team hung with San Francisco State before allowing three goals in the final 15 minutes of play on Sunday, falling 4-1. The Pioneers came from behind to tie the match in the second half but saw the Gators, ranked 10th in the West Region, post three scores in the second half to earn the victory.

"I think today we were in it for a while against a very good team," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "We just need to continue to work on being more disciplined and more focused for 90 minutes."

San Francisco State opened scoring in the 16th minute, as midfielder Edgar Villagrana brought the ball into the box on the right side and place a shot in the upper left corner of the goal, beating East Bay freshman keeper Cesar Villa to give the Gators a 1-0 lead.

The Gators controlled the pace of play for most of the first half, out-shooting the Pioneers 9-1 and forcing Villa to make three saves in the opening frame. The initial 45 minutes saw the two squads battle for possession in the midfield, as they combined for 13 fouls and two yellow cards.

After going into the half trailing 1-0, East Bay looked to turn things around in the second half. The Pioneers began to build momentum at the opening whistle, doubling their offensive output from the first half in the initial nine minutes of the second frame.

Following a hard foul and booking for San Francisco State midfielder Spencer Schwandt, Cal State East Bay took advantage on the resulting free kick in the 55th minute. Sophomore midfielder Manny Cardenas put a ball into the box in the air where freshman midfielder Michael Rossi put a head on it, beating Gators' keeper Mike McNeil to pull the Pioneers even at one goal apiece.

"I thought something positive that came out of today was that we came from behind and tied the score," Cumbo said. "That was a first for us this year, so that was a good thing to battle back." The match remained knotted at 1-1 for the next 20 minutes, with both teams creating opportunities until a handball in the box by the Cal State East Bay defense set up a penalty kick chance for San Francisco State. Schwandt stepped up and converted on the PK, scoring the go-ahead goal and eventual game winner for the Gators in the 76th minute.

After SFSU took the 2-1 lead, the Pioneers struggled to regain their footing and gave up another goal just one minute later, as Villagrana connected on a cross from Dylan Glass to give the Gators a 3-1 advantage.

"Unfortunately the hand ball in the box really broke our back," Cumbo said. "It was an accurate call and it was just a poor decision on our part. It really took the life out of us. We lost their focus after the second goal." San Francisco State remained on the offensive, putting away a fourth goal in the 81st minute. Glass got in on the action again, scoring on a corner kick from Roberto Escobar to seal the 4-1 victory.

The Gators finished the match out-shooting the Pioneers 16-5, with Schwandt and Villagrana pacing all players with three shots apiece. Freshman forward Alex Reyes led East Bay with two shots. McNeil needed just one save to post his fourth win of the season, while Villa made four stops in the loss.

Cal State East Bay now has five days to regroup before heading out for its first road trip of the CCAA season next weekend. The Pioneers will travel to Chico State on Sept. 18 and Cal State Stanislaus on Sept. 20 to open a four-game road swing. Kickoff on Friday is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Chico.

Sept. 11, 2009

PIONEER MEN STYMIED BY CAL STATE MONTEREY BAY IN CCAA OPENER

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HAYWARD, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay men's soccer team out-shot Cal State Monterey Bay in the conference opener on Friday afternoon, but could not find the back of the net, falling to the Otters, 2-0, at Pioneer Field. The Pioneers drop to 1-4-0 on the year, while CSUMB recorded its first victory of the season.

"We played pretty well today and generated some decent offense at times," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "We're struggling to score when we have the momentum and have chances. It would make our lives a lot easier if we could just get that final touch and score a goal."

Though the Pioneers controlled the ball and created numerous scoring chances, especially in the second frame, the match came down to the Otters making the most of two set pieces, one in each half. Despite out-shooting Cal State Monterey Bay 11-7, East Bay was held scoreless for the third time this year.

"The two goals against, we were unorganized on two free kicks and they punished us," Cumbo said. "Every team at this level will make you pay for your mistakes and unfortunately we made two major mental mistakes and exposed ourselves and [Cal State Monterey Bay] capitalized. Other than that, Billy [Morales] didn't have a lot to do in goal but they worked hard and got the result." The Otters opened scoring 23 minutes into the first half after winning a free kick just outside the box on the left side. Midfielder Andrew Breault played a ball into the box, finding streaking defender Gabe Glass who made contact and headed the ball into the back of the net.

