GAME 10: PACWEST CONTEST
@ Azusa Pacific
Thursday, Oct. 13 •  7:30 p.m.
Cougar Soccer Field • Azusa, Calif.
Live Stats • Live Video • Game Notes

GAME 11: PACWEST CONTEST
@ Point Loma
Saturday, Oct. 15 •  2:00 p.m.
PLNU Soccer Field • San Diego
Live Stats • Live Video

SCHEDULE NOTES
After this week, Academy of Art and Holy Names come calling on Oct. 19 and 22, respectively, before the 'Birds make their final road trip of the season with a pair of league matches against California Baptist and Concordia. FPU hosts Hawaii Hilo on Nov. 3 and will celebrate Senior Day on Nov. 5 against Hawaii Pacific to wrap up the regular season.
 
PACWEST STANDINGS
As of October 9, Fresno Pacific currently sits in fourth place in the PacWest Conference standings. This will be a pivotal week for the Sunbirds, as Azusa Pacific and Point Loma represent the top two teams in the league.   
 
ABOUT FRESNO PACIFIC (5-3-1, 3-1-1)
FPU is coming off a scoreless tie against Dominican last Friday, their first draw of the season. Alyssa Nakaguchi, Sassy Weigant, and Amber Rodriguez have each found the back of the net three times for the attack-minded Sunbirds. Between the posts, Summer Hammond has tallied 40 saves and surrendered just eight goals this season.  
 
ABOUT ASUZA PACIFIC (6-3-2, 4-1-1)
The Cougars enter Thursday's game with a three-game win streak on the line, including a pair of shutouts. Most recently, Asuza Pacific played host to Academy of Art on Saturday and came away with a 2-0 victory. Emile Allum is the top scorer on the squad with three goals, while Sarah Klinkenberg (15 saves) has been the primary Cougar in the net.  
 
SERIES HISTORY: FPU VS AZUSA PACIFIC
APU has dominated the all-time series against the Sunbirds, claiming all 16 meetings. In last season's meeting in Fresno, the Cougars claimed a 2-1 victory, with FPU's lone goal coming off the foot of Rachelle Schiller.
 
ABOUT POINT LOMA (6-2-3, 4-1-1)
The Sea Lions have all but forgotten the feeling of defeat, going 4-0-1 dating back to September 22. Their last four have all been shutouts, including back-to-back 3-0 victories over Academy of Art and Notre Dame de Namur. Cori Deason has been an offensive force all year and currently leads the PacWest Conference with seven goals. Defensively, senior goalkeeper Ariel Oriarte has picked up 25 saves and surrendered only six scores.  
 
SERIES HISTORY: FPU VS POINT LOMA
The Sea Lions claim a 12-4-1 in the all-time series, including a win in each of the last two seasons. In Fresno last season, Point Loma earned a 2-0 victory over the Sunbirds behind goals from Emily Pedlowe and Easton Kawawaki.

HEAD COACH ROB PODEYN
Rob Podeyn joined the FPU staff in 2015 as head women's soccer coach. In his first season with the team, he guided a team that had finished 6-8-2 the previous year to a record-breaking season that saw the team lead the league in shots on goal while tying for the best record in program history. 
 
Podeyn began his coaching career after a successful seven-year professional playing career as a goalkeeper. He played collegiately at Long Island-C.W. Post (1984-1987) where he was an NCAA Division II All-American while leading his team to the NCAA quarterfinals as a senior. That year, Podeyn led the nation in save percentage (.893) and ranked fifth in the nation in saves with 107. He went on to spend seven seasons with the Long Island Stars of the American Soccer League, earning league MVP honors twice while setting a league record of 973 consecutive shutout minutes.
 
He holds an overall career coaching record of 109-98-20, including a 9-6-2 mark in his first season at FPU. He holds a bachelor's degree in English from Dowling College and a master's of education from William Woods University. Podeyn teaches in the university's kinesiology department, focusing primarily on the areas of sport psychology and leadership.
 
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