By FRANCO PANIZO
A loaded slate of quality soccer action is headlined this week by a battle that should go a long way in determining just who has the best team on the West Coast.
UCSB, currently ranked No. 5 in the Fox Soccer/SBI Top 25 with a 4-0-1 record, takes on an 11th-ranked UCLA team that is beginning to bounce back from a dismal start to the year. Pro scouts will be focused on this talent-laden match-up featuring top prospects Kelyn Rowe (UCLA), Luis Silva, David Opuku and Sam Garza (UCSB).
South Florida has two home games to improve on its ranking of 15, as the Bulls host St. Louis on Friday and 16th-ranked UC-Irvine two days later. The latter match should be the more challenging of the two for USF head coach George Kiefer and his team, as UC-Irvine is currently undefeated at 6-0.
Another duel between ranked teams will be when Indiana (8) travels to take on St. John's (14). Currently undefeated, the Hoosiers will try to improve to 5-0-1 this season by beating a St. John's side that hasn't allowed a goal since its season-opening loss to No. 1 Maryland.
Here is a look at who the teams in the Fox Soccer/SBI Top 25 play this weekend:
FRIDAY
North Carolina State at Maryland (1)
(2) UConn at Boston University
(3) North Carolina at Wake Forest
(5) UCSB at UCLA (11)
New Mexico at Akron (6)
(8) Indiana at St. John's (14)
Virginia Tech at Boston College (9)
Hartwick vs. Ohio State (12)
Michigan at Notre Dame (13)
St. Louis at South Florida (15)
Florida Gulf Coast at UC-Irvine (16)
(17) Central Florida at George Mason
Richmond at West Virginia (18)
(19) Virginia at Charlotte
(21) Northern Illinois vs. Xavier
Appalachian State at Coastal Carolina (22)
Seton Hall at Monmouth (23)
(24) Virginia Commonwealth at UAB
Tulsa vs. Washington (25)
SATURDAY
Butler at Louisville (4)
Providence at Creighton (7)
(20) Old Dominion at Elon
SUNDAY
(11) UCLA at San Diego
Cal Poly at Akron (6)
(8) Indiana at Rutgers
(10) Penn State at Hartford
(12) Ohio State at Coastal Carolina (22)
(13) Notre Dame at Michigan State
Iona at St. John's (14)
(16) UC-Irvine at South Florida (15)
(17) Central Florida at American
Duquesne at West Virginia (18)
UC Davis vs. Northern Illinois (21)
Bucknell at Monmouth (23)
(24) Virginia Commonwealth vs. Gardner-Webb
(25) Washington at SMU
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What do you think of these matches? Do you see UCLA ousting UCSB? Think South Florida will win both its games? How will Indiana fare?
Share your thoughts below.
I say 3-2 UNM. They might not be ranked by Ives, but topdrawersoccer has them at #12 and the NSCAA poll has them at #16 including #3 in the far west region, behind only UC Irvine and UCSB.
Go Lobos!!!
I am in shock that no one picked up the UCSB/UCLA game on TV. Heard Drake Stadium’s field is in crappy condition which could make the soccer horrendous. Either way, Gauchos will be taking over the stadium with 2 buses full driving down along with 150 more meeting up at an event before the game. Don’t forget all the Locos that live around the area that will make this game. Sucks fans have to sit on cement bleachers 50+ yds away from the field (there is a field side seating on the other side of the field, but UCLA is pretty douchey about not letting visitors over there).
*how
3-0 Akron. UNM won’t know hot to deal with the Zips and the AK-Rowdies! Go Zips!
2-1 UNM sounds right to me
Last time they played out at St John’s was one of the more heartbreaking losses in recent program history. Hoping for a win this time to go towards repairing that.
Akron 5 – 1 UNM
UNM over Akron upset alert!!!!!!!! Fox Soccer game of the week.
2-1 UNM.
Going to be interesting to see how Indiana does in their first true road test. Haven’t fared to well at SJU lately, but this team looks poised to do big things. Winning this one will show some true grit.