The two teams battled it out in the midfield for most of the opening half, as CSUMB committed 11 fouls to the Pioneers' three. The struggle for possession resulted in a relatively quiet first frame, as the Otters forced East Bay freshman keeper Billy Morales to make just one save, while the CSUEB failed to put a shot on goal.

Both teams returned from the break motivated to put a goal away in the second half. The squads doubled their offensive output from the first 45 minutes, combining for 14 shots.

The Pioneers opened the half with a nose for the goal, throwing six shots at CSUMB keeper Brenden Baca in the opening 17 minutes. Baca had to make three saves, including a diving stop on a blast from freshman midfielder Chris Prado in the 62nd minute. Despite its best efforts, however, East Bay was kept out of the net again.

The physical game continued in the second frame as Otter midfielder Nate Torricelli was booked for the second time in the match, resulting in his exit to leave CSUMB with only 10 players for the final 15 minutes.

Despite the man-advantage, the Pioneers struggled to maintain possession and saw the Otters steal a goal on a corner kick in the 83rd minute. Midfielder Andrew Breault connected on the rebound from forward Grant Robson's shot, sneaking his shot in on the right side of the box to give Cal State Monterey Bay its final 2-0 lead.

Baca made three saves to earn his first victory and shutout of the season, while Morales faced just three shots on goal, making one save in the loss. The Pioneers were led by Prado's three strikes, while Breault paced the Otters.

Cal State East Bay now moves on to face San Francisco State at Pioneer Field on Sunday. The Gators entered the week with a 3-1-0 record and a No. 10 ranking in the West Region. Kick off is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sunday.

"I think we're getting better and making progress, we just need to score when we have the opportunity," Cumbo said. "We're excited to have another chance on Sunday to try to take that next step."

Sept. 7, 2009

PIONEERS DROP 2-1 DECISION AT DOMINICAN

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KENTFIELD, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay men's soccer team ended a two-game scoring drought but could not overcome a two-goal lead on Monday afternoon against Dominican University, falling to the Penguins, 2-1. Sophomore midfielder Arnoldo Mendoza found the back of the net for the Pioneers, who enter Friday's conference opener with a 1-3-0 overall record.

"We had a lot of opportunities today, but we just couldn't close the deal," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "Unfortunately, our youth and lack of experience had an effect in this game. Dominican worked hard and had a good game and we gave up two soft goals. Any team at this level is going to make you pay for your mistakes."

Dominican opened the scoring in the seventh minute, when Evan Cordova played a ball from the left side to Pedro Guevara who found the back of the net to give DU the early 1-0 lead. The goal, Guevara's first of the year, marked the first time this season that Cal State East Bay has allowed an opponent to score in the opening half.

Despite allowing the early score, the Pioneers regained composure, controlling possession for the remainder of the half, taking two shots in the initial frame. Penguins keeper Matthew Carlson maintained the first-half shutout without making a save. On the other end, freshman keeper Billy Morales faced just one more shot in the final 39 minutes of the opening period.

After trailing 1-0 at the break, CSUEB took control of the momentum in the second half, out-shooting the Penguins 10-3 in the final 45 minutes of the match. In the opening 10 minutes of the second frame, the Pioneers threw four shots at Carlson who made one save and was helped by a block from his backline.

Though East Bay was controlling the ball and creating chances early, Dominican found the back of the net again. The Penguins took a 2-0 lead after a missed clearance allowed Tim Pinella to dish the ball to Guevara, who notched his second goal of the day in the 56th minute.

Although they were down two goals, the Pioneers bounced back from the score well, continuing to build momentum until they ended a two-match scoreless streak with the goal from Mendoza. The goal came when a long throw from junior midfielder Aric Johnson found Mendoza in the box, where he volleyed a shot past Carlson for the score. Mendoza now leads the team with three points on the year.

"After the second goal we continued to play really well," Cumbo said. "We kept the ball in [Dominican's] half and we had a lot of opportunities in the final third of the field."

Though the Pioneers created several scoring chances in the final 29 minutes of the match, they could not find the equalizer. Carlson needed just two saves to record the shutout and give Dominican its first win of the season.

"We continued to have the majority of the momentum but we just couldn't find that final touch in front of the goal," Cumbo said.

The Pioneers now look ahead to Friday's CCAA opener against Cal State Monterey Bay. The Otters enter the week with an 0-2-0 record and face Seattle Pacific at home on Tuesday afternoon. Kickoff for Friday's conference meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Pioneer Field.

"We are young and hopefully we're learning from our mistakes," Cumbo said. "We start conference play on Friday and we've got to go in with a lot of excitement and our heads up."

