BAKERSFIELD, Calif.-- The Roadrunner women's soccer team has reached its final week of regular season play and will conclude the campaign with a doubleheader against Grand Canyon. Bakersfield (4-13-1, 3-5 WAC) will play host to the Antelopes (6-9-1, 5-3 WAC) on Thursday, Oct. 30 before hosting GCU again on Saturday, Nov. 1.
The match on Thursday is a make-up for the Sept. 27 match, originally scheduled to take place in Phoenix, which was postponed due to inclement weather. As a result, Grand Canyon will be the official home team in the first match of the week despite the game being played at the Main Soccer Field here in Bakersfield. Saturday's game will be played with the 'Runners as the home team, per normal.
Bakersfield brings firepower into the week of GCU matches in sophomore forward Hedda Regefalk (Stockholm, Sweden, Blackebergs Gymnasium). The Swede was named WAC Offensive Player of the Week for her performance last week. Regefalk picked up her second hat trick of the season on her way to leading Bakersfield to back-to-back 4-2 wins against Texas-Pan American and New Mexico State. After scoring three against UTPA, she finished off two more goals against NMSU for a total of five on the weekend. Regefalk continues to rise the ranks of Bakersfield's record book as she is now 11th in career points (32), tied for seventh in career goals (15), and has the seventh most goals in a season for Bakersfield (11).
Tori Ornela (R-Jr., Lemoore, Calif., Lemoore HS) continues to rise the ranks herself as she is only three saves away from her 100th this season. In fact, the goalie only needs 16 more saves to become the CSUB record holder for most saves in a season, currently held by Mandy Cutshall from the 2003 season (113).
After two wins last week, the 'Runners guaranteed themselves a spot in the WAC Tournament to be held in Seattle, Nov. 6-7, 9, so Ornela stands a strong chance to break that record. A minimum of one tie in the two matches against Grand Canyon would clinch the fourth seed in the tournament for Bakersfield. Bakersfield's head coach, Gary Curneen, is only one win away from the 100th of his career.
The 'Lopes will head to Bakersfield after winning back-to-back home games against New Mexico State and Texas-Pan American last week. GCU has now won five of its last six matches behind the leg of Maria Monterroso who leads the GCU offense with eight goals this year. She is second in the WAC in goals per game with 0.67 while her teammate, Milla Benedetti, is also in the Top 10 (0.38). Freshman goalkeeper Blakely Fraasch is fourth in the WAC in goals against average (1.62).
Both Thursday's and Saturday's matches are slated to begin at 7 p.m. here at the Main Soccer Field. Purchase tickets ahead of time at Vallitix.com and cheer on your 'Runners. If you cannot make it out this week, live stats will be available on GoRunners.com for both games and Saturday's match will be broadcasted for free on the WAC Digital Network.
~www.GoRunners.com~
