Cal State L.A.’s women’s soccer team enjoyed a season for the ages in 2009, shattering program records, earning a national top-10 ranking for the first time and winning a first-ever California Collegiate Athletic Association championship. All the success netted
Chris Chamides the CCAA Coach of the Year award.
The Golden Eagles set new program records for wins (17), most goals scored (53) and tied the program standard for shutouts (12). Along the way, the Golden Eagles broke into regular-season national rankings for the first time and were ranked 14th in the nation at the end of the season. Cal State L.A. was ranked as high as No. 6 during the season.
Junior forward
Liz Franco became the first player in the program’s history to be named the Daktronics West Region Player of the Year and she and
Amanda Matthews became the first Golden Eagles to earn All-America honors. Franco was named to the third team and Matthews earned honorable mention on the Daktronics teams.
Franco also was the first Golden Eagle to be named the CCAA Offensive Player of the Year, while Matthews became the first Golden Eagle to be named CCAA Defensive Player of the Year. Franco set single-season program records for assists (17) and points (43) and also tied the program record for goals (13).
Cal State L.A. had a 12-match unbeaten streak (10-0-2) late in the season that enabled the Golden Eagles to capture the CCAA South Division, earn the No. 1 seed in the four-team conference championship tournament and then post shutout wins over Chico State and Cal State Dominguez Hills in the tourney to claim their first CCAA championship.
The Golden Eagles were dominant in the tournament, holding a 23-6 shot advantage in a 1-0 win over Chico State and then using a three-goal hat trick and an assist from Franco in a 4-0 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills in the championship game. Cal State L.A. had a 22-6 edge in shots in that contest and, for the two games, enjoyed a 45-12 advantage.
The Golden Eagles also locked up the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Division II West Region and were hosts for NCAA playoff games for the first time in the program’s history. Cal State L.A. had its season come to an unsatisfying end when the Golden Eagles fell to Cal State Dominguez Hills, 2-1, in a regional semi-final match. Cal State L.A. saw a potential game-tying shot hit the goalpost in the waning seconds of the contest.
Franco led an impressive showing by the Golden Eagles on the All-Region and All-CCAA teams. Franco was named the West Region’s Player of the Year and was one of four Golden Eagles on the Daktronics All-West Region first team. Joining Franco were Matthews, junior forward
Alex Conley and Hanna. Franco was placed on the NSCAA All-West Region second team, while Conley, Hanna and Matthews were named to the third team.
Franco, Matthews, Tangorra and head coach
Chris Chamides took top honors from the CCAA. Franco was named the conference’s Most Valuable Offensive Player, Matthews was named the conference’s Most Valuable Defensive Player, Tangorra shared CCAA Freshman of the Year honors and Chamides was named the CCAA Coach of the Year.
Franco, Conley and Matthews earned first-team All-CCAA honors, while Walworth picked up second-team recognition and Tangorra and
Kastidi Robles earned All-CCAA honorable mention.
Franco led the Golden Eagles with 13 goals, 17 assists and 43 total points. Conley had 11 goals, six assists and 28 points, Tangorra had 10 goals, six assists and 26 points,
Gabbi Segall had five goals, seven assists and 17 points and Stuemper had five goals, three assists and 13 points.
Cal State L.A. Women’s Soccer
2009 Overall Record: 17-3-2. CCAA Record: 12-2-2 (South Division, 1st place)
Final National Ranking: 14
Final National Regular-Season Ranking: 6
Final West Region Ranking: 1
Daktronics All-America: Liz Franco (F), 3rd team; Amanda Matthews (MF), honorable mention
Daktronics West Region Player of the Year: Liz Franco
Daktronics All-West Region: Liz Franco (F), 1st team; Amanda Matthews (MF), 1st team; Alex Conley (F), 1st team; Caroline Hanna (D), 1st team
NSCAA All-West Region: Liz Franco (F), 2nd team; Alex Conley (F), 3rd team; Amanda Matthews (MF), 3rd team; Caroline Hanna (D), 3rd team
CCAA Most Valuable Offensive Player: Liz Franco
CCAA Most Valuable Defensive Player: Amanda Matthews
CCAA Co-Freshman of the Year: Ann Marie Tangorra
CCAA Coach of the Year: Chris Chamides
All-CCAA: Liz Franco (F), 1st team; Alex Conley (F), 1st team; Amanda Matthews (MF), 1st team; Jessie Walworth (GK), 2nd team; Ann Marie Tangorra (F), honorable mention; Kastidi Robles (MF), honorable mention
CCAA Championships All-Tournament Team: Liz Franco (F), Most Outstanding Offensive Player; Carolina Hanna (D), Most Outstanding Defensive Player; Kelly Melanson (D), Jessie Walworth (GK), Jasmin Stuemper (MF), Amanda Matthews (MF), Ann-Marie Tangorra (F)
CoSIDA Academic All-District VIII: Reauna Wong, 1st team
2009 Recap: Cal State L.A. had a record-breaking season in 2009 and the Golden Eagles established themselves as one of the country’s top programs. The Golden Eagles were ranked sixth at the end of the regular season and were the No. 1-ranked team in the NCAA Division II West Region. Cal State L.A. won its first California Collegiate Athletic Association championship and made its second trip to the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Golden Eagles hosted NCAA playoff games for the first time in the program’s history. Cal State L.A. finished the season with a 17-3-2 overall record and set a new program record for most wins. The Golden Eagles also set a new program mark for goals scored with 53, assists with 60 and total points with 166. Cal State L.A. tied a program record with 12 shutouts, which was also done by the 2007 squad. The Golden Eagles outscored their opponents, 53-15. Junior forward Liz Franco broke single-season records for assists (17) and total points (43) and tied the mark for goals (13). She holds the program record for career assists with 30 and is second in total points with 66 and fourth in goals with 18. She also became the first player in Cal State L.A. history to be named the West Region Player of the Year and the CCAA Offensive Player of the Year. Junior forward Alex Conley had 11 goals, six assists and 28 points and freshman forward Ann Marie Tangorra had 10 goals, six assists and 26 points, giving the Golden Eagles three players with 10 or more goals. Amanda Matthews was the first player in the program’s history to earn CCAA Defensive Player of the Year honors. Head coach Chris Chamides was named the CCAA Coach of the Year.