Nov. 23, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

USC (22-1 overall, 8-0 MPSF) is the top seed as it hosts this year's MPSF Tournament. The Trojans concluded the regular season with a 15-9 conference home win over UC Irvine, as Peter Kurzeka, J.W. Krumpholz, and Justin Rappel each recorded hat tricks. USC carries a 39-game home win streak, and 15 overall, into the postseason. The Trojans begin defense of their MPSF Title on Friday (Nov. 27) against No. 8 seed Pacific at 10 am, with the winner facing UCLA or Pepperdine in Saturday's semifinal. Rappel owns a team-high 37 goals in '09 (1.61 GPG).

STANFORD (20-2 overall, 7-1 MPSF) goalkeeper Jimmie Sandman registered 13 saves, while allowing just two second half goals en route to an 8-6 win over No. 2 California last Saturday. Eight players scored once in earning the MPSF Tournament No. 2 seed. The Cardinal meets No. 7 seed UC Santa Barbara Friday at 11:30 am in the first round. The only meeting this year resulted in a 13-8 Stanford home win on Oct. 31. Drac Wigo ranks second in the MPSF in scoring with 54 goals (2.70 GPG).

CALIFORNIA (20-5 overall, 6-2 MPSF) is the No. 3 seed, facing No. 6 seed UC Irvine in Friday's opening round. The winner takes on the Stanford-UCSB winner in Saturday's semifinal. The Bears took the Oct. 31 meeting over the Anteaters in Berkeley, 13-10. Cal is led by Ivan Rackov's 49 goals (1.96 GPG), ranking fifth in the conference.

UCLA (19-6 overall, 5-3 MPSF) secured a No. 4 tournament seed with a 9-7 regular season ending win over UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 15. The Bruins take on No. 5 seed Pepperdine Friday at 3 pm, with the winner advancing to the semifinals Saturday at 1 pm. Scott Davidson owns a team-high 38 goals entering the postseason (1.52 GPG). Goalkeeper Chay Lapin carries a 4.43 goals-against average.

PEPPERDINE (12-10 overall, 4-4 MPSF) edged UC Santa Barbara 9-8 in the regular season finale, sealing the No. 5 seed. JP MacDonell and Brett Auer tallied hat tricks. The Waves take a four-game win streak into the tournament, and meet No. 4 seed UCLA Friday at 3 pm in round one. MacDonell owns 52 goals on the year (2.60 GPG), ranking third in the conference.

UC IRVINE (15-11 overall, 3-5 MPSF) is the No. 6 seed at the MPSF Tournament, first meeting No. 3 seed California Friday at 1:30 pm. The Anteaters have three of the top-10 scorers in the conference. Cole Bielskis and Brandon Johnson own 44 goals, while Tom Kruip has 43 entering the postseason.

UC SANTA BARBARA (12-14 overall, 1-7 MPSF) is seeded seventh this weekend. The Gauchos finished in a three-way tie for seventh in the MPSF, though owned the three-way tiebreaker by virtue of goal differential over Pacific and Long Beach State within head-to-head conference meetings. UCSB meets No. 2 Stanford at 11:30 am on day one. Miles Golic recorded his 200th-career goal in a 9-8 loss at Pepperdine last Saturday, after a six-goal outing, and owns an MPSF-high 68 goals entering the postseason (2.72 GPG).

PACIFIC (13-15 overall, 1-7 MPSF) erased a three-goal halftime and two-goal fourth quarter deficit to upset No. 6 Long Beach State, 9-8, and earn a spot in the MPSF Tournament. Joey Gullikson scored a hat trick. The Tigers are seeded eighth and play the host No. 1 seed USC at 10 am Friday. Tom Koning has 50 goals entering the weekend.

LONG BEACH STATE (9-12 overall, 1-7 MPSF) dropped a 9-8 conference game at Pacific last Saturday which ended its season. Alexsandr Petrovic recorded 35 goals this year (1.67 GPG), while Jeff Greenwood tallied 32.

SANDMAN AND GULLIKSON MPSF MIKASA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Stanford senior goalkeeper Jimmie Sandman (Los Altos Hills, CA/Menlo HS) collected 13 saves in an 8-6 home win over second-ranked California, securing a No. 2 seed in the MPSF Tournament. Down 4-2 at the half, he allowed only two second half goals, along with stopping two consecutive point-blank shots in the fourth quarter. The six goals allowed was half of California's single-game scoring average this year coming in.

Pacific junior driver Joey Gullikson (Sonoma, CA/Santa Rosa JC) recorded three goals, two assists, and two steals, as the Tigers stunned No. 6 Long Beach State (9-8) in the regular season finale. He completed the hat trick in the fourth quarter that tied the game at 8. With the win, Pacific reached the MPSF Tournament and snapped a 19-game conference losing streak. Also nominated: Brett Auer (PEP), J.W. Krumpholz (USC)