Titans Expect Success on Soccer Field

The Cal State Fullerton men’s soccer team, coming off its most successful season in the program’s history, opens the 1994 season Saturday.

The Titan men and women’s teams will play host to the Reebok Classic at Titan Stadium. The men will play Cal State Sacramento at 7:30 p.m Saturday. UCLA plays Stanford at 5 p.m.

On the women’s side Saturday, Cal State San Bernardino plays Pacific at 1 p.m. and the Titans play Long Beach State at 3 p.m.

In men’s games Sunday, UCLA plays Cal State Sacramento at 1:30 p.m. and the Titans take on Stanford at 4 p.m.

In women’s games Sunday, Cal State San Bernardino plays Long Beach State at 11 a.m. and Cal State Fullerton goes against Pacific at 6:30 p.m.

The Titan men, coached by Al Mistri, were 16-7 last season and reached the NCAA tournament semifinals. Bolstered by a strong recruiting class, Mistri said, “This is the best bloody team I’ve ever had.”

The Titans are ranked No. 7 in the nation and No. 1 in the West by Soccer America. UCLA is ranked second in the West and eighth in the nation. The teams, both members of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, meet Oct. 21 at UCLA.

The UC Irvine soccer teams also starts the season this weekend. The men play host to Gonzaga at 4 p.m. on Saturday. UC Irvine finished 6-14 last season, including 1-6 in the league. The Anteater women’s team plays host to Cal State Hayward at 1 p.m. Sunday.

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The UC Irvine women’s volleyball team opens the season in the eighth Anteater Invitational starting today in Crawford Hall.

UC Irvine plays Southwest Missouri State at 7 p.m. and Fresno State takes on Cal State Northridge in the tournament opener at 5 p.m.

In Saturday’s matches, UC Irvine plays Cal State Northridge at noon, then the Anteaters come back to play Fresno State at 7:30 p.m.

UC Irvine was 15-13 last season, 8-10 in the Big West Conference. The record was UC Irvine’s best in conference.

Cal State Fullerton starts the season today in the UC San Diego tournament.

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Several teams from local private schools also start the fall season this week. Concordia is playing host to its annual Labor Day women’s volleyball tournament today and Saturday at Concordia and Woodbridge High School.

Southern California College, which opened the season Wednesday by beating Mt. St. Claire (Iowa), and Pacific Christian are among the 16-team field.

The Southern California College men’s and women’s soccer teams start their seasons Saturday. The SCC men play host to The Master’s at 7 p.m.; the women play at Mills College at 11 a.m.

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Cal State Fullerton finished 46th nationally in the first competition for the 1993-94 Sears Director’s Cup Award, which recognizes all-around performance in both women’s and men’s college sports.

Points are awarded based on each school’s finish in national competition in 22 sports, 10 core sports for men and 10 for women and one wild-card sport for men and women.

Fullerton’s points were boosted by the Titans’ tie for third in NCAA baseball and men’s soccer. The women’s softball team finished in a tie for ninth nationally and the wrestling team was 23rd in the NCAA finals.

North Carolina was first, followed by Stanford, UCLA, Florida and Penn State. UC Irvine ranked 155th. A total of 219 colleges were awarded points.