Sept. 3, 2009

PIONEER MEN FALL TO ST. MARTIN'S, 4-0

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LACEY, Wash. - The Cal State East Bay men's soccer team ended its trip to The Evergreen State with a 4-0 loss to St. Martin's on Thursday afternoon. The Pioneers held the Saints scoreless through the initial 45 minutes, but allowed four second-half goals to drop to 1-2-0 on the year.

"We just weren't as sharp today," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "We didn't play a full 90 minutes. We had some good moments but we just weren't as sharp overall. The guys kept their cool and did their best to work hard though."

The two squads played to a scoreless tie through the first half, with the Saints out-shooting the Pioneers 8-1 in the initial 45 minutes. East Bay freshman keeper Billy Morales made six saves in the opening period while Zac Lubin needed just one stop to preserve the first half shutout.

Despite the Pioneers' best efforts to open up the game in the second half, St. Martin's scored the eventual game winner just 11 minutes into the final frame. Conner Biggs found the back of the net after connecting with a cross from Xan Nixon in the 57th minute to open scoring.

"We came out in the second half and tried to play a little more aggressively," Cumbo said. "We stretched out the game but St. Martin's used that to their advantage and scored."

Nixon and Biggs weren't done yet, however, as they hooked up again 10 minutes later to increase the Saints' advantage to two goals after Biggs scored on a deflection off Morales. St. Martin's continued to pour it on, as Chase Franklin added a third goal in the 73rd minute and Ruben Orozco put away a penalty kick in the 78th minute to give the Saints their final 4-0 advantage.

SMU finished the game with an 18-3 advantage in shots, as Morales and fellow freshman keeper Cesar Villa made seven combined saves. An accurate shooting St. Martin's team that put 13 of its 18 shots on frame also forced the backline to make two saves, giving the Pioneers nine total stops in the match.

Freshman defender Jeffery Nolan led the team with two shots, both of which were on goal. Lubin and TJ Young combined to post the shutout for SMU.

"What's important now is how we adjust to this and move forward," Cumbo said.

Cal State East Bay returns from The Evergreen State to round out its three-match roadtrip on Sept. 7. The Pioneers will travel across the Bay to San Rafael to take on Dominican at 4 p.m. on Monday.

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SEATTLE, Wash. - Despite facing 21 shots and playing on the road for the first time in 2009, the Cal State East Bay men's soccer team allowed just a single goal to Seattle Pacific on Tuesday night, falling to the Falcons 1-0 at Interbay Stadium. The loss was the first of the campaign for the Pioneers, who drop to 1-1-0 on the season.

"I thought this was a great performance by the team," Head Coach Andy Cumbo said. "The guys played hard for 90 minutes. They really stepped up to the challenge. Seattle Pacific is a very good team. Even though we're disappointed with the loss, this is a good result for us."

The two squads played to a scoreless tie through the first 45 minutes. Cal State East Bay freshman keeper Billy Morales made three saves on nine shots in the first frame, while SPU keeper Zach Johnson needed just one save to shut out the Pioneers in the initial period.

After sitting out the first half following Monday's double-overtime tie with Sonoma State, Seattle Pacific sophomore forward Ryan Brand came on as a halftime sub. Just 15 minutes later, Brand took an open shot from the center of the box that sailed wide. The Portland, Ore., native connected again in the 66th minute, this time finding the back of the net on a 25-yard shot into the lower left corner of the net.

The goal marked the Falcons' first in 179 minutes and Brand's first of the season. Brand led all players with six shots on the night and gave Seattle Pacific the only lead it needed to record its third straight blank sheet.

Though the Falcons out-shot East Bay 21-7, the Pioneers had some quality chances of their own. Early in the first half, CSUEB freshman defender Josh Alvarez played a ball in for junior midfielder Aric Johnson whose shot hit the crossbar before going out. Johnson led the Pioneers with two shots on the night, both in the first half.

"We did a fairly decent job with our attack," Cumbo said. "We had some good opportunities, the guys came ready to play."

Though the Falcons notched the first score of the season against East Bay, the Pioneer backline continued its organized play against SPU, blocking four shots and limiting the work for Morales.

"Billy Morales and our backline did an excellent job today," Cumbo said. "[Morales] didn't really have to do much, he only faced six shots on a goal but he did a good job coming off his line. Collectively, we were really committed to defending well tonight."

