Niner Newcomer Eileen Maes scores the Golden Goal in Long Beach soccer’s 2-1 win over Baylor. Photos courtesy of John Fajardo/LBSU Media Relations.
For a September to remember, the 49er faithful spend their time looking at newcomers, nagging injuries (neuromuscular issues) and finding faith. The newcomers have stepped up pretty well for the ladies of soccer and volleyball, the uncertain body parts seem like the annual curse of Beach athletics. And faith, well, you can’t have enough faith.
We start with the Cinderellas of soccer who got to the Elite Eight last year and used the waiver wire to get even better this year. You see, student athletes get romanced a lot in high school but the marriage doesn’t always work. When that happens the kids look for a bounce back to more familiar territory and a program that is getting hotter by the day.
On Sunday, Washington State transfer Eileen Maes (out of Castro Valley as a prep) took over the overtime with a nifty header to lift 15th-ranked Long Beach State past visiting and 24th-ranked Baylor, 2-1. The Beach booters upped their record to 3-0, the best start since the 2008 campaign when the 49ers went unbeaten in its first four games (3-0-1). It was the Niners’ tenth consecutive home win as the 49ers and 13 of 14 games at George Allen Field. Bonus stat, it was win #99 in the sparkling CSULB career of 49er head coach Mauricio Ingrassia. Ironically, the Sunday win would mirror the Friday night victory. With just a minute into the overtime period, Maes received the ball from Jordan Nelson, heading the ball past Baylor goalkeeper Michelle Kloss from six yards out to record her first goal as a 49er and just a minute into OT.
The Beach gals trailed 1-0 to a very physical and unbeaten Baylor bunch but reliable senior Alex Balcer took a free kick from midfield that sailed over the Baylor goalkeeper’s head and bounced right into the net, to tie the game at 1-1. The goal was the second of her 2012 season, was almost an exact duplicate on one that came against Arizona in the season opener.
The other newcomer of note is a bounce-back beauty who prepped at nearby Mayfair High before she got a very sizeable scholarship to Middle Tennessee State. Jessika Oseguera, who had a bleacher full of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and neighbors (and a very active cousin Daniel) rooting her on was nicknamed Tweety as a youngster. Friday she teamed with another newcomer, sophomore Natalie Zeeni, and each scored a goal in the 2-0 shutout of Saint Francis Friday night. LBSU dominated the first half with 16 shots, with seven on goal. Senior Nadia Link led the 49ers into halftime with five shots with two on goal, while junior Eileen Maes collected four shots, one on goal. Bounce backs are good business for the box office.
Tweety has a great futbol resume. She was invited to train with the U20 Mexican National Team … Named to the 2009 and 2010 Second Team All-California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section by the SoCal Soccer Coaches Association … Earned Long Beach Press Telegram Dream Team accolades her final two years … Selected as the 2009 and 2010 Suburban League Offensive MVP and to its First Team … Tabbed as her high school’s Most Offensive Player, leading it to the league title following her final two campaigns … Chosen as the Best Newcomer in 2007 … Nominated for the City of Lakewood (Calif.) Hall of Fame … Garnered Scholar-Athlete honors.
Another goal scorer in 2012 is Ashley Roese is another of the new kids making a contribution. Last year she saw action in 10 games but in a key match against San Diego in the NCAA Tournament Ashley played 53 minutes in the rain and scored the game-winning goal in the 56th minute to lift the 49ers to a 1-0 victory and their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight Finally a tip of the glove to new goal keeper Marrina Meyers recorded her first shutout as a 49er with three saves against Saint Francis and saved the Beach bacon in the wins over Baylor and Arizona.
LBSU returns to action on Thursday as the 49ers take their first road trip of the season visiting BYU. Kickoff begins at 5PM PST. Check out BYU TV on your cable box for a possible broadcast but turn their sound down and listen to LBSU voice Roger Kirk.
Part Two Dust: Long Beach State missing its pair of very talented middle blockers, Haleigh Hampton shelved for the season with a torn labrum, and Alma Serna with a sprained ankle, had to rely on the jumping jack work of Janisa Johnson for a pair of 20-kill efforts in a tough Saur5day double header at Kentucky.
The Beach gals went five with North Carolina and four with No. 13 Kentucky but lost both matches in the Kentucky Classic. The newcomers of note included Chisom Okpala and Tiara Wallace up front and Tara Renicke running the show. Johnson was named to the All-Tournament team after finished the weekend with 60 kills, including those back-to-back 20 kill matches against North Carolina and Kentucky. She finished the weekend with a pair of double-doubles and averaged 5.0 kills per set and 3.0 digs per set.
The 49ers return to Long Beach for their season opener this weekend, hosting the Mizuno Invitational in the Walter Pyramid. Long Beach State will face James Madison on Thursday at 7 p.m., followed by very tough 7 p.m. matches against San Diego and Wisconsin on Friday and Saturday. DR. DAN