Introductions to new players and new combinations are always part of the excitement of any season.

For the Ventura County Fusion, who open its sixth Premier Development League campaign tonight at Ventura College against the Los Angeles Misioneros, excitement is always heightened by the team-building process.

The PDL season annually overlaps with spring practice for NCAA Division I programs, which leaves the Fusion without a chunk of its college-based players for a week or two.

"As you know, the team hasn't fully assembled yet," Fusion coach Ole Mikkelsen. "It's the same challenge at the beginning of the year, you're not quit fully rostered yet

The Fusion will return a core of goalkeeper Sam Hayden, defenders Mickey Daly and Matt Wiet, who played all 24 matches for nationals semifinalist UCLA last fall, and forward Gyasi Zardes, the All-American striker who scored 18 goals in 20 matches for Cal State Bakersfield last fall.

"Those guys have already made their mark on our team in previous seasons," said Mikkelsen.

Zardes, perhaps the most exciting player the Fusion have had in its history, is expected to join the Fusion next week along with Cal State Bakersfield teammate and former Ventura High star Kory Kindle.

"He probably has the most raw talent of any individual I've been involved with in the PDL," said Mikkelsen of Zardes.

Fringe players a year ago, former Oxnard College midfielder Ivan Mirkovic and Bradley University striker Jochen Graf return with more responsibility.

"He started to step it up as we hit our exhibitions last year," said Mikkelsen of Mirkovic, "and I expect him to be a main cog of the team this year."

Other familiar faces who have a chance to make an impact tonight include former Oxnard College stars Gabriel Gonzalez and Emigdio Ramirez, as well as veterans Armando Guerrero and Brent Whitfield.

The backline will be boosted by newcomers like UC Santa Barbara defenders Tim Pontius, the younger brother of DC United star Chris Pontius, and Peter McGlynn and UCLA goalie Earl Edwards.

Midfielder Frankie Lopez, expected to be the next creative midfielder from the Rodrigo Lopez/Danny Barrera mold, is awaiting clearance from the Mexico federation after a spell with Jaguares de Chiapas.

The Fusion are also expecting to add Rio Mesa High graduate Michael Roman, who starred in the NCAA tournament for Louisville, later this month.

"We're looking forward to his return," said Mikkelsen of Roman. "He's so confident on the ball, he looks almost effortless. He's a very smooth player."

Oxnard College will host a friendly doubleheader Saturday afternoon featuring Major League Soccer teams.

The Chicago Fire, who are preparing for the upcoming season with a local training camp, will face Chivas USA at noon and the Ventura County Fusion at 2 p.m. at the school's track stadium.

The Fusion are unbeaten against MLS opposition this preseason, having beaten Chivas USA 1-0 and drawn 0-0 with the Colorado Rapids.

Admission is free.

The Fire, Houston Dynamo and San Jose Earthquakes will all be training locally next week. The Fusion defeated the Fire's Under-23 team to win the 2009 Premier Development League championship.

Highlights of the Ventura County Fusion's 1-0 friendly win last week against Chivas USA:

The Ventura County Fusion soccer club will host Major League Soccer's Chivas USA in a friendly at 10 this morning at Oxnard College Stadium.

The price of admission is free.

The Fusion roster will be a combination of current Fusion players, former Fusion stars and players who have emerged from recent tryouts.

Having been recently drafted by the Los Angeles-based team, former Fusion players Brian Rowe and Daniel Steres are attempting to make the Chivas roster.

Chivas is the first of five MLS teams the Fusion will host at Oxnard College this preseason. The Colorado Rapids arrive Feb. 4, with a friendly scheduled for the next day.

The Ventura County Fusion will host CD Chivas de Guadalajara's Under-20 team in a friendly 7 p.m. Friday night at Ventura College

The Fusion are expected to use a lineup that will feature a reunion of many of the players that won the 2009 Premier Development League championship, including midfielder Rodrigo Lopez, strikers Artur Aghasyan and Hagop Chirishian and defenders Dylan Riley and Manny Guzman.

