Oct. 22, 2002
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This Week
Santa Clara will take its second trip this month to Los Angeles, this time to play West Coast Conference foes Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount. The contest against the Waves will mark the Broncos' ninth ranked opponent this season, as Pepperdine checks in this week's poll at No. 12. The Waves were only one of two teams to defeat the Broncos during SCU's championship run last year, earning a 1-0 overtime victory in Malibu. Friday's contest will feature the two top offenses in the WCC, as seven of the league's top-10 goal scorers will be on the same field.
National Team Call Ups
U.S. Women's National Team member Aly Wagner has already missed two Broncos contests due to national team commitments, as the United States prepares to qualify for the 2003 Women's World Cup in China by competing in the 2002 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup. She rejoined the USNT on Oct. 21 and will most likely be out of the Bronco lineup until the NCAA Tournament, although she will join SCU for a Nov. 3 contest at Portland, as the USNT is playing in Seattle on Nov. 2. The Women's Gold Cup, which also serves as the Regional championship, will be held from Oct. 27-Nov. 9, 2002 at four venues on the west coast of the United States and Canada.
Wagner's departure is not the first time the Broncos have lost players due to the National Team. Devvyn Hawkins was called up earlier in the month, but declined due to injury. Additionally, Santa Clara began the season without three starters, Jessica Ballweg, Megan Kakadelas and Leslie Osborne, as the trio was leading the United States to its first-ever U19 World Championship.
Live on the Internet
Santa Clara's entire home schedule returns to the Internet, as a live audio broadcast will be available for a second season on www.SantaClaraBroncos.com. Additionally, Buck Shaw contests can be followed online with a live statistical tracker, also located on SCU's official athletic website. By logging on, fans receive real-time updated statistics direct from the official scoring computer, allowing users to listen to the audio broadcast and keep up with the statistics simultaneously. Ram Fletcher returns as the voice of the Broncos with SCU men's soccer alumni Mark Wojciechowski adding color commentary.
LMU will offer livestats on Sunday. The link can be found on SantaClaraBroncos.com.
In the Rankings
Santa Clara moved up in three of the four polls. Soccer America Magazine and the NSCAA/adidas polls list Santa Clara fourth, while Soccer Times list SCU fifth, and Soccer Buzz Magazine ranks the Broncos seventh. Ten opponents are ranked and the Broncos have already faced eight of those foes. Santa Clara will face the ninth on Friday, in 12th-ranked Pepperdine, followed by a Nov. 3 contest against fifth-ranked Portland.
Catching the Broncos on TV
Santa Clara's match against West Coast Conference rival and 2001 College Cup participant Portland on November 3 will air live on Action Sports Cable Network. It will mark the second regular season appearance on live TV for the Broncos, as the team's overtime game against Florida was broadcast live on the Sunshine Network in September.
Wagner Moving Up WCC Charts
With three goals and three assists this past weekend, Aly Wagner moved up to seventh on the West Coast Conference career points list, at 119. Wagner has also broken into the WCC top 15 career goal scorers with 37. She is also fifth on the league's list for career assists, with 45.
Up Next: Broncos Face College Cup Participant Portland
Santa Clara will play one West Coast Conference match next weekend, on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Broncos will face fifth-ranked and 2001 College Cup participant Portland. The Pilots' 13-match unbeaten streak came to an end last week when Pepperdine earned a 2-0 victory.
Wagner #7 Replica Jersey T-Shirts On Sale
Exclusive Offer! Get your replica jersey/t-shirt of national player of the year Aly Wagner. This item will only be available at Buck Shaw Stadium and online at Santa ClaraBroncos.com this fall. Fans from as far east as New York, as far north as South Dakota and as far south as Georgia have already placed their orders. Limited quantities available. Available in Youth and Adult sizes. Order today!
Head Coach Jerry Smith
The number 13 has become a lucky number head coach Jerry Smith (CS Hayward '86), who won his first NCAA College Cup National Championship in his 13th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The 15-year year coach earned his sixth WCC Coach of the Year honor when he was named this year's co-recipient with Saint Mary's Paul Ratcliffe. Smith has compiled an overall record of 242-60-15 (.787) and earned his 50th WCC victory against Gonzaga in mid-October. Additionally, he has coached Santa Clara to 13 straight NCAA Tournament appearances and eight College Cups. The winningest coach in the program's history, Smith is fourth on the all-time NCAA coaching victory list. The Broncos have been ranked among the nation's Top 25 every season during Smith's coaching tenure and have finished among the Top 10 in each of the last 12 campaigns. In 1990, Santa Clara finished the season ranked first nationally. Additionally, he has coached 16 All-Americans, 11 U.S. National Team Players, eight Academic All-Americans and five WCC Freshmen of the Year, including 2001 selection Veronica Zepeda. He coached 1999 National Player of the Year Mandy Clemens.
