THE SCHEDULE - NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
Game One
vs. #3 Cal State Dominguez Hills (14-2-3)
Thursday, Nov. 12 • 3 p.m.
Interbay Stadium • Seattle, Wash.
Live Stats • Live Video
 

Game Two
Winner of Game 1 vs. #2 Seattle Pacific (16-2-2)
Saturday, Nov. 14 • 7 p.m.
Interbay Stadium • Seattle, Wash.
Live Stats • Live Video
 
MATCH NOTES

FPU EARNS FIRST NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE
The Fresno Pacific men's soccer team has earned its first NCAA Division II Championship berth in school history. The Sunbirds, at 14-2-2 overall and currently ranked #10 in the nation, will make their NCAA tournament debut on Thursday, Nov. 12 in Seattle against third-seed Cal State Dominguez Hills at 3 p.m. The Toros are ranked 23rd-nationally and sit at 14-2-3 overall. The winner will face host and second-seed Seattle Pacific on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. SPU, ranked seventh nationally, won the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and sports a 14-1-3 record in 2015. The selection into the NCAA postseason marks the first in school history for any program, as FPU is in its first season as active members of Division II.
 
WATCH ON CAMPUS
FPU students will have an opportunity to watch the live stream of the opening game against Cal State Dominguez Hills at 3 p.m. in the BC Lounge on campus.  

PACWEST CHAMPIONS
FPU secured its second Pacific West Championship in the last three years after defeating Dixie State, 3-0, on Saturday, Nov. 7. The win gave head coach Jaime Ramirez his 300th career victory. The Sunbirds scored three goals in a 13-minute span in the first half against a DSU defense that came into the match ranked second in the nation (0.44 goals allowed per game). Benjamin Cowdrill led FPU with two goals and an assist in the win.
 
BUSTAMANTE NAMED PACWEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Renato Bustamante was named the 2015 PacWest Conference Player of the Year on Wednesday, the first such award in school history. The Sunbirds also placed a league-high 10 student-athletes on the All-PacWest teams. Jorge Chedraui, Alvaro Nogales and Dallas Whitlow joined Bustamante on the All-PacWest First Team, while Joey Belzil, Benjamin Cowdrill, Sergi Nus and Andrew Luis were honored on the second-team. Eli Gallegos and Emmanuel Ochoa were honored with third-team distinctions.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS
FPU made its way into the national Top 25 for the first time on Oct. 27 since joining NCAA Division II. The Sunbirds sit at #10 in the nation in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll. FPU debuted at #16 and had been receiving votes the previous four weeks in the poll.
 
SUNBIRDS FLYING HIGH ON OFFENSE
The Sunbirds boast the highest scoring offense in the West Region in terms of goals per game at 3.17, which ranks eighth nationally in Division II. FPU is first in the nation in total assists with 56 and fourth in total points with 170. The Sunbirds scored a season high nine goals on Oct. 31 in a 9-2 win over Concordia. The scoring output ranks fourth in D2 this season and was the highest mark in program history since 2004. FPU also dished out 12 assists in the win, which ranks second in the nation for a single game. The Sunbirds have also scored seven goals this season on two occasions – 7-2 over Dominican (10/7) and 7-3 against Holy Names (10/28).
 
WEEKLY HONORS
FPU has earned back-to-back NSCAA Division II Player of the Week honors as Benjamin Cowdrill (11/10) and Renato Bustamante (11/3) were awarded the distinctions, which marked the first time in program history. The Sunbirds have also earned the PacWest Player of the Week honor seven times in 2015, as Cowdrill (11/10), Bustamante (9/21, 10/19, 11/3), Joey Belzil (9/28) Jorge Chedraui (10/5) and Alvaro Nogales (10/12) have earned the award. Andrew Luis earned the PacWest Defender of the Week (10/5) as well this season.
 
SUNBIRD NOTES
Renato Bustamante led the PacWest in points (31) and assists (13), and was fourth in goals (nine)…The senior captain ranks eighth nationally in total assists and 26th in points…Bustamante also ranks ninth in career assists (23) and 12th in career points (tied-75) in program history…Jorge Chedraui was second the PacWest in goals (13)…Chedraui ranks 23rd nationally in total goals…the junior sits in seventh in career goals (tied-37) and 11th in points (85) in FPU history…Alvaro Nogales is third on the team with 24 points…Nogales sits in third in career assists (34), sixth in career points (114) and seventh in career goals (40) in program history…Joey Belzil, the team's second leading scorer with 10 goals, has recorded two hat tricks this season (9/26, 10/31)…FPU is currently riding a seven-game win streak…the Sunbirds have scored two or more goals in 14 games in 2015…FPU has only been shut-out twice this season, in a 1-0 loss at Sonoma State when Nogales was out with an injury (9/5) and a 0-0 draw at Hawaii Pacific (10/1)…The Sunbirds were picked second in the PacWest preseason poll and received one first-place vote, with Bustamante being tabbed the preseason player of the year…FPU has posted a winning record in four-straight seasons entering 2015 under head coach Jaime Ramirez…Ramirez currently holds an all-time record of 300-149-31 (.625).
 
ABOUT THE TOROS
Cal State Dominguez Hills, under head coach Joe Flanagan, enters at 14-2-3 overall. The Toros are making their 13th NCAA Championship appearance after earning their first CCAA regular-season championship since 2009. CSUDH was ranked as high as #5 this season and ran off a 16-game unbeaten streak earlier in the year. The Toros enter winless in their last two games, with a loss and a draw coming against Stanislaus State. Defender Tony Alfaro leads the Toros, who rank 23rd nationally in team defense (0.79 GAA), and was named the CCAA Defensive Player of the Year. Pedro Velasquez and Mike Diaz pace the offense with 18 and 17 points, respectively.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Thursday's matchup will mark the fifth meeting between the two schools, with FPU holding a 3-1-0 all-time advantage. The Sunbirds won last season's meeting, 4-3, as Bustamante and Nogales each found the back of the net.
 
ABOUT THE FALCONS
Seattle Pacific, under head coach Mark Collings, sits at 16-2-2 overall. The Falcons, ranked seventh nationally, won the GNAC title for their second consecutive season. SPU is currently riding a nine-game unbeaten streak. The Falcons have found success through a defense that ranks second nationally in goals against average at 0.43. SPU is outscoring opponents 32-8 on the season. Goalkeeper Cody Lang and his nine shutouts lead the defense, while Ian Adams and Danny Olivas (14 points apiece) pace the offense.
 
SERIES HISTORY
SPU holds a 2-1-1 all-time series record over FPU. The last meeting between the two school's was in 2005, a game that ended in a 2-2 draw at a neutral site in Chico.
 
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