Although current Fusion players like goalkeeper Brian Rowe, midfielder Andy Rose and forward Reed Williams are reading for the NCAA College Cup with UCLA, goalkeeper Sam Hayden and defender Mickey Daly are available for the Fusion, as well as Oxnard College products Ivan Mirkovic, Emigdio Ramirez and Mathayo Huma, and Cal Lutheran forward Raul Yepez.

Chivas is the most successful team in Mexican history, having won 11 first division titles and reached the final of the 2010 Copa Libertadores. It has produced world-renowned players like Javier "Chicarito" Hernandez, Carlos Vela and Carlos Salcido.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for children and can be ordered at http://www.vcfusion.com or by calling (805) 830-8027.

The New Zealand Under-20 team will prepare for the Under-20 World Cup in with a training camp at Oxnard College from July 18-25.

The "Junior All-Whites" will face the Fusion in a friendly July 20 at 12:30 p.m. Entrance will be free at Oxnard College.

The New Zealand roster includes Chris Wood, who was on the full New Zealand team from last summer's World Cup in South America, and several players who currently play in NCAA Division I. It opens Group B play July 30 against Cameroon.

Wood is also a forward for English Premier League club West Bromwich Albion, who will train at Oxnard College July 10-19 and play the Fusion July 17 at Oxnard College.

The United States failed to qualify for the finals, having lost a qualifier to Guatemala.

Oxnard College sophomore midfielder Jesus Lopez was named the WSC Player of the Year after the Lancaster High product scored 10 goals and assisted on a high-high eight others for the WSC champion Condors.

Head coach Ross Greaney was honored as the WSC Coach of the Year after guiding the Condors to their second title in four years.

The All-WSC first team included sophomore striker Sam Nellis, sophomore attacker Mathayo Huma, sophomore defender Richard Vargas, freshman defender Dagoberto Gonzalez and freshman goalkeeper Andrew Singer of Oxnard and freshman attacker Sebastian Rodriguez of Moorpark.

The second team included sophomore Joel Chavez, freshman Salvador Mendoza, freshman Ivan Mirkovic and freshman Sigifredo Torres of Oxnard and freshman Fabian Para and Edwin Rivas of Moorpark.

Ventura College forward Monique Orocio was named the WSC North Player of the Year after the Pacifica High product completed a sophomore season with 21 goals and 14 assists, including a 10-game goalscoring streak, for the champion Pirates.

Head coach Steve Hoffman was honored as the WSC North Coach of the Year for the sixth time after the Pirates regained the WSC North title for the 13th time in his 15 years

The All-WSC North first team included sophomore striker Yadira Toraya, sophomore attacker Taylor Benton, sophomore midfielder Lindsay Armenta, sophomore midfielder Taylor Steele and freshman striker Victoria Burnell of Ventura; sophomore striker Lindsey McClellan, sophomore midfielder Briana Brooskin and freshman midfielder Katheryn Klamecki of Moorpark; and sophomore attacker Maricruz Magana of Oxnard.

The second team included sophomore Sabrina Munoz, freshman Evelyn Medina, freshman Whitney Rosenheim and freshman Hope Weber of Ventura; freshman Samantha Gavirati and freshman Lauren Kawamoto of Moorpark; and sophomore Ashley Arana and freshman Jessica Martinez of Oxnard.

Click the jump for the full team.

University of North Carolina midfielder Michael Farfan Wednesday became the most recent former Ventura County Fusion player selected in the Major League Soccer draft.

The Philadelphia Union selected the former U.S. youth international in the second round, with the 23rd overall pick.

Farfan, a two-time NSCAA first-team All-American as a Tarheel, made 22 appearances with the Fusion in 2007 and 2008, scoring five goals and assisting on two others.

Two of the Top 5 teams in the state will meet this afternoon when the Ventura College women's soccer team (11-2-2) visits host Fresno City (11-2-2) at 4 p.m.

