UCSB Opens Shootout Play Friday with Colorado State
Feb. 13, 2008  Santa Barbara, CA - The Gauchos host WDIA 2nd ranked Colorado State at 6pm on Friday night in Harder Stadium. The game is the feature game of four early play games at the 20th Annual Santa Barbara Shootout. Other WDIA games being played Friday include #4 Brigham Young vs. #9 Michigan, #5 Colorado vs. Miami (OH) and #12 Santa Clara vs. Oregon. Those start at 4pm on Storke Field outside Harder Stadium. The early play on Friday kicks off a 34 team tournament featuring 72 games in three days.
UCSB faced the Rams three times last year. The first meeting was on February 17th at the Cactus Classic in Tempe, Arizona. UCSB prevailed 8-7. The second time was at UCSB on March 10th and Colorado State took that one 9-6. The rubber match came in the third place game at the WDIA National Championship Tournament in Denver, Colorado. The Rams won 14-11.
UCSB is 3-0 and Colorado State is playing their first game of the season. The Gauchos have outscored their opposition 54-22 for an average score of 18 to 7.3. The UCSB schedule so far includes two ranked WDIA teams in #18 UC San Diego and #16 Lindenwood. It also includes Claremont, an NCAA Division III program that made the NCAA play-offs last year and returned 11 starters from that team. While averaging 18 goals a game the Gauchos have done it with teamwork and by sharing the ball. Twelve players have at least a point after just three games and a jaw dropping 61.1% of the goals have been assisted. Emily Ruby (Davis, CA), Kelsey Seitz (San Diego, CA) and Maggie Aker (Oakland, CA) are three Gauchos who have 5 assists each putting them tantalizingly close to averaging 2 assists per game. That may be a hard gap to close though since 9 UCSB players have assisted on scoring plays already this season and everyone is involved in the offense.
Colorado State is led by senior goal keeper Brooke Lewis. The Denver, Colorado native is the two-time WDIA Goal Keeper of the Year. Lewis is tall, quick, makes saves and can throw the ball 60 yards up the field with accuracy. The matchup of the high octane cutting & feeding offense against a presence in goal like Lewis should have lacrosse fans pleased to be there. UCSB coach Paul Ramsey is excited about the early test against a team ranked higher but he is not stressing about the final score.
"This is going to be a fun game to play and a fun game to watch," says Ramsey. "Anyone too worried about the final outcome this early in the season is missing the boat. We're in the middle of a process of striving for improvement and a build up to peaking for the play-offs."
Ramsey points out that doesn't mean he cares less about UCSB wining or losing. "Actually, I'd love to put up our averages against them," concluded Ramsey. "But if we don't then we will be better prepared for that next higher ranked team and the next and the next."
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