The Pioneers will now look to bounce back on Thursday night in the second installment of the current three-match road trip. East Bay will travel to Lacey, Wash., to take on St. Martin's at 1 p.m.

"Now we have a great understanding of what a good Division II team looks like," Cumbo said. "We'll look to regroup and come back recharged on Thursday. We're ready to work hard to leave Washington with a win."

Final Box

Box Score in PDF

HAYWARD, Calif. - The Cal State East Bay men's soccer team kicked off the 2009 season with a 2-0 win over William Jessup University on Thursday afternoon. The Pioneers were bolstered by goals by freshman forward Michael Molinari and junior forward Christian Eteti as they secured the initial victory of first year head coach Andy Cumbo's career at East Bay.

Molinari got the scoring started in the 20th minute. After working to bring the ball into the box, sophomore midfielder Arnoldo Mendoza put a ball onto Molinari's head on the left side where Molinari connected, putting away his first goal of the year and the Pioneers' initial score of the season.

"Arnoldo really put in an extra effort to get the cross off," Cumbo said. "Mike did well with the finish."

Cal State East Bay held onto the one goal lead for the final 25 minutes of the first half, turning away the Warriors' five shots in the initial period. Freshman keeper Billy Morales posted three saves in the half, guiding the Pioneers to a 1-0 halftime lead.

Though William Jessup increased its pressure after the break, the backline held the one-goal advantage through the 70th minute when Eteti sealed the victory. The Cameroon native received a ball near the top of the box before beating the keeper and tapping the ball into the back of the open net. The 2-0 lead held, as Morales needed just one save and help from a strong CSUEB backline to cap the opening day shutout. The Pioneers out-shot WJU 22-10, forcing Warriors' keeper Jeff Dunn to make four saves.

"[Freshmen defenders] Jeff Nolan and Andy Pauley did a good job keeping things organized in the back," Cumbo said.

With its first victory under its belt, Cal State East Bay now travels to Washington to take on Seattle Pacific on Sept.1 and St. Martin's on Sept. 3.

Complete Release in PDF

Cal State East Bay men's soccer head coach Andy Cumbo announced Thursday that five freshmen have accepted athletic scholarship offers for the 2009 season. Josh Alvarez, Tyler Andersen, Alex Dickerson, Ryan Herriage and Andy Pauley are set to join the Pioneers for their first season in Division II competition. The group has found success at both the club and high school levels, bringing plenty of experience to a team that is looking to start fresh in 2009.

"These five young men should make a solid contribution to our success this fall and throughout their college careers," Cumbo said. "I am excited that they are joining us and looking forward to their efforts in helping us rebuild."

Hailing from Temecula, Calif., midfielder Josh Alvarez has helped guide Arsenal FC to a Cal South State Cup championship and back-to-back Presidio Premier League titles in the last two years. Along with fellow signees Herriage and Pauley, Alvarez led Arsenal's Under-19 squad to the top of the Presidio League, which boasts 50 member clubs and is recognized as one of the top leagues in Southern California. Over the last four years, Alvarez has played a role in Arsenal's six tournament championships and seven finals appearances. Alvarez graduated from Chaparral High School in Temecula this spring.

"Josh is a very creative and effective playmaker," Cumbo said. "He is very strong on the ball and will battle well with the other midfielders in the [conference]."

A two-year varsity letterwinner out of University High School in Irvine, Calif., Tyler Andersen is a 5-10 midfielder and two-time All-Pacific Coast League selection. Andersen started at right back as a freshman, earning the team's Defensive Player of the Year award and guiding the squad to its first league title in 12 years. As a seven-year member of Irvine Strikers, Andersen guided his squad to a league title in 2004 and the 2006 US Club Soccer National and Regional titles. Andersen also participated in the US Soccer Development Academy with Pateadores RMO team in 2008. The spring 2009 graduate was on the Principal's Honor Roll at University and is an AYSO assistant coach.

"Tyler is a very good player on the flank," Cumbo said. "He has experience all over the field, particularly as an outside back and outside midfielder. He is skilled and effective and should help us be dynamic as we go forward."

Boulder, Colo., native Alex Dickerson comes to Cal State East Bay from Fairview High School in Boulder where he was a three-year starter. At Fairview, Dickerson guided the Knights to the state quarterfinals as a senior. The 6-3 midfielder and defender played his club soccer with Boulder County Force where he served as captain in 2006. Dickerson helped the Force go undefeated and claim the title in the Elite II Division in 2009, its second straight division championship. With his help, the Force also made back-to-back State Cup quarterfinals appearances in 2007 and 2008 and captured the 2009 Rocky Mountain Cup. Dickerson led the squad in scoring and assists in 2007, the same year the Force traveled to Finland for the Helsinki Cup. Also an Olympic Development Program pool selection, Dickerson was a three-time member of Fairview's Honor Roll and volunteered with the Community Cares Program.