The trip up Route 99 will be a homecoming for the lone Pirates' player from outside Ventura County.

Freshman striker Victoria Burnell had one of the more astounding careers in state history at Liberty High in Madera, scoring 211 goals in her four-year career, the third-highest total in state history.

"In the beginning, it was a little difficult, because I didn't really know anybody," said Burnell of her Ventura experience. "But it's been really fun. It's been a great experience for me. It's so exciting to play with all these great players."

Burnell, who scored an incredible 61 goals as a senior last winter, scoring four or more times in eight games, was also Liberty's Homecoming queen.

She made the trip north Thursday to give away her crown to the new queen.

Some childhood friends have put together an invitation to today's match on Facebook, so the road rooting section should be boosted by a large Liberty contingent.

"I'm guessing a lot," said Burnell.

Burnell's freshman season in Ventura has been slowed by a slightly torn meniscus. She has 11 goals and six assists in playing time limited by the knee injury.

"With her it's a matter of how many minutes she can play," said Ventura coach Steve Hoffman. "We leave it up to her."

Her contributions have usually been limited to 15 or 20 minutes per game.

"Every now and then it gets irritated," said Burnell. "I'm bummed that I'm going to have to have surgery after the season... But I'm still having a lot of fun playing."

The Oxnard College men's soccer team had waited patiently for its rematch with Santa Barbara City.

For nearly 90 minutes, the Condors waited for the opportunity to wrestle away first place in the Western State Conference. And when the chance came, only the crossbar could stop Salvador Mendoza's sliding strike with two minutes to play.

The fickle bounce off the bar meant the top two teams in the WSC men's soccer race played to a scoreless draw Tuesday night at La Playa Stadium.

"I knew at halftime," said Oxnard coach Ross Greaney, "it may take 30 or 45 minutes until it would open up and we'd get that chance to score."

It came when David Torres whipped in a far-post cross, which Mendoza scooped onto the woodwork in the 88th minute.

"Unfortunately," added Greaney, "it was not our day."

The result maintained the one-point lead first-place Santa Barbara City (12-1-2, 7-0-2) brought in and snapped the Condors' six-game WSC winning streak.

Oxnard (8-3-5, 7-1-1) had clawed back into the race by outscoring its opponents 25-7 since a 1-0 loss to Santa Barbara on Oct. 1.

Five matches remain.

"We're still in it," said Greaney. "It was a very physical game. Both teams had their chances."

If the Ventura College women's soccer team has a say, Santa Barbara City may never see its time come.

Monique Orocio scored two more big-game goals Tuesday night as Ventura prevailed in a battle of Western State Conference unbeatens, 2-0, at the VC Sportsplex.

Santa Barbara, in search of its first WSC North title, entered play as the No. 13-ranked team in the national coaches' rankings, averaging 3.6 goals per game and 10-0 when scoring two goals or more.

It left chasing the Pirates, who are back on track for their 13th banner.

"Obviously, we felt like we should have won the league last year and we're still smarting from (being edged by Moorpark)," said Ventura coach Steve Hoffman. "But I told the sophomores before the season that they have a chance to make it right."

And they have responded, especially the Pacifica High product up front.

"(Orocio) is just on fire right now," said Hoffman.

Orocio, who had a hand in three of the goals in last week's 4-0 win over rival Moorpark, scored in the 11th and 65th minutes as the Pirates overcame a weather delay.

"It was hard to get back on track, but we did," said Orocio of the delay, which began when lightning flashed overhead in the 33rd minute. "Everyone worked together."

Her opener was assisted by freshman Victoria Burnell. For the secod, she took a pass from Whitney Rosenheim, beat two defenders and chipped the goalkeeper for a magnificent solo goal.

The first-place Pirates (9-2-2) improved to 5-0 in the WSC North, three points ahead of Santa Barbara (10-1-1, 4-1).

