Titans Stay in Reloading Mode

The Cal State Fullerton men’s soccer team has won 14 or more games each of the last three seasons, and Coach Al Mistri has his sights set on another good team next season.

“It will be difficult replacing the players we’ll be losing, but we think we’ll be competitive again,” Mistri said. “We don’t think of any year as a rebuilding year.”

Five of the 11 players in the Titan starting lineup completed their eligibility Saturday when Fullerton lost to Stanford in the first round of the NCAA playoffs, ending the season with a 15-6-1 record.

Forward Duncan Oughton, who set a school record for goals with 41 in his career, will depart along with forward Art Ramirez, midfielders Shaun Higgins and Ricky Melendez and defender Kris Hulgreen.

But the Titans also lost some key players after last season, including Antonio Martinez and Colby Jackson, who were drafted by Major League Soccer.

Mistri expects two freshmen, Hector Orellana and Sean Giudice, to move into the striker positions successfully. Giudice missed several games this season because of a collapsed lung, then was slowed by an ankle injury. “Despite that, he still scored three goals, and it’s unusual for a freshman to score that many,” Mistri said.

Mistri said he expects junior Walter Camargo and sophomore Tim Donnelly to move into starting midfield spots.

“When Hulgreen was injured, another freshman, [Jason] Clifford, stepped in and played well there,” Mistri said.

SCHEDULE RELEASED

UC Irvine is reviving baseball after a 10-year hiatus, and the Anteaters’ first game will be Jan. 25, 2002, when they host San Diego at 7 p.m. in the opener of a three-game series.

Although they play their first 14 games at home, the Anteaters appear to have embarked on an ambitious schedule, with games against Brigham Young, Pepperdine, USC and UCLA.

“Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State are glad we’re doing it because by playing top teams it helps keep the Big West Conference’s national power rating high,” Irvine Coach John Savage said.

Irvine hosts a three-game series with Long Beach April 26-28, 2002, and plays at Fullerton May 3-5, 2002.

OVERHEARD

Coach Ted Newland of UC Irvine’s top-ranked men’s water polo team, on the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation tournament, which begins Friday at the Los Alamitos Armed Forces Center: “There are no patsies in the MPSF anymore. It’s three hard games. There’s no way out and everyone is in the same boat.” . . .

Chapman freshman Tricia Kasamatsu has set seven individual school swimming records this season and also has performed on two record-setting relays. “I’m not at all in top shape yet,” said Kasamatsu, a backstroke and breaststroke specialist. “I just want to keep improving, keep getting better at all the events.” . . .

The Hope International men’s basketball team begins its second season in the Golden State Athletic Conference with six returning players, including 6-10 center Axel Margaritha.

Said Coach Jason Lowery: “Everyone involved with the program [is] very excited about the season.” . . .

The Vanguard men’s basketball team, which is 0-2, returns five starters from last season’s 12-19 team that finished eighth in the GSAC.

“Our expectation is to be able to compete with the top teams in the conference,” said Stephen French, beginning his second year as coach.

STATE CHAMPIONS

Golden West College won its fourth consecutive state championship in women’s water polo, defeating Orange Coast, 13-3, in the final Sunday at Mt. San Antonio.

Golden West (35-1) lost only to USC this season and has won 45 consecutive games against community college teams.

Anna Korobova, a freshman from Kazakhstan, scored 14 goals in three games during the state tournament and finished with a state-high 130 for the season.

The Rustler men’s team had its second consecutive third-place finish after a 10-8 semifinal loss to eventual champion Citrus. Golden West (32-3) won nine consecutive state titles between 1989 and ‘97, but finished second in 1998 and hasn’t advanced to the final the last two years.

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Staff writers Paul McLeod and Peter Yoon contributed to this report.

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