Bronco Bios: Player of the Year Candidate Aly Wagner
As a Senior in 2002: A team captain... named a preseason All-American by Soccer Buzz and Soccer America magazines... started all 11 contests she has played... missed game at Cal Poly, due to bruised tailbone suffered at California... also did not play against USC due to a strained right hamstring... has seven goals and five assists for 19 points... earned all-tournament team honors at the Notre Dame Classic... scored twice against Clemson... also named to Soccer America's Team of the Week... is seventh on the West Coast Conference career points list, at 114... also broke into the top 15 career goal scorers with 36.... is also fifth on the league's list for career assists, with 42... scored a goal and an assist against Florida... was called up to the U.S. National Team for preparation for and participation in the Nike Women's Cup... missed matches against Tennessee and Montana, but scored a goal and two assists in her first outing with the USNT, a 5-1 win over Russia... rejoined the team in Los Angeles... added an assist on the game-winner against San Diego to open WCC play... scored twice, including a penalty kick against San Jose State... netted a goal and an assist against Saint Mary's, including the game-winner... posted two assists in a 6-0 victory over San Francisco... will miss more time during the regular season as she rejoined the NT on Monday... will rejoin the Broncos for Nov. 3 game at Portland, as the USNT plays in Seattle on Nov. 2...
Bronco Bios: Preseason All-America Devvyn Hawkins
As a Senior in 2002: A team captain... named a preseason All-American by Soccer America Magazine... is one of four players that has started all 15 contests... was called up to join the National Team, but sprained right ankle during practice on Sept. 2, and declined National Team offer... assisted on two of the Broncos' four goals against Oklahoma... named the adidas Classic Defensive MVP... scored the equalizer against UCLA en route to an overtime win... added an assist against Saint Mary's
Bronco Bios: Kristi Candau
As a Junior in 2002: A team captain... earned all-tournament team honors at the Notre Dame Classic... scored twice against the Fighting Irish and added the game-winning goal against Clemson... has seven starts and has seen action in all 15 contests... scored two goals in each of the first two contests she did not start... leads the team with eight goals... is fourth on team with 17 points... scored twice against Oklahoma... had three other dangerous shots in that game, narrowly missing a hat trick... assisted on the equalizer at UCLA and then scored the game-winner in the second minute of overtime... added the final goal against San Jose State and the fifth against San Francisco...
Bronco Bios: Megan Kakadelas
As a Sophomore in 2002: Missed the match against Stanford while with the U.S. U19 National Team, winning the first-ever FIFA U19 World Championship in Canada... earned all-tournament team honors at the Notre Dame Classic... scored the game-winner in her Bronco debut against Notre Dame and assisted on Candau's first score... has seen action in all 14 contests since joining the squad, with 12 straight starts... added the game-winner at Cal Poly... has seven goals and seven assists for a team-leading 21 points... posted third game-winner of season against Montana... added three goals and three assists in one weekend, including one assist against SJSU, one goal vs. Saint Mary's and a two-goal, two-assist performance against San Francisco.
Bronco Bios: Leslie Osborne
As a Sophomore in 2002: Missed the match against Stanford while with the U.S. U19 National Team, winning the first-ever FIFA U19 World Championship in Canada... has started all 14 matches since returning... plays all field positions... had a hand in all four goals against Oklahoma, scoring twice and netting one assist... started the drive that scored the second Bronco goal... named the WCC Player of the Week for those efforts... repeated conference honor the following week while also being named to the adidas Classic All-tournament team... scored both goals against Tennessee... scored two goals against San Diego to open the WCC season... also marked her third multi-goal game of the season... has seven goals and five assists for 16 points... added the game-winner against San Jose State...
Bronco Bios: Micaela Esquivel
As a Freshman in 2002: Made first collegiate start against Stanford and is one of four players that has started all 15 contests... despite never playing fullback, started on the right side for the first seven contests... earned first collegiate goal against Notre Dame, gathering a loose ball off a corner kick at the top of the arc and chipping a shot in... registered first on SCU's third goal against Oklahoma... scored the game-winner in conference opener against San Diego... also scored against San Jose State... registered an ESPN highlight-worthy goal against Saint Mary's, with a bicycle kick... added a breakaway goal against San Francisco...
Bronco Bios: Bree Horvath
As a Sophomore in 2002: Started against Stanford, despite tearing ACL just four months earlier... was expected to miss the first month of the season... has started 11 of the 13 contests she has played... cracked ribs on her right side against Clemson... sat out match at Cal, but returned and started against Cal Poly two days later... broke nose against Tennessee, but continued playing... the injury requires surgery, but no date has been set yet... played with a face mask against UCLA but decided against using it for the rest of the season... assisted on Leslie Osborne's second goal against the Toreros... earned two assists against San Jose State... scored first goal of the season against San Francisco on the counterattack...