"Everyone else is playing catch up right now," said Hoffman.

Santa Barbara features striker Jessica Domennchelli, whose 13 goals are the fourth-highest figure in the state, but Ventura goalkeeper Raelene Moreno made six saves for her fifth straight shutout ahead of a backline shepherded by Taylor Steele, Evelyn Medina and holding midfielder Lindsey Armenta.

"There's nobody on their team that really troubled us," said Hoffman. "We're playing well right now."

Saturday's football game isn't the Sportsplex's only visit by a nationally-ranked opponent this weekend.

The Ventura College women's soccer team (2-0-1), ranked No. 7 in the NSCAA national poll, will host the No. 1 team in the nation, defending state and national champion Santiago Canyon (2-0-1), tonight at 5.

The Hawks have a 28-match unbeaten streak and have only lost five times in 137 matches dating back to 2003.

Santiago Canyon withstood a late barrage to edge the Pirates 1-0 last year in Orange. The two teams then progressed to the state Final Four.

Ventura has already scored nine goals in three matches, including three each by sophomore Monique Orocio and freshman Victoria Brunell.

Boosted by Oxnard College's 5-0 start, the three local women's soccer programs are unbeaten over the first nine matches games of the season, going 8-0-1.

The two local men's soccer teams aren't afraid to open the season in a meatgrinder.
Moorpark will open its season with nine straight road games, hosting its first game Oct. 8 against cross-county rivals Oxnard.

Meanwhile, the Condors (1-0-1) were disappointed Tuesday to only draw 1-1 at powerhouse Santa Ana.

"I think we felt like we threw two points away," said Oxnard coach Ross Greaney.

Since losing to Santa Ana 6-0 in 2005, Oxnard is unbeaten in its non-conference series with the Dons, state semifinals in two of the last three seasons and state champions in 2004 and 2005, going 2-0-3.

The Condors now visit Santiago Canyon today and face Cerritos, Cypress, Rio Hondo and Chaffey in the coming fortnight.

"Seven straight tough games," said Greaney.

They are bolstered by the return of midfield Sam Nellis, defender Richie Vargas and fullback Gerardo Guzman, as well as winger Mathayo Huna and midfielder Jesus Lopez, who played on the 2008 team.

The Ventura County Fusion men's soccer team enters its season finale tonight against the Los Angeles Legends with an opportunity to clinch its first Southwest Division title.

The Fusion and Hollywood United have already clinched playoff berths and will travel to Bremerton, Wash. next week for the Western Conference playoffs.

Hollywood took over the top spot last night when it wrapped up its season with a 4-1 win over last place Ogden. Trailing 33 points to 31, the Fusion can only clinch the title with a victory.

The Fusion beat the host Legends, 5-0, June 25.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. There will be live updates on Twitter and the Internet broadcast on HomefieldSports.com.

Ventura County Fusion:
Starting lineup: 13 Bryan Hill; 28 Armando Guerrero, 20 Ivan Becerra, 15 Kyle Johnson, 25 Dylan Riley; 14 Sam Nicholson, 22 Hakop Avesyan, 24 Jacob Hustedt, 7 Andy Rose; 10 Danny Barrera, 19 Tomaz de Barros.
Bench: 0 Brian Rowe, 27 Laurence Gaughan, 6 Manny Guzman, 26 Ousman Jagne, 4 Sung-Hyun Kim, 9 Sam Myerson.

Los Angeles Legends
Starting lineup: 44 Raul Calderon, 30 Manuel Bautista, 15 Ricardo Ramirez, 2 Erly Garcia, 14 Charles Paris, 5 victor Flores, 16 Alberto Racca, 17 Jose Mercado, 23 Eders Roldan, 4 Daniel Gutierrez, 11 Daniel Martinez.

Cal State University Channel Islands will begin intercollegiate athletic competition in the fall of 2011 with a women's soccer team, Carl Reed, the school's athletic director, announced Thursday.