"Alex has great skill and ball control for his size," Cumbo said. "He is a versatile player who has the ability to contribute in many spots."

A versatile defender hailing from Temecula, Calif., Ryan Herriage joins the Pioneers after spending two years on the varsity squad at Chaparral High School. During his tenure with the Trojans, Herriage helped lead them to back-to-back CIF playoff berths, a league title and a CIF quarterfinals appearance. Herriage began his club career with the TMSC Hawks before joining Southwest Soccer Club, where he helped take the squad to the Presidio League and State Cup championships. Most recently he played his club soccer alongside Pauley and Alvarez at Arsenal FC, capturing the Presidio Premier League title in 2008. Herriage also lettered for the CIF finalist football team and competed on the tennis and lacrosse teams at Chaparral.

"Ryan is an effective outside back who does well as a defender as well as going forward," Cumbo said. "He should help us on both sides of the ball."

Also out of Temecula, defender Andy Pauley was a three-time MVP for Temecula Valley High, spending two years as captain. Pauley was the first junior to ever be named captain for the Bears and earned all-league honors three times, including two first team selections. Pauley joined Herriage on the TMSC Hawks and Southwest Soccer Club before arriving at Arsenal FC where he captained the Gunners for two years, helping guide the squad to two Presidio Premier League titles and the 2008 Cal South State Cup championship.

"Andy is a very tough and physical center-back," Cumbo said. "He has a lot of experience in the back and should help us be organized."

The quintent of signees should be able to contribute immediately in Cumbo's first season at the helm. A tough schedule in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) will provide a good challenge for the incoming class, as well as the returning players in 2009.

"They are all well rounded student-athletes who will be successful both on and off the field here at CSUEB," Cumbo said. "We are excited to work with this group combined with other key returning and new players as we move forward into the CCAA."

The Pioneer men's soccer team kicks off its season with a home exhibition against Biola University on Aug. 24 before the regular-season opener on Aug. 27 against William Jessup.

"His leadership and professionalism contributed to making Andy a successful candidate", Director of Athletics Debby DeAngelis said. "Andy's experience coaching in the California Collegiate Athletic Association as well as his positive attitude and enthusiasm will help the men's soccer program make the move to Division II."

Andy Cumbo had these thoughts about his new position:"I'm excited to be named the new men's soccer coach at Cal State East Bay. There is a strong tradition of men's soccer over the past four decades and I'm honored to be here. I'm looking forward to working with the hard working group of current players. This is such an exciting time to be a part of Cal State East Bay and its Athletic Department with their move to NCAA Division II and the CCAA. My goal in the near future is to develop the men's soccer team to be a conference contender, while holding high academic standards for my student-athletes."

In his five seasons as the Humboldt State men's soccer head coach, Cumbo led the Lumberjacks to an in season NSCAA Regional Ranking of 6th in both 2008 and 2007 and an NCAA Regional Ranking of 4th in 2006. During the 2005 season, Cumbo was named Conference Co-Coach of the Year. In 2004, the Lumberjacks were the 3rd Most Improved Team in Division II. During his five years at the helm, the Lumberjacks produced five NSCAA All-Region Players, 21 All Conference and eight All-Academic athletes, and four Conference Player's of the Week.

As the women's head coach at Humboldt State since 2001, Cumbo guided his team to the 2006 CCAA Conference Tournament and most wins in a season (2003&2006). Thirty-nine All-Conference and 15 Academic Athletes have been produced during Cumbo's tenure as women's soccer coach at Humboldt State.

Cumbo is currently the NSCAA Division II West Regional Chairman and the NSCAA Division II All America National Chairman. He received his coaching licenses through the United States Soccer Federation (National "A" Diploma) and National Soccer Coaches Association of America (Advanced National Diploma).

As a four-year goalkeeper at SUNY-Plattsburgh, Cumbo received All-Conference honors, recorded 24 shutouts and was a two-year Captain.

Cumbo received his Bachelor of Art in philosophy from State University of New York at Plattsburgh in 2000 and completed his Master of Science in Kinesiology from Humboldt State in 2002. He will begin his position at Cal State East Bay on June 22nd.