Bakersfield – The California State University Bakersfield women’s soccer team continues the Big West Conference game this weekend with a trip to Long Beach State and UC Irvine on Thursday (6 p.m.) and Sunday (5 p.m. ), respectively. The Roadrunners have won three straight conference games and went 2-1-1 in their recent four-game home game, improving to 3-5-1 overall and 1-0-0 in league competition .
UC Irvine is 4-3-2 this season, with a 0-0-1 record in the Big West, after being voted first overall in the conference’s preseason coaches poll. Long Beach State was selected tied for second place by league coaches but is just 1-4-4 (0-0-1) so far.
The ‘Runners are looking to avenge 2021 home losses to both teams, falling 5-0 to UC Irvine and 1-0(ot) to Long Beach State a season ago. The Anteaters lead the all-time series 2-0-0, while the Beach hold an all-time advantage of 3-1-1.
THIS WEEK…
at Long Beach State (Thursday, September 22 – 6:00 p.m.) | Long Beach, California | look | Live statistics | Tickets
at UC Irvine (Sunday September 25 – 5:00 p.m.) | Irvine, California | look | Live statistics | Tickets
ROADRUNNER QUICK STRIKES…
* Throw Zimmer was recognized as the Big West Freshman of the Week, after scoring three points in a win over CSUN in the Bakersfield conference opener. Zimmer opened the scoring for CSUB from the penalty spot, before assisting on Anela Nigito winning goal. Zimmer has two goals and five points in his last four outings and ranks second on the team overall with six points.
* Regielly Halldorsdottir continued to drive the game with her set piece excellence, picking up an assist against Sacramento State when she placed a ball just inside the 18-yard box for a walk-in goal from the front Karen Flores. Halldorsdottir has also scored twice from set pieces this season, with goals against UNLV and Boise State. She leads the team with three goals and seven points.
* The Roadrunners scored 10 non-conference goals and three in their opener with CSUN. Bakersfield have already scored more goals so far than they did in the entire 2021 season. CSUB only scored 10 goals a season ago in 19 games.
* Throw Zimmer has two goals and two assists for six points in his inaugural season with the ‘Runners. Not to be outdone, classmate Kalea Eichenberger also has two goals scored in his first season on campus. Both first-year strikers have already scored twice in the same game in the 2022 campaign.
* Defender Sun Moton picked up his first career point with an assist Hildur Jonasdottir first career goal in a tie with Sacramento State on September 18. Jonasdottir’s goal gave CSUB a 2-1 advantage at the end of the first half. Moton’s first point came in his 30th career appearance for the ‘Runners’.
* Junior Midfielder Rodriguez Dome made his 50th appearance for the Roadrunners in the team’s win over CSUN on September 15. Rodriguez is the team’s most experienced player, starting in 43 of her 51 total appearances, scoring two assists and racking up nearly 3,000 minutes of play.
* Bakersfield have won three straight Big West games since last season. The ‘Runners won their final two league games of the 2021 season, beating UC Riverside and CSUN, before opening the 2022 conference roster with a win over the Matadors.
* The Roadrunners drew 886 fans for their conference opener win over CSUN, the largest crowd for a CSUB women’s soccer game since Sept. 8, 2019, when 945 fans watched the team beat Fresno State, 2-1 . CSUB hosted two crowds of over 800 in a single season for the first time since 2016.
* In a talent-packed conference, the Bakersfield striker Karen Flores was chosen as one of the league’s top 11 players heading into the 2022 season. Flores has been an offensive spark during the preseason, scoring a goal in each of the Roadrunners’ exhibition wins. She scored her first regular season goal in a loss to New Mexico.
* CSUB was voted 11th in The Big West pre-season coaching poll. The Roadrunners open their second season in the Big West with this weekend’s contest against CSUN, looking to prove the league’s coaches wrong and with sights of a top 6 at the end of the season. The Big West Conference tournament will begin on October 30 with a champion decided on Sunday, November 6
NEXT…
After this weekend’s action, Bakersfield returns home to the main soccer field for three consecutive home conference games. CSUB will host Cal Poly (September 29), UC Santa Barbara (October 2) and UC Riverside (October 9), before playing three of its final four regular season games on the road.
