Nov. 24, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

USC (24-0 overall, 8-0 MPSF) has completed its second perfect regular season in the last three years with a 24-0 overall record. The Trojans are the No. 1 seed at the MPSF Tournament this week, and first take on No. 8 seed UC Irvine Friday (Nov. 28) at 10:00 a.m. This is the third meeting of the year between the Trojans and Anteaters, with USC coming out on top 13-1 (at Pacific) and 13-5 (at UCI). The winner of this game gets the Cal-UCLA winner in one semi-final Saturday. Junior J.W. Krumholz leads the Trojans with 38 goals (1.58/gm).

STANFORD (22-4 overall, 6-2 MPSF) is seeded second by virtue of a 9-8 regular season-ending win at California, and by earning the head-to-head tiebreaker over Pepperdine. In the "Big Splash" win, Drac Wigo scored three goals, including one with 1:21 to play that put the Cardinal ahead by two. Junior goalkeeper Jimmy Sandman recorded nine saves and leads the conference with a 4.50 goals-against average. Junior Janson Wigo averages 1.85 goals per game. The first tourney opponent for the Cardinal is No. 7 Long Beach State Friday at 11:30 a.m.

PEPPERDINE (19-6 overall, 6-2 MPSF) is this year's host of the MPSF Tournament, and checks in as the No. 3 seed. The Waves will face No. 6 seed UC Santa Barbara Friday (Nov. 28) at 1:30 p.m, winning both meetings this year, 12-10 in Malibu and 10-9 in Santa Barbara. The Waves are coming off a big home win to end the regular season, 9-5 over No. 2 UCLA, allowing for a second-place tie in the conference. Freshman goalkeeper John Hahn stopped 12 shots, while junior J.P. MacDonell and senior Grant Miller each nailed hat tricks. MacDonell has 50 goals entering the tournament, ranking fourth in the MPSF with two per game.

UCLA (15-6 overall, 5-3 MPSF) senior Krsto Sbutega scored twice to end the regular season in a 9-5 loss at Pepperdine. UCLA is the No. 4 seed this week, and first takes on No. 5 Cal Friday at 3 pm. UCLA won two of three meetings this year, 6-4 at Pacific and 11-10 at Cal, while the Bears prevailed in Malibu, 12-11 in overtime. Sbutega owns 44 goals on the year (2.10/gm) and ranks third in the conference.

CALIFORNIA (18-7 overall, 4-4 MPSF) split two MPSF games to end the regular season, edged by Stanford, 9-8, followed by a 10-7 win at Pacific. Junior Spencer Warden was the difference in Stockton, putting away three goals. Senior Trent Calder also had a hat trick in the loss. The Bears will be in action as the No. 5 seed at 3 pm Friday, taking on fourth-seeded UCLA in a quarterfinal game. Freshman Ivan Rackov averages 1.50 goals per game.

UC SANTA BARBARA (15-10 overall, 4-4 MPSF) is seeded sixth at the MPSF Tournament, and takes on the host No. 3 seed Pepperdine Friday at 1:30 p.m. Sophomore Milos Golic is the conference scoring leader heading into the tournament, owning 72 goals in 24 games on the year (3.00 GLS/G). Fraser Bunn and Michael Robinson have split goalkeeping duties this year, ranking second and third respectively in the MPSF in saves per game.

LONG BEACH STATE (14-15 overall, 2-6 MPSF) avenged two losses this year to UC Irvine with a 7-4 MPSF win to end the regular season. Junior goalkeeper Derek Wiebe-Bailey picked up 11 saves, while senior Ash Blythen chipped in a pair of goals. Long Beach State is the seven seed, and faces off against No. 2 Stanford Friday at 11:30 am. Junior Jeff Greenwood owns a team-high 46 goals this year (1.59/gm).

UC IRVINE (10-13 overall, 1-7 MPSF) dropped its regular season finale, 7-4 in MPSF action at Long Beach State. Sophomore goalkeeper Matt Johnson registered 11 saves. The Anteaters received the No. 8 seed this week and take on top-seeded USC in the opening round Friday at 10 am. UCI is led by sophomore Brandon Johnson's 2.57 goals per game, which ranks second in the MPSF. Junior Greg Enloe ranks fourth with two goals per game.

PACIFIC (10-20 overall, 0-8 MPSF) ended its season with a 10-7 home loss to No. 4 California Sunday. With his seventh save in the game, senior goalkeeper Brian Domecus tied the all-time saves record at Pacific with 754.

MILLER AND WIGO MPSF MIKASA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK Woodland, Calif. - Pepperdine senior Grant Miller (La Verne, CA/Damien HS) scored three goals to lead the Waves in a 9-5 win over second-ranked UCLA to end the regular season. The win resulted in a share of second place in the final MPSF standings.

Woodland, Calif. - Stanford junior Drac Wigo (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Northeast HS) scored three goals to lead a 9-8 win at No. 4 California to end the regular season. Wigo completed his seventh hat trick of the year with 1:21 to play in regulation, putting the Cardinal ahead by two.