Sept. 4, 2001
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This Week
The Broncos begin a streak of playing four straight ranked opponents this weekend when they travel to the Nike Wake Forest Invitational for one of the season's top tournament fields. SCU will play No. 20 Wake Forest on Friday night before wrapping up the weekend against 13th-ranked Florida State. No. 4 Portland rounds out the field. Santa Clara will return home to host third-ranked Notre Dame and No. 12 California.
In the Rankings
Santa Clara is currently ranked fifth by Soccer Times, sixth by Soccer America, and seventh by the NCSAA and adidas, while Soccer Buzz Magazine ranked SCU 10th nationally. SCU home opponents and 2000 College Cup participants UCLA, Notre Dame and Portland were ranked second through fourth, respectively, while four other Bronco opponents also ranked in the top 25, including this weekend's opponents in Wake Forest and Florida State, as well as Bay Area rivals California and Stanford.
Up Next: Notre Dame
Notre Dame team has ended Santa Clara's season for the past two years, most recently in a 2-1 overtime loss in the NCAA quarterfinals last November. The Broncos will have their first chance for redemption on Friday, September 14 when the Fighting Irish visit Buck Shaw Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. regular season match. Notre Dame reached the NCAA Championship match last season and are currently ranked fourth. In addition to witnessing two of the best teams in the country battle each other, Santa Clara is aiming to set a regular season attendance record. In fact, the October 17, 1999, contest against Notre Dame currently holds the top mark, when 4,051 fans cheered the Broncos to a 4-2 victory. Don't miss out on the excitement!
Last Week: Broncos Tally 11 Goals, Shut out Cal Poly, San Jose State
Veronica Zepeda registered two goals to lead Santa Clara to a season-opening victory against Cal Poly. The 3-0 win marked the sixth straight season-opening win for the Broncos and 16th overall. Zepeda attacked early, posting her first goal in the sixth minute, assisted by Taline Tahmassian, who was one of four Bronco newcomers to start their first collegiate game tonight. Zepeda's second goal came early in the second half, at the 49th minute off passes from Tahmassian and Aly Wagner. Sandwiched in between Zepeda's two goals was one from Bree Horvath in the 31st minute, assisted by Leslie Osborne.
Zepeda, Tahmassian Duo Score Four Goals During Weekend
Freshman forward Taline Tahmassian registered three assists in her first weekend as a collegiate player, with all three passes resulting in goals scored by sophomore forward Veronica Zepeda. Zepeda returned the favor against San Jose State, registering an assist on Tahmassian's first collegiate goal. Additionally, this duo strikes early. Two goals came within a match's first six minutes, while the other two came within the first five minutes of the second half.
Season/Match Tickets On Sale
Season and individual match tickets for Santa Clara University's nationally recognized soccer teams are on sale through the Department of Athletics and Recreation's official website www.SantaClaraBroncos.com and the athletic ticket office at 408-554-4660.
In conjunction with its exclusive Internet partner, Student Advantage's FANSonly Network, the athletic department has developed an online ticket application that provides fans with the ability to purchase season tickets, family plans, individual matches or an all-sports pass via the official athletic website.
Season and individual match ticket packages are also available through the athletic ticket office, open between the hours of 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
A men's and women's soccer season ticket package that includes all 20 home matches is available for the adult price of $60 each, while a family plan provides a family of five admission to each game for the low price of $100. Youth (12 and under) and senior (over 65-years-old) season tickets are also available for $30. Single games are priced at $7 for adults, $5 for youths and seniors and $2 for non-Ruff Riders SCU students as well as members of Bronco Kidz. Single match team passes are also available for $35.
Hermann Trophy Semifinalists
Danielle Slaton and Aly Wagner have been named candidates for the 2001 Hermann Trophy, college soccer's oldest and most prestigious player of the year award, the Hermann Foundation and TEAMtalk, Inc., announced in August. Fifteen finalists were named. Wagner was named one of five finalists for last year's honor, while Slaton and former standout Heather Aldama were named semifinalists. Mandy Clemens became the first Bronco to be honored with the Hermann, when she was announced as the 1999 winner. Clemens was only the second SCU player to capture the title of national player of the year. Current assistant coach Brandi Chastain earned postseason honors following the 1990 season as she was named the 1990 ISAA Player of the Year. Three finalists will be announced on December 1and the winners will be named at the College Cup, held December 8 in Dallas, Texas. The Hermann Trophy, soccer's equivalent of the Heisman Trophy, has been given annually since 1988 and is named for Robert R. Hermann, the former Chairman of the Executive Committee of the old North American Soccer League and one of that ground-breaking league's founders.