CSUN Left in Lurch for Finale in Soccer

Just when the Cal State Northridge soccer team was hitting its stride, its season ended--unexpectedly.

The Matadors (9-7-3), winners of six of their past eight matches, were deprived of a season finale Friday at California.

The Pacific 10 Conference school never had Northridge, a Division I independent, on its schedule.

CSUN Coach Marwan Ass’ad said he scheduled the match last spring with Cal Coach Bill Coupe, who was replaced this fall by Dave Chaplick. Ass’ad was aware of the coaching change but failed to ensure that the match was still scheduled.

“I should have done that,” Ass’ad conceded.

According to Northridge Athletic Director Bob Hiegert, Cal officials could have apprised CSUN of the situation at the beginning of the season when they received the schedule from CSUN.

“At this point I’m not sure it is 100% Berkeley’s fault,” Hiegert said. “It might be 75% theirs and 25% ours.

“We were fortunate we had played the minimal number of Division I games and that there were no playoff ramifications.”

The match was not bound by a contract, but that is not unusual.

“I’d say 80% of our games we don’t have contracts,” Ass’ad said. “But from now on, of course, we will have a contract.”

If not for Tom Manning, Northridge assistant sports information director, CSUN would have flown to the Bay Area on Friday. Manning prevented what would have been a needless journey when he discovered the scheduling discrepancy Monday in a routine telephone call to Cal.

“That would have been a disaster,” Ass’ad said. “That would have really been embarrassing.”

According to Ass’ad, Chaplick told him Monday that he had a match with another team scheduled for Friday and knew nothing of a match with CSUN.

But Kevin Reneau, Cal’s assistant athletic director for media relations, said Cal has no match set for Friday.

Chaplick was unavailable for comment.

CSUN players learned of the situation hours before their 2-1 win Monday at Cal State Los Angeles.

“It wasn’t that bad,” Matador junior midfielder Steve Linhart said. “We realized there’s not a whole lot at stake, except the pride of winning. We knew there were no playoffs for us.

“Since the season didn’t go as we hoped we were ready to put it behind us and get ready for next year.”

The entire team is expected to return, including Danny Daniels, who scored a team-high 25 points (10 goals, five assists), Gus Cardenas and Bobby Reyes, who each scored 19 points.

According to Ass’ad, Chaplick offered to schedule CSUN next season.