Sept. 8, 1997
No. 10 Cal Travels to Brown-adidas Foot Locker Tourney
THIS WEEK: Sept. 12-14 Brown-adidas Foot Locker Tournament
Fri., Sept. 12
Rhode Island
Providence, RI
5 p.m. ET
Sunday, Sept. 14
Brown
Providence, RI
12 noon ET
NEXT WEEK:
Sunday, Sept. 21
Portland
Portland, OR
2:15 p.m.
BEARS HIT THE ROAD: After opening the 1997 season with three home games, the Bears will make their first trip of the season to the Brown-adidas Foot Locker Tournament to be held in Providence, R.I. Cal (2-0-1) will meet No. 15 Rhode Island (1-1-0) in the first round on Friday. In Sunday's matchup, Cal will face Brown (0-0-0). Both games will be first-time meetings.
BEARS IN THE RANKINGS: The Bears started the preseason ranked No.12 by Soccer America. After the 3-0 shutout of UC Davis in the season opener, Cal moved up two notches to move into the tenth spot Sept. 1. The Bears currently stand at No. 10 as the week two rankings have not yet been published.
WEEK TWO HIGHLIGHTS: Cal improved its record to 2-0-1 by defeating San Jose State, 1-0, in last Sunday's game at Witter Field. Sound defensive performances by sophomores Derrick Dyslin, Chris Sawicki and Tim Castillo held the Spartans to just 17 shots on goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Doug Brooks (0.30 GAA) posted his second shutout in three games, collecting six saves to bring his season total to 19. Giving Cal the 1-0 lead in the second half, senior Adam Hunter found sophomore Justin Bell all alone in front of the goal for an easy knock in.
BECK RETURNS TO BROWN: Junior transfer John Beck will be back on the Brown campus this weekend for the Brown-adidas Foot Locker Tournament. Beck spent his first two collegiate soccer seasons with Brown (1994-95). He was the 1994 Ivy League Rookie of the Year and a 1995 All-Ivy selection. In '95, he was voted the MVP of the UCLA MetLife Classic for his play in Brown's 1-0 defeat of UCLA in the championship match. During his prep career, Beck played club soccer for Vista Phoenix and was the valedictorian at James Monroe High School (Fredericksburg, VA.
ABOUT THE OPPONENTS: No. 15 Rhode Island comes into the Cal matchup with an overall record of 1-1-0. The Rams defeated Maine in their season opener, 1-0, and then dropped the next game to Hartford, 1-0. They ended the 1996 season 16-6 overall and 10-1 (1st) in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The Rams are led by senior forwards Brian Tucker (9 goals, 7 assists) and Troy Robinson (9 goals, 5 assists). Brown has yet to play a game in the '97 season, but finished last season 8-5-4 overall, 1-3-3 (6th) in Ivy League play. The Bears return three starters, including senior captain Hans Wittusen, an All-Ivy first team selection as a defender. Rhode Island defeated Brown last season at home, 2-1.
THE COACHES: Head coach Mark Mallon is in his fifth season at the helm for the Bears with a school and career record of 33-39-8. Last season, Mallon guided Cal to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1986. He is joined for the third year by assistant coach Lyle Yorks, a former All-American at the University of Virginia and goalkeepers coach Raffi Kardzair, who played at the University of San Francisco.
BEAR NOTES: The only goal the Bears have allowed this season was an "own" goal in the Saint Mary's game, a deflection off Cal defender Matt Newmark...Cal is outshooting its opponents, 87-47...Bell is the only Bear to have scored two goals this season...the Bears have two shutouts in three games; the single season record for shutouts stands at 11...Brooks has eight career shutouts to date, three more and he'll move into a tie for fifth place in individual career shutouts.
