College Sports Blog

Artur Aghasyan and Hagop Chirishian scored as the Ventura County Fusion men's soccer team extended its unbeaten streak to 11 games with a 2-2 draw with the Lancaster Rattlers Friday night at Antelope Valley High.

The Fusion (7-1-6) entered the game three points behind first-place Hollywood, but Moises Alvarez's equalizing goal with nine minutes handed the Fusion its sixth tie in 14 games.

Aghasyan opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with his team-high-tying seventh goal of the season and Chirishian gave the Fusion a 2-1 lead with his fifth strike in the 54th minute.

Kirsteen Buchan scored less than two minutes into play and Canadian international Jodi-Anne Robinson scored twice as the host Vancouver Whitecaps ended the Ventura County Fusion women's soccer team's four-game road unbeaten streak, 3-1, Wednesday night at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, British Columbia.

Emily Cressy's 52nd minute penalty kick kept the visiting Fusion (1-4-3) from behind shut out.

The goal by the former Buena High star pulled Ventura County within 2-1 early in the second half before Robinson, a veteran of the 2007 Women's World Cup in China and the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, salted away the three points with her second goal set up by strike partner Amy Vermuelen in the 72nd minute.

With just six points from eight matches, the Fusion sit just one point ahead of seventh place Los Angeles (1-6-2) ahead of Sunday's trip to the first-place Pali Blues (6-0-3).

It took Kelley O'Hara and Christen Press to keep the Ventura County Fusion women's soccer team from making history Saturday night at Buena High.

The USA Under-23 women's national team tandem, who combined for 29 goals at Stanford University last fall, scored a goal apiece as the defending W-League champion Pali Blues held off the Fusion, 2-1, to extend its unbeaten streak to 23 games.

"I thought we gave a great performance and were unlucky not to get something from the game," said Fusion coach Ranbir Shergill. "We just needed a little more in the attacking third (of the field)."

Hopeful of inflicting the first loss in franchise history upon the Blues (5-0-3), the Fusion (1-3-2) gained confidence from the Blues having drawn three of their previous four matches on the road.

That aspiration seemed dead when Press' 25-yard screamer gave the visiting Blues a 2-0 lead in the 65th minute, but Fusion substitutes Heather Vandevanter and Colleen Gibson combined to restore the game with 15 minutes to play.

Vandevanter's pass sent Gibson sprinting clear on goal and the University of Dayton midfielder beat Blues' goalkeeper Kristin Olsen to make it 2-1.

The Fusion's previous best chance was a 70th-minute free kick earned by forward Jessica Velasquez and driven off the crossbar by Brazilian defender Fabiane Nascimento.
But the Fusion also carved out several quality chances in the final 10 minutes.

"We had four or five really good chances at the end, not just to draw the game, but to win it," said Shergill. "They were scared. Anytime you force your opponent back like that shows you've achieved something."

Especially an opponent that features a pair of Beijing Olympic gold medal winners in striker Lauren Cheney and Tobin Heath.

"They're a good team, they're clinical in front of goal," said Fusion goalkeeper Kay Hawke. "But those medals don't mean as much when you're on the pitch."

The Fusion held firm in the face of wave after wave of Pali's fleet-footed attacks, especially English goalkeeper Hawke and Canada midfielder Natalie Martineau, who was one of the best players on the field.

"We showed a lot of character," said Shergill. "I felt we were the better team in the first half."

The Fusion held out for 32 minutes. Until Heath completed a winding 30-yard run through midfield by setting up O'Hara, who slotted home the opener from 18 yards.

Down 1-0 at the half, the Fusion had a penalty claim three minutes into the second half, when winger Emily Cressy was toppled in the Blues penalty area. But build-up play was ruled offsides.

The Fusion now face perhaps the biggest week of the season, with its annual trip to the Pacific Northwest in midweek -- including matches at Seattle Monday and Vancouver Wednesday -- before the return trip to the Blues on Sunday.