"We're building that last cornerstone of our university," said Reed. "Athletics is one of those last pieces."

Women's soccer was chosen from a shortlist of four sports, which also included men's soccer, men's golf and women's volleyball.

"Having women's soccer as our first sport made sense for CI," said Reed. "Looking at the soccer landscape here in Ventura County, from high schools, AYSO, soccer clubs and the programs at the community colleges, it was clear there was talent and interest in the sport."

Reed said that the school's enrollment, which is more than 60 percent female, played into the decision.

"It's the right thing to do," said Reed. "We're sending a message to our students that we recognize their needs. That was a no-brainer for us."

The process of putting the Dolphins on the field of play began in 2005, three years after the school was established in Camarillo, when CSUCI hired former NCAA executive director Cedric Dempsey as a consultant.

Reed arrived on campus in May 2008 to plot the course for NCAA Division II competition in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), which includes 11 of CSUCI's Cal State brethren.

The Ventura County Fusion will host the Arizona Sahuaros in the first round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on June 15 at Ventura College, U.S. Soccer announced Wednesday.

The Fusion will make its Open Cup debut against the Phoenix club, a member of the U.S. Adult Soccer Association.

"Unfortunately, we don't know much about them," said Fusion GM Ranbir Shergil.

The Sahuaros, who, like the Fusion, play in the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid, produced Kansas City Wizards striker Roger Espinosa, who is in South Africa as a part of the Honduran World Cup squad. They will be making their fifth appearance in the Cup.

The winner will play either the Dallas-Fort Worth Tornados or the Austin Aztex in the second round. The Aztex, a USSF Division 2 team, visited the Fusion in 2008, when it held tryouts in Ventura.

The Fusion (4-2) leads the Premier Development League's Southwestern Division and host the BYU Cougars Saturday night at Buena High.

Oxnard's Herculez Gomez is going to South Africa.

The 28-year-old striker was among the 23 players unveiled as the U.S. national men's soccer team for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, which begins next month.

Gomez, who recently became the first American-born player to lead the Mexican league in goalscoring, continued his red hot form by scoring his first goal for his country Tuesday in a 4-2 friendly loss to the Czech Republic Tuesday in East Hartford, Conn.

"Players that are on a good roll come in handy," said U.S. coach Bob Bradley. "Herculez has been on a great run as far as scoring goals. Watching him every day, his movement, he works very hard, those are always things that go well for us."

It was his first appearance for the national team in nearly three years since the 2007 Copa America.

"It was a special moment," Gomez. "(Making the squad) would mean the world that's for sure. It's every soccer player's dream, to be standing where I'm standing. I'm aware of that and this has been special, especially with where I was nine months ago."

Gomez, who attended Lemonwood and Sierra Linda elementary schools in Oxnard, still remembers scoring 10 goals in one game as a young boy at La Colonia

His grandmother, Irene, and several cousins still live in Oxnard and have followed his every move around Major League Soccer and Mexico's Clausura championship.

"I still come up (to Oxnard) every chance I get," said Gomez last week.

The Ventura County Fusion men's soccer team continues to break new ground.

The Fusion achieved one of its biggest goals of the new season late Saturday when it clinched the first U.S. Open Cup berth in franchise history when the Los Angeles Legends lost to the Ogden Outlaws.

The result means the defending Premier Development League champion will be the lone Southwest Division team entered into May 31 draw for the first round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, which will be played June 15.

"We've achieved a lot in our first three years of existence, particularly last season," said Fusion general manager Ranbir Shergill. "This year, we wanted to achieve something we haven't done yet.

"One of the big goals for this season was to get into the Open Cup and bring an MLS team to Ventura to play a game that really means something."

The Fusion could be drawn against MLS or United Soccer League opposition.

"It really depends on the luck of the draw," said Shergill.

Ventura County (4-0), which has scored 12 goals and conceded none in winning the first four matches of the PDL season, hosts the Fresno Fuego Sunday at 3 p.m. at Buena High.