 
Beach Soccer Enjoys Record Breaking Season in 2008
Nov. 24, 2008
LONG BEACH - The Long Beach State women's soccer team (14-5-4) enjoyed one of its most successful seasons in school history in 2008. In addition to claiming their unprecedented third consecutive Big West Conference regular season title, the 49ers also earned their first-ever at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. After going undefeated in league play at 7-0-1, LBSU secured the top seed in its fourth straight appearance in the BWC Tournament. The 49ers, who closed out the regular season on a five-game winning streak, went on to defeat fourth-seeded Pacific, 3-0, to advance to the Big West championship game for the first time in program history. The Beach would go on to pick up three of the six major BWC postseason awards, led by head coach Mauricio Ingrassia, who was tabbed the conference's Coach of the Year. Under Ingrassia, Long Beach State has risen to a new level with its first-ever NCAA appearance, winning three straight Big West regular season titles and setting the school record for wins in a season (14). In his five years at the helm of the program, Ingrassia has compiled an impressive 59-31-11 (.738) overall record and a 22-13-4 (.731) mark in the Big West. In addition, Liz Ramos was named the Big West Goalkeeper of the Year, while Lindsay Bullock garnered Midfielder of the Year accolades. Ramos became the first 49er to earn top goalkeeper honors after leading the league in goals against average (0.64) and shutouts (8). The Bakersfield, Calif., native posted a 13-4-2 record as The Beach allowed a league-low 17 goals on the season. Ramos has etched her name in the LBSU record books, owning the top spot on the career charts in saves (240), goals against average (0.66), shutouts (36.5) and minutes in goal (6436:30).
Bullock (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), meanwhile, led the 49ers with 10 goals, while finishing second on the team in shot attempts (55) and points (21). She became just the sixth 49er in school history to reach double figures in single-season goals. Long Beach State also had a league-high six student-athletes earn first-team all-conference honors, including Ramos, Bullock, Hayley Bolt, Kim Silos, Mariko Strickland and Sara Baca. It was the third year in a row that Bolt and Silos were selected to the first team, while Ramos, Bullock, Strickland and Baca were first time honorees. The 49ers continued to rack up the awards following their first NCAA Tournament appearance as Bullock was a second-team NSCAA/adidas All-West Region pick, while Bolt garnered her third consecutive all-region honor with a third-team selection. Other Notables |
|
|||||||||