"We need to get some wins on this trip," said Hawke. "It's vital."

The Ventura County Fusion men's soccer team missed its opportunity to leap into first place in the Southwestern Division Thursday night in Fresno.

The Fusion's Kyle Kaveny and the Fuego's Nehemias Blanco exchanged headed goals midway through the second half as the visiting Fusion drew the Fresno Fuego, 1-1, at Chukchansi Park.

A win would have pushed the Fusion (6-1-4) over first-place Hollywood United (7-2-2) and Los Angeles Legends (7-2-2) by a single point.

That looked like the destination for the Fusion just past the hour mark, when Kaveny rose to head home a Hagop Chirishian corner kick for his first goal in a Fusion shirt.
Chirishian leads the team with three assists.

The Fusion return home for a doubleheader Saturday night at Buena High. The Fusion women (1-2-2) host defending W-League champion Pali Blues (4-0-3) at 5:30 p.m. while the Fusion men follow with a match against the BYU Cougars.

Danny Page e-mails in from the Fusion bus, which is currently northbound.

"We've just set off from the Crowne Plaza for the long haul to Fresno
for tonights showdown between Fusion and the FuegoN kickoff at 7PM.

The bus is buzzing with talk of Brazil's game with South Africa and
the United States win over Spain.

But of more immediate importance is last nights result from the PDL
Southwest Division; Los Angeles Legends beat Orange County Blue Star,
2-1, to move to the top of the table with Hollywood United.
Nonetheless, a win tonight will move Fusion into sole possesion of
first place and leave their souther rivals LA and Hollywood a point
behind.

Broadcast at 7 p.m. live on HomeFieldSports.com

- DP"

We're up and ready to talk about the U.S. national soccer team's monumental win over top-ranked Spain yesterday at 10 a.m. on 101soccer.com.

The Canadian national soccer team arrives at Oxnard College today for a week of training ahead of next month's CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Head coach Stephen Hart has named a 23-man roster that features 16 players from European clubs and three more from Major League Soccer.

Canada will face Guatemala in a friendly at the school's track stadium Tuesday afternoon at 1 p.m.

Canada kicks off Gold Cup play July 3 with a Group A match against Jamaica at the Home Depot Center in Carson. El Salvador and Costa Rica meet in the second half of the doubleheader.

Randi Johns' second goal in three days allowed the Ventura County Fusion women's soccer team to grab four of a possible six points on its annual two-game trip to Colorado.

Johns' second-half goal, set by up a Colleen Gibson pass, gave the Fusion a 1-1 draw against the Colorado Force at Loveland Sports Park in Fort Collins, Colo.

The UC Santa Barbara graduate scored the winner in a 1-0 win at Real Colorado Monday.

"Every game we're looking better as a team," said coach Ranbir Shergill. "Today we showed a lot of character coming down from a goal down. Towards the end, we could have won it with some of the chances we created."

The game kicked off nearly 90 minutes late because of thunderstorms. But it is the Fusion (1-1-2) storming up the standings. Five points in its last three games has moved Ventura County up to fourth place in the Western Conference with four games in hand on third-place Real Colorado.

After more than a month without a home game, the Fusion return home for Saturday's doubleheader at Buena High, hosting fifth-place Vancouver in the 5 p.m. opener.

"We can't wait to get in front of the home fans," said Shergill.

UC Santa Barbara graduate Randi Johns converted a rebound goal midway through the first half as the Ventura County Fusion women's soccer team earned its first win of the W-League season Monday night in Centennial, Colo.

The 1-0 win at Real Colorado avenged the Fusion's season-opening loss on May 16.
"Today we got our revenge," said coach Ranbir Shergil, who earned his first victory as head coach.

Heloisa Olivera earned a free kick in the 35th minute, which Fabiane Nascimento drove off the post. Johns was in position to convert the ricochet into the net and the Fusion (1-1-1) into the win column, despite missing several key players on the five-day trip.

