Teams: UC Davis at California
Records: Aggies, 3-9 (0-2); Bears, 3-7 (1-1)
Where: Maxwell Family Field – Berkeley, Calif.
When: Saturday at 1 p.m.
Who to watch: Lindsey Valadez has been spectacular in her rookie season with the Aggies. She leads the team with three goals, seven points, 28 shots, 21 shots on goal and has taken the team’s only two penalty strokes.
The Gilroy, Calif. native has started every game this season and continues to post impressive performances.
Did you know: Of the Aggies‘ first 12 games, only three have been in the state of California.
Since the regular season began in August, the team has traveled to Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont and North Carolina.
However, the team is not scheduled to leave the state again this season as their only remaining opponents are Stanford, Pacific and Cal – all West Division rivals of the NorPac Conference.
Preview: The matchup at Cal this weekend won’t be an easy one for the Aggies, due to unfamiliarity with the Golden Bears.
“We haven’t gotten a look at Cal yet,” said coach Vianney Campos. “We’ll be facing a new style of play. Cal is physical and fast but our girls will adjust well“.
While Cal may have first-rate athletes, both teams post comparable records coming into the game.
This weekend’s clash will be a good barometer of the remainder of the Aggies‘ season and Campos is ensuring that the team is taking every aspect of the game into account.
“We were playing on a water-based turf on the east coast and that’s what Cal uses so we’ll be prepared,” Campos said.
With the Aggies preparing for this game as if it was a championship match, Saturday’s contest looks to be a battle.
– Mark Ling
