Nov. 10, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

UP NEXT FOR THE DONS: San Francisco enters the final weekend of the West Coast Conference season atop the league standings heading into a Friday showdown at San Diego. The Dons posted a 1-0 double overtime win at Saint Mary's on Sunday and currently have 19 points with two matches to play, while surging Gonzaga has 19 points with one contest - at Saint Mary's remaining on the schedule. USF plays its regular season finale Sunday at Loyola Marymount. Earlier this season, San Francisco suffered a tough 2-1 overtime loss to the Toreros (10/17) but bounced back for a 1-0 decision against the Lions (10/19).

QUOTING VISSER: "This is always an exciting time of year, especially when you are in the hunt for a conference title. I am proud of the way this team has progressed and now it is up to them to take the final step and finish the season on a positive note. We are facing two quality opponents on the road and we must be prepared for battle."

DONS DEFENSE STINGY: San Francisco continued to establish itself as a tough defensive unit with its league-leading eighth shutout of the season coming in a 1-0 double overtime win at Saint Mary's (11/9). Through 18 matches, the Dons have given up a league-low 16 scoring strikes. San Francisco's senior goalkeeping tandem of Eric Conner and Jeremy Coupe lead the West Coast Conference in GAA at 0.84. Coupe, who owns seven shutouts on the year, leads the conference in GAA (0.80). USF keepers have recorded a league-low 47 saves.

CHINN DOES IT AGAIN: Junior forward Conor Chinn led the Dons to a 5-2-1 mark in the month of October and was a difference maker, scoring a remarkable seven goals in eight league contests during the month. For his efforts, he earned West Coast Conference October Player of the Month honors. Chinn has registered a scoring strike in five consecutive matches with seven goals (two game-winners) and 15 points during the span. The San Diego native owns the WCC single-season records for goals (10) and points (21) during league play after registering his second consecutive game-winner at Saint Mary's (11/9). For his career, Chinn has 23 goals, eight game-winners, nine assists and 55 points. Chinn's 13 goals on the year are the most since USF Hall-of-Famer and two-time First Team All-American Staale Soebye recorded 15 in his WCC Player of the Year campaign in 1994. Chinn currently ranks No. 15 nationally among Division I leaders in goals per game (0.72) and is No. 29 in points per game (1.50).

COUPE TIES WCC SINGLE-SEASON SHUTOUT RECORD: Senior goalkeeper Jeremy Coupe continues to shine for USF as a senior. With a 1-0 shutout win at Saint Mary's on Sunday, Coupe moved into a share of first place on the West Coast Conference single-season league shutout list with his sixth of the season, matching Portland's Austin Guerrero, who set the standard in 2007. Coupe leads the conference in GAA (0.80) and overall (7) and WCC (6) shutouts.

USF AT USD/LMU LIVE ON THE INTERNET: USF's West Coast Conference matches in Southern California will feature plenty of cyberspace coverage. CSTV's GameTracker live scoring feature will be available for the San Diego and Loyola Marymount matches and streaming audio will be available Sunday at LMU.

USF HEAD COACH Erik Visser: USF head coach Erik Visser enters his eighth year as the top Don and his 31st associated with the San Francisco soccer program as a player, assistant and now head coach. Although USF's string of three straight NCAA Tournament appearances was snapped last season, with another outstanding crop of newcomers and an experienced blend of returning players, Visser looks to guide the Dons back to the top of the standings in an increasingly competitive West Coast Conference. After guiding San Francisco to consecutive West Coast Conference titles (2004-05), Visser and the Dons secured a runner-up finish in 2006 with a 12-7-1 overall record, while playing a schedule rated in the top-10 nationally. From 2004-06, USF recorded a 37-17-6 record and recorded the most league victories (22) during the span.
Visser's Championship Credentials: A two-time WCC Coach of the Year (2004-05), Visser owns deep ties to the soccer program at the University of San Francisco. A defender on two USF NCAA Championship teams (1978, 1980), Visser spent 19 seasons as an assistant coach under soccer legend Steve Negoesco before taking the reigns as head coach for the 2001 campaign. Along the way, Visser also started the women's soccer program on the Hilltop in 1985 and served as head coach for six years. Visser is active in the USA National Team program and served as the top assistant for the U-20 team that finished 13th in the 2001 Youth World Cup in Argentina. Visser recorded his 50th career victory at Portland (11/10/05) and owns an overall mark of 78-63-11. Former Dons standout Josh McKay is in his sixth season as top assistant coach and third as an associate head coach, while Tyler Gottschalk is in his fifth campaign as an assistant. Chris Carniato enters his first season as an assistant/goalkeeper coach.

