ROBERT HUSKEY/ Daily Titan
Cal State Fullerton men’s soccer team (4-7-1, 0-1-1 in conference) looks to bounce back this weekend in two away games against Cal State Sacramento and UC Davis on Friday and Sunday respectively. The Titans look to regroup after a disappointing loss to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a tie to UC Santa Barbara.
The Titans lost 2-0 to Cal Poly SLO and could not muster any offensive firepower. They managed only one shot on goal in the loss. The team was just outplayed and outworked by the Mustangs.
Although the Titans did not win against UCSB, they played excellently. They held the Gauchos to only 22 shots and junior goalkeeper Robbie Hannon recorded his second shutout in his second start this season. The Gauchos had not been shut out in 22 games. The last time they were shutout was on Oct. 1, 2011.
UCSB is 7-0-3 overall and 1-0-1 in Big West competition.
The Titans, 4-7-1, look to improve their Big West Conference record this weekend to have a chance to make the playoffs. Currently, the Titans are 0-1-1 in Big West games.
The next game against Sacramento State will definitely be a tough challenge. Sacramento State is the only undefeated team in Big West play with a 2-0 record. They defeated UC Irvine and Cal State Northridge.
The Sacramento State Hornets have received an increase in offensive support scoring six goals in their two wins. The Hornets also captured both offensive and defensive Big West Conference players of the week.
Forward Isaac Ikyurav won the offensive award for posting both a game-winning goal and a game-winning assist in the Hornets’ sweep.
Hornet Goalkeeper Bryan Oliver merited the defensive nod for allowing only one goal in two games. He will definitely pose a threat for the Titans, who have had troubles all season to muster offensive support.
The Titans will conclude their road trip with a game Sunday night against UC Davis. UC Davis has had an average season at best with a 1-1 Big West Conference record and a 3-4-4 record overall. This will be a pretty evenly matched game as either team has a legitimate chance to win the game.
Before taking on the Titans on Sunday, the Aggies will play UC Riverside on Friday. The last win for the Aggies came against UC Irvine. In the 3-1 victory, the Aggies got scoring contributions from three different players: midfielder Alex Aguiar, forward Pat Reese and forward Kevin Schulte. The Aggies’ three-goal game was their highest scoring game all season. Reese and Ryan Gross are the top scoring leaders for the Aggies. Both players have two goals each.
For the Titans, senior Jesse Escalante remains the main offensive threat. He has six goals and 13 points. The next best offensive player is sophomore Anthony Rosales with two goals and four points. Rosales does have a knack for scoring when it counts most; he leads the team with two game-winning goals.
CSUF will play Sacramento State 4 p.m. Friday at Sacramento. They will then face off against UC Davis 3 p.m. Sunday at Davis. For more information, visit FullertonTitans.com.
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