"It's unbelievable, really," said Shergill. "We played many players out of position. But we worked hard as a team and got the result."

The Fusion entered play in seventh and last place in the Western Conference, but had played between two and five matches fewer than the other teams in the conference.

The Fusion visit the Colorado Force in Fort Collins Wednesday before returning home to Buena High Saturday against the first-place Vancouver Whitecaps.

Ventura College president Robin Calote e-mailed a statement Monday regarding the on-going VC men's basketball head coaching position:

"The selection of the men's basketball coach is an important decision that has significant implications for the viability of the men's basketball program in a community that enthusiastically supports basketball.

"Although two viable candidates have emerged through the screening process, after conferring with Chancellor Meznek, I have decided not to fill the position with an external candidate at this time. The primary reason for this is that there is movement at the state level to fund both physical education and athletics at the non-credit apportionment rate. This has serious financial implications for the college, which was already facing a multi-million dollar shortfall for the immediate future.

"Now, more than ever, it is becoming critical for the college to focus on the core classes that students need to transfer, to obtain a degree or certificate, or to acquire the skills leading to immediate employment. As the budget crisis deepens, already within the college and the district it has been necessary to pull back on several advertised full-time positions, and where possible, to either fill from within or to combine functions. Within the last two weeks, this has been done in counseling, in the student activities program, and in other areas as well.

"Depending on the state's and district's economic situation, it is my hope to reopen the men's basketball position in two years. In the interim, I have asked Will Cowen to add coaching duties to his faculty assignment. Will has a history of successful coaching experience at the high school level, and he has served the college well as the Assistant Men's Basketball Coach this last season. I have every confidence that he will be able to do a good job for both the students and the college.

Robin Calote, Ed.D.
President, Ventura College"

The Ventura County Fusion men's soccer team is scoreless after 45 minutes tonight at the Los Angeles Legends.

The Ventura County Fusion women's soccer team drew 2-2 at the Los Angeles Legends Sunday night despite taking a two-goal lead inside 15 minutes.

Ventura College star Jazmarae Strozier slammed home the opener after winger Randi Johns played a pass across the face of goal in the eighth minute.

Four minutes later, Brazilian attacker Paula Pires converted a cross from former Buena High star Emily Cressy for a 2-0 lead.

But the Legends would pull even before halftime on a pair of set pieces, scoring from a long throw and a free kick.

Despite dropping to 0-1-1, Fusion coach Ranbir Shergill appreciated the team's improvement from the season-opening 3-1 loss to Real Colorado May 16.

"We just looked a lot better," said Shergill. "We had addition time of preparation. We moved the ball very well. We passed and moved very well. At the end we were really unlucky not to take all three points.

"We looked like a good team out there."

The Fusion women next take their annual road trip to Colorado, visiting Real Colorado June 15 and the Colorado Force in Fort Collins June 17.

I'll be a guest on the Champions League final preview on 101Soccer.com momentarily.

The Ventura County Fusion men's soccer team made sure its longest road trip of the season was a prosperous one.

Artur Aghasyan had a goal and an assist as the visiting Fusion topped the Ogden Outlaws Saturday, 3-1, at Bonneville High School in Ogden, Utah.

Missing as many as six squad members, the Fusion (2-1-2) picked up four of a maximum six points on its weekend trip to Utah. It shared the spoils, 2-2, at the BYU Cougars Thursday in Provo.

"Excellent four points on the road," said Fusion general manager Ranbir Shergill. "Good performances."

After starting the season on the bench, Aghasyan has thrust himself into the lineup by scoring three goals and two assists in the past three games.

The young Armenian striker took a Manny Guzman pass and opened the scoring in the 35th minute and set up strike partner Anthony Hamilton for the goal that gave the Fusion a 2-0 lead after 54 minutes.

Six minutes later, Fusion winger Brian Byrne was shown the red card and Ogden pulled a goal back in the 72nd minute.

