The top-seeded Tritons, dominant throughout the season, earned a first-round bye and will host a second-round game at the Triton Soccer Stadium on Nov. 17, as governed by the pairing announcement made on Nov. 10 for the 2002 NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Championship.
UCSD stands apart with a phenomenal record of 15-2-1, and is coming off its third-consecutive California Collegiate Athletic Association South Division and CCAA Championship titles since becoming a conference member in 2000.
The Tritons, who consistently bring the heat to every game, can expect big things on Nov. 17 if they maintain the same disciplined and persevering mindset with which they have approached all of their other games this season.
This focus and motivation is what has guided the team to where it is today, and although there will be a lot of pressure, fans expect UCSD to continue its resilience.
“”One of the toughest parts [of the upcoming game] is playing at home — everyone is expecting so much,”” said head coach Brian McManus.
The Tritons are coming off a 2-1 victory over UC Davis in the finals of the CCAA Championship at Rohnert Park, Calif., on Nov. 9.
Along with momentum, experience will also be on UCSD’s side as the race for the national title begins. The Tritons have clinched the gold trophy seven times under veteran coach McManus, who brings not only 16 years of experience to the table, but also commitment and vision. As proof of his compitence, McManus won the 2001 Division II National Coach of the Year award.
UCSD will play host to second-seeded UC Davis (12-6-2), the winner of the first-round affair between the Aggies and third-seeded San Francisco State (12-5-4) on Nov. 13 in Davis, Calif.
The Tritons have defeated the Aggies twice this season, with a 1-0 victory in Davis in early October preceding UCSD’s last win in Rohnert Park to close out the CCAA Championships.
In October, the Tritons’ junior standout Shannon Harrelson, a Second Team All-CCAA selection, scored the lone goal in the 25th minute for the win over Davis.
Team co-captain Kristin Jones, a two-time All-CCAA honoree, notched both of the Triton goals on Nov. 9 when the team controlled not only aggressive opponents, but a muddy field.
Even in this environment, the UCSD women’s soccer team “”is not a physical or dirty team,”” McManus said.
Players like Christine Wensel, Lauren Jacobs and Jackie Shaffer have had sensational performances for the Tritons on the field, but team unity is very important for its success during the rest of the postseason.
“”Everybody has stepped up all year,”” McManus said.
The winner of the Nov. 17 contest will move on to face the Midwest representative in a National Quarterfinal the following weekend at the location of one of the two participants. In the Midwest Region, ninth-ranked Metropolitan State College of Denver (17-2-2) trekked to No. 17-ranked West Texas A&M (16-3) for a first-round match on Nov. 13.
The victor of that game will advance to Edmond, Okla., to contend with the No. 11-ranked Bronchos of the University of Central Oklahoma (20-2) over the weekend. UCSD smoked UCO, 6-2, in La Jolla, Calif., in a National Quarterfinal in 2000. The Tritons went on to win the national title that year, their first of Division II competition.
UCSD, currently ranked No. 6 nationally, will be fighting hard for its fourth national title in a row following a Division III crown in 1999 and back-to-back Division II championships the past two years.
Fans can expect no bravado, tricks or secrets from this down-to-earth team, although in every game the team seems like it has not only maintained, but also improved on its already excellent talents.
“”We have normal practices and no special strategies are needed; we like to keep it as simple as possible,”” McManus said.
The Triton record speaks for itself: They have capped the scrambling Aggies in all five meetings since UCSD joined the CCAA.
The fluid motion of kicks that launch the ball down the field, soaring flights along the sidelines to head off an opponent and breathtaking boomeranging balls on the goal are things fans can anticipate.
It is a necessity that UCSD has the home-court advantage with loads of cheering fans.
The NCAA Division II second round game against UC Davis on Nov. 17 will begin at 1 p.m. at UCSD’s Triton Soccer Stadium. Tickets are $4 for general admission, $2 for students with identification and $1 for children under 12.