Event: Copa de Causeway Classico
Teams: No. 30 UC Davis vs. Long Island; Cal State Bakersfield
Records: Aggies, 0-0-0; Blackbirds, 0-0-0; Roadrunners, 0-0-0
Where: Aggie Soccer Stadium
When: Friday at 5 p.m.; Sunday at noon
Who to watch: After leading the Aggies in goals (eight) and points (17) a season ago, Sule Anibaba returns to the UC Davis lineup for his senior campaign.
Anibaba paces an Aggie attack that finished ninth in the nation with 44 goals in 2007.
Did you know? UC Davis has lost just three starters to graduation from its club that became the first Aggie team to qualify for the Division I Tournament last fall.
Preview: What a difference a year makes.
Heading into the 2007 season, UC Davis‘ men’s soccer team was picked to finish a lowly sixth place in the Big West Conference. The Aggies went 7-3-2 in Big West play, finishing second in the conference and earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Now, UC Davis has a target on its back, having been picked to finish second in a competitive Big West. And the Aggies wouldn’t have it any other way.
“It’s a veteran team,” said head coach Dwayne Shaffer. “They have gained valuable experience playing in an NCAA Tournament game and competing for the Big West Championship. Expectations are high all around coming into this season.“
The Aggies get their first chance to test those expectations this weekend at Aggie Soccer Stadium as they play host to the Copa de Causeway Classico. UC Davis will face Long Island and Cal State Bakersfield, who finished 5-8-4 and 4-10-4 a year ago, respectively.
–Adam Loberstein