But a recent acquisition, San Diego State, Matt McManus added an insurance goal assisted by Adam Smarte five minutes later.

The result moved the Fusion into third place in the Southwestern Division after five matches, seven points behind the 5-0 Hollywood Hitmen.

The BYU Cougars have tied up the Premier Development League game, 2-2, with four minutes to play tonight in Provo, Utah.

The score is final.

Anton Peterlin sets up Artur Aghasyan for the equalizer in the 27th minute and Johnny Alcaraz sets up Anthony Hamilton in the 68th minute as the Ventura County Fusion men's soccer team has taken a 2-1 lead against the BYU Cougars tonight in Provo, Utah.

Steven Fellows puts the host BYU Cougars ahead 1-0 Thursday night over the Ventura County Fusion men's soccer team after 12 minutes at South Stadium in Provo, Utah.

Alton Anderson shot a 4-under 140 Monday to lead the Ventura College men's golf team to third place in the California Community College championships at Sierra View Country Club in Roseville.

Participating in the state meet as a team for the first time in 20 years, Ventura finished with its highest finish in school history.

"It's the best team in Ventura College history," said assistant coach Chad Ishikawa.

The Thousand Oaks High graduate finished in a four-way tie for the tournament title, sharing the spoils with Tom Richardson of Fresno, Kendall Jenkins of Riverside and Scott Sexton of Cypress. He finished fourth in the tiebreaking card-off.

Zack Kanney and Russell Boring both followed with 1-under 143s to give Ventura three finishers under par.

Ryan Turner and Rob Tovias both scored 153s.

Anderson continued a fantastic postseason. He shot an even-par 144 at the 36-hole Southern Southern regional tournament at Marshallia Ranch G.C. in Vandenberg Air Force Base last week.

Anderson's first-round 68 was tied for the low number in the morning. The Pirates were tied for sixth, at 372, after the first round.

Ventura rebounded with a 357 in the second round.

(1) Palomar vs. (17) Citrus
Palomar 10, Citrus 2
Palomar 5, Citrus 2 (Palomar advances)

(2) Orange Coast vs. (15) Ventura
Orange Coast 15, Ventura 1
Orange Coast 1, Ventura 0 (10) (OCC Advances)

(3) Cuesta vs. (14) Mt. San Antonio
Cuesta 4, Mt. San Antonio 3
Mt. San Antonio 5, Cuesta 1
Mt. San Antonio 11, Cuesta 6 (Mount SAC advances)

(4) Cypress vs. (13) Allan Hancock
Cypress 10, Allan Hancock 3
Cypress 11, Allan Hancock 3 (Cypress advances)

(5) Santa Ana vs. (12) Southwestern
Santa Ana 6, Southwestern 5
Santa Ana 12, Southwestern 2 (Santa Ana advances)

(6) Long Beach vs. (11) Grossmont
Long Beach 6, Grossmont 4
Long Beach 10, Grossmont 8 (10) (Long Beach advances)

(7) Mt. San Jacinto vs. (10) Cerritos
Mt. San Jacinto 13, Cerritos 7
Cerritos 8, Mt. San Jacinto 7
Mt. San Jacinto 12, Cerritos 11 (Mount Sac Jac advances)

(8) College of the Canyons vs. (9) Saddleback
Saddleback 12, College of the Canyons 10
College of the Canyons 8, Saddleback 6
Saddleback 6, College of the Canyons 4

Ventura College's Randi Hicks won the Southern California women's javelin title Saturday afternoon at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut.

The sophomore from Rio Mesa High threw a personal best 152 feet, five inches, nearly 30 feet further than the competition's runner-up.

"I might have a 160 in me," said Hicks. "Maybe at the state meet."

Hicks will bring the nation's top mark into the California Community College championships Saturday at College of San Mateo.

Ventura's Holly Russell was ninth at 113-0.