Titans Surprised, Pleased by NCAA Soccer Berth

Cal State Fullerton, which battled to the NCAA men’s soccer final four last year, Monday received an at-large berth in this season’s playoffs and will play host to the University of San Diego in a first-round game at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Fullerton Coach Al Mistri was delighted his team will be at home after agonizing earlier in the day about whether the Titans would be invited at all with a 12-6-2 record. Fullerton, however, was ranked No. 14 nationally and had upset top-ranked Indiana in a tournament at UCLA three weeks ago. Mistri had been concerned it would be a close call for the selection committee between his team and San Diego (13-5) if only four teams from the West Region were invited. But both were among five West Coast teams making the field.

It will mark the first time Fullerton has played host to a men’s NCAA Division I playoff event. The school has been the site for NCAA women’s basketball and softball playoff games.

Fresno State (17-2-1) claimed the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation’s automatic berth by beating UCLA last weekend and will meet San Francisco (9-6-3) in a first-round game Sunday at Fresno.

UCLA (15-4) was the other California team invited. The Bruins also will be the home team for their first-round game against Alabama Birmingham (15-3-1). UCLA, however, will be in a different bracket from the other four California teams.

The winners of the Fullerton-San Diego and Fresno State-San Francisco games will meet in the second round a week later at an undetermined site.

“We’re very excited to be in the playoffs again, and very excited to be having a first-round game at home,” Mistri said. “We feel that is a very significant thing for our program.”

Fullerton’s selection marks its fourth appearance in the NCAA playoffs. The Titans were invited to the playoffs in 1975 and 1986 before last season, when Fullerton won NCAA playoff games against Fresno State, San Diego and San Francisco to advance to the final four at Davidson, N.C. The Titans were beaten by South Carolina, 1-0, in the semifinals.

“San Diego is going to be after us this time after we beat them in the playoffs last season,” Mistri said. “I’m sure both teams will be looking forward to another rematch.”

A year ago, San Diego beat the Titans, 2-1, in overtime in the regular season, but Fullerton came back to win in the second round of the playoffs, 3-2.

“We’ve really had a good rivalry,” Mistri said, “and San Diego’s coach (Seamus McFadden) has been a good friend.”

San Diego has won its last seven games.