CLU Takes Another Crack at UCSD in Women’s Soccer

If the Cal Lutheran women’s soccer team has a nemesis, it is UC San Diego.

The Tritons have eliminated Cal Lutheran from the NCAA Division III West Regional the past two seasons. Today at 1 p.m., the Regals hope to avoid a third such defeat when they travel to UCSD for a West Regional wild-card match.

The previous two playoff losses came in the regional final. This year, the Regals (14-4) and Tritons (14-0-1) are vying for the right to meet Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn., in a regional semifinal Saturday.

“We compare favorably to UCSD,” Cal Lutheran Coach Dan Kuntz said. “They are not to be taken lightly.”

In last year’s match, the Tritons won, 3-2, after a potential tying goal by the Regals was disallowed.

“(The players) are not going to forget that,” Kuntz said.

Cal Lutheran, ranked 16th in Division III, recovered from an 0-3 start this season to win 14 straight matches, a streak that tied the school record. But the Regals are coming off a 4-1 loss Sunday to Division II Cal State San Bernardino.

“Nothing fell our way against Cal State San Bernardino,” Kuntz said. “We couldn’t pass. We were tired. We had our chances. We just couldn’t put it together, but we got this type of game out of the way.”

Forwards Rachel Wackerman (19 goals, eight assists) and Joey Allard (17 goals, 11 assists) lead Cal Lutheran in scoring. Freshman goalkeeper Amy Walz, whose hometown is San Diego, is 14-2 with an 0.97 goals-against average and eight shutouts.

The Tritons are led by forwards Elli Johnson (13 goals, five assists) and Caryn Pugh (10 goals, five assists) and goalkeeper Cari Schwartz, who has nine shutouts and an 0.45 goals-against average.