Cal State L.A.’s men’s soccer team enjoyed a tremendously successful 2009 season that included a California Collegiate Athletic Association South Division title, a third trip to the NCAA Division II West Region championship game in the past four years, a first-ever No. 1 national ranking during the regular season, a record four All-Americans and a CCAA Coach of the Year award for head coach
Chris Chamides.
The Golden Eagles earned the No. 1 seed in the West Region and hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA Division II playoffs. Cal State L.A. beat Cal State San Bernardino, 5-3, in a wild regional semi-final match before falling to Cal State Dominguez Hills, 1-0, in the regional championship game.
Cal State L.A. finished the regular season ranked No. 7 in the country and was ranked 12th in the nation at the end of the year.
Cal State L.A. finished the 2009 season with an 18-4-1 overall record. The 18 wins were the second-most in the program’s history and the most since 1981. The Golden Eagles have now posted 55 wins over the past four seasons, which is the most over a four-year span since 1981-84.
The Golden Eagles were 13-2-1 in conference play and won the CCAA South Division for the second time in the past four years. Cal State L.A. had 40 points, which were the most in the conference and gave the Golden Eagles the No. 1 seed in the four-team CCAA Championship Tournament.
Cal State L.A. drew North Division champion and No. 4 seed Sonoma State in a first-round match. The Golden Eagles had a lopsided 17-7 advantage in shots and a 7-3 edge in corner kicks, but fell to the Seawolves, 1-0.
The Golden Eagles maintained the top seed in the region and hosted the NCAA Division II West Regional. The Golden Eagles got a three-goal hat trick by
Aza Gomez and a pair of goals from
Federico Cino to outlast Cal State San Bernardino, 5-3, in a semi-final match.
That put Cal State L.A. into the regional championship match for the third time in four years and the Golden Eagles lost a hard-fought 1-0 decision to Cal State Dominguez Hills. Cal State L.A. had a 13-8 edge in shots and had three outstanding opportunities late in regulation to tie the game, but still came up just short.
Cal State L.A. relied on its trademark stingy defense that allowed only 20 goals in its 23 games. The Golden Eagles posted eight shutouts and allowed more than one goal in a game just three times. Goalies
Tobias Hummel and
Jose Martinez combined for 47 saves and the team had a goals against average of 0.85.
The Golden Eagles scored 44 goals during the season, which are the most since 2006 when Cal State L.A. notched 45 goals. Cal State L.A. scored only 32 goals in 2008.
Cino led the Golden Eagles in scoring with 12 goals and eight assists for 32 points. The 12 goals were the most for a Cal State L.A. player since Morten Marthinsen had 13 in 2006. The 32 points were tied for ninth all-time and were the most for a Cal State L.A. player since 1991.
Gomez had eight goals and two assists for 18 points,
Jason Swope had six goals and four assists for 16 points and
Kristian Gaustad had five goals and six assists for 16 points.
Cal State L.A. was well-represented on postseason teams once again. Cino, Gomez,
Mickey Daly and
Miguel Cucue earned All-America honors from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. The four All-America selections were a new program record for the Golden Eagles and the most of any men’s soccer team in 2009.
The same four earned first-team All-West Region honors from the NSCAA. The four first-team honors were also a program record.
Cino, Gomez and Daly all earned first-team Daktronics All-West Region honors, while
Simon Volk picked up second-team honors. Daly earned All-Region recognition for a second straight year, while Cino and Gomez picked up their first All-Region awards.
Six Cal State L.A. players earned All-CCAA honors. Cino, Gomez and Daly were named to the first team, Volk was named to the second team and Swope and Cucue earned honorable mention.
Cal State L.A. Men’s Soccer
2009 Overall Record: 18-4-1. CCAA Record: 13-2-1 (South Division, 1st place)
Final National Ranking: 12
Final Regular-Season National Ranking: 7
Final Regional Ranking: 1
NSCAA All-America: Federico Cino (F), 1st team; Mickey Daly (D), 1st team; Miguel Cucue (MF), 3rd team; Aza Gomez (MF), 3rd team
NSCAA All-West Region: Federico Cino (F), 1st team; Aza Gomez (MF), 1st team; Miguel Cucue (MF), 1st team; Mickey Daly (D), 1st team
Daktronics All-West Region: Federico Cino (F), 1st team; Aza Gomez (MF), 1st team; Mickey Daly (D), 1st team
NCAA Division II West Regional All-Tournament Team: Aza Gomez (MF), Federico Cino (F), Mickey Daly (D)
CCAA Coach of the Year: Chris Chamides
All-CCAA: Federico Cino (F), 1st team; Aza Gomez (MF), 1st team; Mickey Daly (D), 1st team; Simon Volk (D), 2nd team; Jason Swope (F), honorable mention; Miguel Cucue (MF), honorable mention
CCAA Championships All-Tournament Team: Aza Gomez (MF)
CoSIDA Academic All-District VIII: Federico Cino (F), 1st team
2009 Recap: Cal State L.A.’s men’s soccer program enjoyed one of the most successful seasons in the program’s history in 2009. Cal State L.A. earned its first-ever No. 1 national ranking during the regular season and also earned the No. 1 ranking in the West Region. Cal State L.A. hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA Division II West Regional and advanced to the championship match for the third time in the past four years. The Golden Eagles also qualified for the four-team CCAA Championship Tournament for the fourth consecutive year. The Golden Eagles won 18 games in 2009, which are the second-most in the history of the program and the most since the 1981 team won 20. Cal State L.A. now has 55 wins over the past four seasons, which are the most over a four-year span since 1981-84. Federico Cino had 12 goals and eight assists for 32 points to lead the squad in scoring and the Golden Eagles allowed only 20 goals in 23 matches. Cal State L.A. allowed more than one goal in a game only three times all season. Cal State L.A. had four members earn NSCAA All-America honors, which was more than any other program in the country. Head coach Chris Chamides was named the CCAA Coach of the Year.