Seniors
recognized at last home game
Daniel
Frias/Daily Forty Niner
The
team's two seniors are honored in the last
home game of the season as the 49ers win
two Big West Conference games.
Jon
Cook/Daily Forty-Niner
By
Daniel Frias
Daliy Forty-Niner
The
Long Beach State women's soccer team played
its last home game of the season Sunday
against Idaho at George Allen Field. Seniors
Lauren Doffing and Abie Curry were both
honored before the match began. This was
the last home game of their 49er soccer
career.
"It
was sad," said co-captain Doffing after
the game. "I was emotional at the beginning.
But then I got into the game."
"I
probably will not realize until the season's
over how much this program and playing soccer
with these girls has impacted my life,"
said co-captain Curry about playing her
final home game.
Both
Curry and Doffing have been at Long Beach
State almost as long as the soccer program.
Curry is the school's all-time leader in
points (34) and goals (15). She holds the
school record for most career game winning
goals with four.
Doffing
has been at the helm of a 49er defense that
has five shutouts this season and has allowed
two or fewer goals in 29 of the past 34
contests. Doffing has two goals this season.
49er
head coach Peter Reynaud who is in his third
year as coach had nothing but good things
to say about his two star players.
"It's
a sad day is what it is," said Reynaud.
"I hate to see them leave. They've
been an important part of the growth of
this program. They're both very skilled,
dominating players. Lauren dominates by
winning balls for us on defense and Abie
has good speed. People do not realize how
fast she is and she is strong too."
The
49ers (8-7-0, 4-2-0 big west) defeated Idaho
(2-9-4, 0-5-0) by a margin of 3-1 with goals
from Allison Wiegand, Erin Empting, and
Doffing. The 49ers wasted no time putting
the team on the scoreboard. One minute and
a half had been played when sophomore Shaina
O'Donnell sent a cross from the right side
toward the middle. An Idaho defender tried
to clear it out but ended up kicking the
ball to the top of the cross bar and Wiegand
was standing in front of the goal for the
easy put in.
The
49ers scored its second goal of the afternoon
at the 25 minute mark on a similar play,
only this time it was junior Kristin Travis
who sent the right cross to freshman Erin
Empting who blasted one in the net for the
2-0 lead.
The
final goal for the 49ers came with just
under four minutes to play in the half.
Nicole Cross sent a corner kick that was
put in by Doffing. This was Doffing's second
goal in as many games. She scored her first
goal of the season on Friday against Utah
State.
"It
feels good to score," said Doffing.
"The one today was a nice cross in
the middle. I wanted to make it look nice
and header it in, but I just kneed it."
Idaho
scored their only goal off a free kick just
before the half expired. The Vandals Amanda
Findlay received the kick on the left side
and sent a cross that was headed in by Jennifer
Springer. The 49ers dominated the second
half to win its final home game of the season.
The
49ers were victorious Friday as they routed
Utah State (9-5-1, 3-1-1) 3-0. Doffing,
Wiegand, and Jen Robin each contributed
a goal in the win. The 49ers have now won
three straight games and are in first place
of the Big West Conference.
The
Beach will play again Sunday, Oct. 26 versus
UC Irvine.
"It's
a sad day is what it is, I hate to see them
leave. They've been an important part of
the growth of this program. They're both
very skilled, dominating players. Lauren
[Doffing] dominates by winning balls for
us on defense and Abie [Curry] has good
speed. People do not realize how fast she
is and she is strong too."
-- Peter Reynaud, head coach
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