Oct. 29, 2002
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This Week
Santa Clara will play one West Coast Conference match this weekend, on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Broncos will face fifth-ranked and 2001 College Cup participant Portland. The match will be shown live on the Action Sports Cable Network. The Pilots' 13-match unbeaten streak came to an end two weeks ago when Pepperdine earned a 2-0 victory.
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.
The Fight for the WCC Championship
With only two weeks left in the regular season, there is a logjam atop the WCC conference standings. Pepperdine's upset of Santa Clara over the weekend left the league with no unbeaten teams. The Waves, Broncos and Pilots all sit in a three-way tie for first place at 4-1 with SCU and Portland squaring off this weekend at Merlo Field. If the Waves can win their next two games over Saint Mary's and San Fran-cisco, they would become the first team other than SCU and Portland to claim a piece of the WCC title. If they win both games, the Waves would also earn the league's automatic bid since they would win all head-to head ties.
Wagner Scores at Women's Gold Cup
U.S. Women's National Team member Aly Wagner scored in the fifth minute against Mexico to lead her team to a 3-0 victory in the opening match of the 2002 CONCACAF Women's Gold Cup. Wagner has missed four Broncos contests due to national team commitments so far this season, as the United States prepares to qualify for the 2003 Women's World Cup in China by competing in the 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 Gold Cup, which also serves as the Regional championship, will be held through 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.
More on Portland Match
Portland holds the advantage in the series, with a 6-4-1 mark since league play began. Five of the last six meetings between the Pilots and the Broncos have ended with one team going scoreless. Additionally, the two schools have won each of the WCC's 10 previous championships, with SCU taking home three of the last four.
Up Next: Broncos Return Home to Close Out Regular Season
Santa Clara will play its final two games of the regular season in the friendly confines of Buck Shaw Stadium. The Broncos will host a non-conference match against Pacific on Wednesday, Nov. 6 and then close out West Coast Conference play against Gonzaga on Saturday, Nov. 9. Both game times are at 7:30 p.m.
Match Tickets On Sale
Individual match tickets for Santa Clara University's last two home contests are on sale through the Department of Athletics' official website www.SantaClaraBroncos.com, and the athletic ticket office at 408-554-4660, between the hours of 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.In conjunction with its exclusive Internet partner, Official College Sports Network, the athletic department has developed an online ticket application that provides fans with the ability to purchase individual matches via the official athletic website. 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.
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.
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 fourth on the league's list for career assists, with 45.
Freshman Faces
Jerry Smith announced the signing of three players to National Letters of Intent on Feb. 6. Joining the Bronco Class of 2006 is Bonnie Bowman of San Carlos, Carrie Schuler of Northridge, and Micaela Esquivel of Albuquerque, N.M. Bowman is a 5-9 defender from Notre Dame High School. She will redshirt her freshman season after tearing her ACL in May. Like Bowman, Schuler is a defender, but slightly smaller at 5-5. Out of Louisville High School, Schuler led her prep team to the 2001 CIF Division IV Championship. A member of New Mexico's Olympic Development Team for the past four years, Esquivel is a 5-5 midfielder from Albuquerque Academy. She led her prep team to the state championship, leading the squad in goals in assists, including seven scores in the state tournament.Additionally, the Broncos welcome five other newcomers: freshmen Kelly Giddings and Anna Thorburn, juniors Megan Kakadelas and Tracy Hess, and senior Cara Hanelin.
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, but injured hamstring and only saw 10 minutes of action against UCLA... 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... the three-goal, three-assist week earned her weekly honors from Soccer America and Soccer Buzz magazines... 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... scored in the fifth minute against Mexico in the opening game of the Women's Gold Cup on Oct. 27...
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 eight starts and has seen action in all 17 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 18 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... other assist came on the game-winner against LMU...
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 16 contests since joining the squad, with a string of 15 straight starts... did not start against LMU after spraining left elbow against Pepperdine... took a fall with arm outstretched... MRI is scheduled for Tuesday... 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 16 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 19 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 17 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...