COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Titans Lose Soccer Match, Division Title to UCLA

Mike Ammann of Cal State Fullerton stood in his goalie box Sunday at UCLA and tried to do the improbable: stave off the sixth-ranked Bruins in a match for the new Mountain Pacific Sports Federation’s first Pacific Division title.

Ammann made 10 saves despite being under siege the entire match by a relentless UCLA offense that had 23 shots on goal.

But UCLA scored three second-half goals to defeat Fullerton, 3-1.

The Bruins (13-2-2, 6-1 in MPSF) won the Pacific Division title, and the Titans (12-5, 6-1) were relegated to second place.

After a scoreless first half, Eddie Lewis scored twice to put UCLA ahead. Lewis scored the first goal on a header with 22 minutes remaining and volleyed the second into the net 10 minutes later.

Joe-Max Moore scored for UCLA on a penalty kick with 4 minutes 20 seconds remaining.

Fullerton scored in the 88th minute, after Paul McDonnell received a pass from Mark Vaught at close range. McDonnell’s shot passed diving UCLA goalkeeper Brad Friedel.

Fullerton had trouble offensively, making only seven shots on goal.

Ricky Rodriguez, a starting Titan forward, played sparingly because of a knee injury. Eddie Soto, Fullerton’s leading scorer this season, left the match with 13 minutes remaining after injuring an ankle.

UCLA and Fullerton will participate in the four-team MPSF playoffs Nov. 6-8 in Seattle.

Fullerton had clinched a playoff berth Friday, when New Mexico lost, 3-2, in overtime at Nevada Las Vegas.

“It maybe took a little bit of the edge off Fullerton, simply because of the fact that Fullerton knew they were going to the playoffs whether they won or lost (on Sunday),” UCLA Coach Sigi Schmid said.

But Ammann disagrees.

“I personally didn’t (let down),” Ammann said. “It didn’t matter to me whether we were going or not. You play against a team like UCLA and you want to win. Whether you’re going to the playoffs or not, that really didn’t play a factor.”

In the MPSF semifinals Nov. 6, Fullerton will play Mountain Division champion Washington, and UCLA will play runner-up Stanford.

The winner of the Nov. 8 championship game will receive an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.

In another Mountain Pacific Soccer Federation match:

San Diego State 4, UC Irvine 3--Host San Diego State (10-7-1, 3-4) scored twice in the second half to rally for the victory. Willie Franklin scored the winning goal with two minutes remaining. Charles Higley scored two goals and Mike Succi scored one for the Anteaters (7-11, 1-6), who outshot the Aztecs, 20-10.