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Niklas Roessler

Men's Soccer

Playoff Implications Abound as Bakersfield Hosts UC Davis, Travels to UC San Diego

Bakersfield, Calif. – With a Big West Conference Tournament berth in sight, CSU Bakersfield welcomes UC Davis to campus on Wednesday, Oct. 20, before embarking on its final road trip of the season to UC San Diego on Saturday, Oct. 23. The Roadrunners sit sixth in the league table following a disappointing performance against UC Irvine and need to rebound this week to solidify their conference standing.   
 
"Saturday was a great reminder on the status of this league and the importance of each game," said CSUB Head Coach Richie Grant. "We've reflected on the moments where we could have improved and its vital that we carry that experience into our final stretch."
 
CSUB split its Big West weekly schedule for the third consecutive week falling to UCI but beat Sacramento State on the road in shutout fashion. The `Runners now sports a 3-3-0 league record and a 4-8-1 overall mark.
 
Senior forward Aodhan O'Hara continues to lead Bakersfield in scoring with five goals on the season, ranking fifth in the league.
 
Carlos Armendariz and Justin Markus scored in the win against the Hornets.
 
Armendariz' goal held up as the game winner and was his fourth penalty kick goal of the season. The sophomore midfielder is 4-for-4 from the penalty spot this season, setting CSUB Division I records for both attempts and conversions.
 
Markus' insurance goal was his first career tally in his 39th career appearance. He also has two career assists, his first coming in a Sept. 6, 2019, meeting with UC Davis, the last meeting between the two teams. The Aggies won that game 2-1 in Davis, Calif.
 
UCD enters this week's contest with a 7-7-1 overall record and a 3-2-1 mark in league play, good for fourth in the conference just one-half game ahead of the `Runners. After starting the season 0-5, the Aggies won five straight and are 2-2-1 in their most recent five-game stretch.
 
Last week, UCD drew with UC Irvine before blasting CSUN 5-0.
 
"We've played Davis a lot and we'll have to be prepared for a team that is aggressive on the attack and brings a level of experience and confidence that presents a great challenge," said Grant.  
 
Sophomore Midfielder Maximilian Arfsten has been the driving force for the Aggie offense this season with seven goals, five assists and 19 points. Midfielder Andy Velasquez is next on the team with five goals, while Bakersfield native Grant Fidler has scored four times on the year.  
 
Senior Derek Chan has started 13 of 15 games in the Aggie goal, posting a 1.17 goals against average and a .736 save-percentage.
 
UC San Diego enters the weekend with a 4-9-0 overall record and a 1-5-0 mark in conference action. They'll face UC Irvine on the road Wednesday, before making the trek home to face the Roadrunners.
 
"San Diego is a well-coached and organized team that doesn't give up many goals. We'll have to deal with Davis first, but every game in this league is a great challenge, but also a great opportunity to move up the table," Grant explained.
 
Senior forward Nick Cirrito leads the Tritons with five of their 15 goals this season, while Jonah Bryan, Omar Sabbagh and Mason Haubrich each have two.
 
Redshirt senior Dominic Peters, a transfer from Wake Forest, has led a stingy UCSD defense with 11 starts in goal for the Tritons. He's allowed just 0.93 goals against, while posting an .818 save percentage.
 
All told, UCSD has allowed just over one opponent's goal per game in 2021, and has scored more goals (15), than they've surrendered (13) despite sitting in last place in the Big West.
 
CSUB's date with UC Davis is the second to last home game of the 2021 season. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at GoRunners.com/Tickets or by phone at 661.654.BLUE. Roadrunner student tickets are free with a valid CSUB ID.
 
Following the trip to UC San Diego, the `Runners will return home to wrap up the regular season against Central California rival Cal Poly on Saturday, Oct. 30. Big West Tournament play will begin with the quarterfinal rounds on campus on Nov. 3.
 
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Players Mentioned

Carlos Armendariz

#10 Carlos Armendariz

MF
5' 9"
Junior
Justin Markus

#17 Justin Markus

F
5' 10"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Carlos Armendariz

#10 Carlos Armendariz

5' 9"
Junior
MF
Justin Markus

#17 Justin Markus

5' 10"
Junior
F
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