FRESNO, Calif. - For the first time this season, the Fresno State women's soccer team will leave the Central Valley. The Bulldogs will travel to Riverside, California to play two matches, first facing UC Riverside on Thursday night and then Cal Baptist on Sunday afternoon. They will be the only two games for the 'Dogs outside of the Central Valley during the first 42 days of the season.
Fresno State (1-2-2) at UC Riverside (0-3-3)
Date: Sept. 7, 2023
Time: 7:30 p.m. PT
Location: Riverside, Calif. (UC Riverside Soccer Stadium)
Stream:ESPN+
Live Stats:Sidearmstats
Fresno State (1-2-2) at Cal Baptist (3-1-1)
Date: Sept. 10, 2023
Time: 4 p.m. PT
Location: Riverside, Calif. (CBU Soccer Stadium)
Stream:ESPN+
Live Stats:Bulldogslive.com
UNBEATEN NO MORE
After starting the season with two draws and a win to open 2023, Fresno State took its first two defeats of the year last week. The three matches was the second-longest unbeaten streak to start a season for Fresno State, behind only the 2006 team.
KEEPING OPPONENTS AT BAY
Through five games, Fresno State holds the fourth-lowest goals against average in the Mountain West at 1.00 per game. With Valentina Vivas and Kaydence Cortez-Garcia splitting time in goal. Out of a total 450 minutes, all four of the Bulldogs' starting defenders have played at least 415 minutes.
SETTING UP AT THE STICK
Like a season ago, Fresno State again ranks as one of the top teams in the Mountain West in earning corner kicks. The Bulldogs currently rank second in the league, earning 6.60 per match.
LEAVING THE VALLEY (BRIEFLY)
After playing its first five matches of the season in the Central Valley, Fresno State will venture outside for the first time on Sept. 7. The Bulldogs will play a pair in Riverside this week before returning back to the Central Valley for its next three matches.
MARINERS TO BOBCATS TO BULLDOGS RETURN TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
With roster changes following the 2022 season, Fresno State found a quartet which has played together for the last six years. The first four of those were at Pacifica High School in Garden Grove, 33 miles away from Riverside where the Bulldogs will play this week's matches. Averee Campos, Zoe Chung, Lizbeth "Yaya" De Loera and Riley Laisy each made the move to play together at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo after Pacifica. Forty wins, a state championship and a No. 1 national ranking, the four have made their way to north to Central Valley.
The group was a part of the best two-year run in Saddleback's history, totaling a 40-4-5 record. This came after the Bobcats had previously lost four or more games in every season in its history.
2023 was a banner year for the program the new Bulldog quartet helped the Bobcats to a 21-2-3 record. They went on to win capture the program's first CCAAA state championship. At the end of the season they were tabbed as the No. 1 junior college team in the nation by United Soccer Coaches.
Campos, Chung and De Loera have started all five matches for the 'Dogs this year.