The Record: Overall 11-2-1 Big West 3-0-1
The Schedule
Wednesday, October 30th
#15 UC Santa Barbara Gauchos at UC Irvine Anteaters
7:00 p.m. at UC Irvine's Anteater Stadium
Saturday, November 2nd
#15 UC Santa Barbara Gauchos vs. Cal Poly Mustangs
7:00 p.m. at UC Santa Barbara's Harder Stadium
The National Rankings
NSCAA/adidas Coaches Poll 15th College Soccer News 22nd Soccer Times 21st
Big Men In Conference
The Big West has been kind to the 15th-ranked UC Santa Barbara Gauchos since it reinstated its sponsorship of men's soccer in 2001, but it is UCSB who has not been kind to the Big West. Winning the conference championship last season, and currently sitting in first place after three weeks of league play, the Gauchos have dominated their Big West opponents, winning eight of their last ten confernece games and sporting a 10-2-2 overall record in Big West play. Leading the conference in every offensive catagory, as they have since week one, UCSB's 3-0-1 league record in 2002 gives the Gauchos ten championship points for a three point lead in the standings over second place Cal State Fullerton and Cal State Northridge.
Now It Just Needs Some Ivy On The Walls
I know it was touched on earlier in the year, but after more extensive research, I have determined just how much of a home field advantage Harder Stadium gives to UCSB. Since Tim Vom Steeg took over the helm of the men's soccer program in 1999, his teams have compiled a home record of 21-9-4, but what is truly impressive is that in those 34 matches UCSB opponents have been held to one goal or less in 28 of them, including 18 shutouts. And since Leo Chappel came aboard as an assistant coach in 2001, Santa Barbara's record in Harder Stadium is a remarkable 13-2-3, unbeaten in its last 11. The Gauchos have never lost a confernce game at home since Chappel joined the staff a year and a half ago.
A Top-Ranked Affair
UCSB's 3-1 weekend loss to then No. 1 ranked Indiana was just the Gauchos second loss of the year, their other was to then 7th-ranked LMU shorthanded in overtime. The Hoosier's 18th-ranked defense held the Gauchos to just eight shots, it was the first time Santa Barbara has been held to a single digit shot count in 2002. Indiana was led by NCAA Player of the Year canidate Pat Noonan who netted two of IU's goals and assisted on the other. For the Gauchos, Rob Friend scored his 14th goal of the season in the 71st minute, 9th most in the NCAA, turning on a pass from sophomore midfielder Nate Boyden from 18 yards out. The game marked the first time that this season that UCSB lost a game in which Friend scored a goal, and it was just third time this year where the Gauchos' opponent was the first to score.
They Like To Eat Ants
Santa Barbara travels to UC Irvine, 6-5-2 (1-1-1), on Wednesday looking to increase its conference lead. In addition to losing its leading scorer, Dardo Acuna, to a season-ending injury, Irvine will be trying ot recover from an accident involving a team van last week.
Familiar Faces
Having downed Cal Poly 3-1 last Friday night in San Luis Obispo, UCSB welcomes the Mustangs into Harder Stadium this Saturday for their second and final meeting of the season. Cal Poly is currently last in the Big West with a 1-4-0 conference, and 3-11-0 overall record. The Mustangs lone Big West win was a 3-2 double-overtime victory at UCI, they have three players with multiple goals, but are led by Scott Gellman with one goal and four assists for six points.
Who are the Gauchos, Alex?
With six regular season games remaining, a number of UCSB records are in jeopardy:
Goals in a Season 1. Grassinger 18 '83 2. Arya 15 '94 3. Grassinger 14 '82 4. Friend 14 '02 5. Pollock 13 '76Assists in a Season 1. Price 17 '82 2. Price 14 '78 3. Arzate 12 '02 Robertson 12 '83
Points in a Season 1. Price 41 '82 2. Arya 40 '94 Grassinger 40 '83 4. Grassinger 37 '82 5. Friend 32 '02
Shots in a Season 1. Arya 79 '94 Grassinger 79 '81 3. Guzaman 75 '76 4. Friend 72 '02 5. Friend 66 '01
Goals in a Season
1. 1982 53 1978 53 3. 2002 43 1979 43 5. 1995 42 1994 42Goals Per Game 1. 2002 3.07 2. 1978 2.79 3. 1982 2.41 4. 1979 2.39 5. 1988 2.22
Opponent GPG 1. 1990 0.72 2. 1978 0.74 3. 2001 0.95 4. 1973 1.00 5. 1982 1.05 6. 2002 1.07
Scoring Margin 1. 1978 +2.05 2. 2002 +2.00 3. 1982 +1.36 4. 2001 +1.05 5. 1988 +1.00
Rank in the Nation...Statistically Speaking
Team
2nd (t) Scoring Margin +2.00
5th Scoring Offense 3.07 goals per game
8th 43 Total Goals
9th 0.831 Won/Loss %
1st Most wins to start the season - 8 games
Individual
Memo Arzate
2nd 0.92 assists per game
2nd(t) 12 Total Assists
7th Assists in a game (3) - twice
Rob Friend
7th(t) 1.00 goals per game
9th(t) 14 Total Goals
9th 2.29 points per game
12th(t) 32 Total Points
UCSB Leads The Big West In:
Shots 279 Shots per game 19.93 Points 131 Points per game 9.36 Goals 43 Goals per game 3.07 Assists 45 Assists per game 3.21 Scoring Margin +2.0
Big West Statistics
Points Per Game (rk) 1. Friend 32 2.29 (1) 3. McAthy 21 1.50 (3) 4. Deering 16 1.14 (4) 5. Arzate 14 1.08 (5) 8. McGill 11 0.79 (10)
Goals Per Game (rk) 1. Friend 14 1.00 (1) 2. McAthy 10 0.71 (2) 4. Deering 6 0.43 (5) 8. Young 4 0.31 (9)
Assists Per Game (rk) 1. Arzate 12 0.92 (1) 2. McGill 7 0.50 (2) 5. Kubota 5 0.36 (5) 6. Deering 4 0.29 (9) Friend 4 0.29 (9)
Goals Against GAA 2. Kennedy 15 1.15 (3)