PLENTY OF BONUS SOCCER: Sometimes 90 minutes is not enough action for USF soccer. San Francisco finally broke through for its first overtime victory of the 2008 season with a dramatic 1-0 double-overtime victory at Saint Mary's (11/9), improving to 1-2-2 in extra time this season. The Dons posted deadlocks at Santa Clara (10/24) and against UNLV (9/19). USF's extra period losses came in a 1-0 double overtime loss at San Jose State (9/10) and a tough double overtime defeat against Gonzaga (11/2). Last season the Dons played three "bonus" soccer contests and went 2-0-1, highlighted by a 2-1 double overtime decision at Stanford (9/16) and a scoreless draw at San Diego (10/21), continuing a trend of extra session success. San Francisco played four matches requiring an additional period in 2006 and posted a 2-1-1 overall record and went 1-1-1 in matches needing both overtime sessions. This was in sharp contrast to the 2005 season when the Dons played a remarkable seven matches that reached double overtime and registered a 2-1-4 overall record, 1-1-3 during West Coast Conference play. Since the start of 2004, USF owns a 8-6-9 slate during "bonus soccer" matches.

WINNING THE CLOSE ONES: San Francisco has been tough in matches decided by one goal the last four seasons and 2008 has proven to be no exception. USF has already played 10 decided by a one goal margin this season and own a 4-6 slate, but have won four of its last six. The Dons posted a 6-8 record in tight matches last year. USF played 13 matches in 2006 decided by one goal, posting an 8-5 record in those contests. The Dons defense allowed a maximum of two goals only five times in 2006. Dating back to October of the 2003 campaign, USF owns a 35-28 ledger in one goal matches, including a 5-4 mark in 2005.

ROAD WARRIORS: San Francisco has proven tough on the road and since the start of the 2005 season owns a 21-17-2 record in true away matches, while posting a 15-11-2 slate in West Coast Conference road tilts since the start of the 2004 campaign. The Dons are 3-2-2 at neutral sites during the same span. USF owns a sparkling 3-0-1 WCC record this season.

SENIORS SHINE IN GOAL FOR THE DONS: Senior goalkeepers Eric Conner and Jeremy Coupe have done an outstanding job for USF this season. The tandem has combined to lead the West Coast Conference in GAA (0.84) and have allowed a league-low 16 goals so far in 2008. Conner collected his first career shutout in the Green and Gold in a scoreless double overtime deadlock at San Diego (10/21/07). Coupe, who secured USF's 2-1 victory against No. 11 Cal last season and the Dons inaugural win with his first career shutout against Penn State (9/21), currently leads the WCC in shutouts (7), and GAA (0.80) and rates seventh in saves (37). Conner collected his first shutout of the season - the eighth overall for USF - against the Academy of Art (11/7).

USF ONCE AGAIN FEATURES THE UNITED NATIONS LINEUP: USF men's soccer boasts a long and distinguished history of drawing outstanding players from throughout the world and the 2008 squad is no exception. This year's features players from no fewer than six countries and three continents. The country roll call features 30 players from the United States, two Dons from Sweden, and one each from Canada, Jamaica, Japan and Spain.

LMU GAME TIME CHANGE: USF's 2008 regular season finale at Loyola Marymount (11/16) has shifted to a 1:00 PM start. The contest was originally scheduled for 2:00 PM.

SCOUTING SAN DIEGO: The Toreros enter the final week of West Coast Conference play struggling to right the ship. San Diego started the league slate on fire charging out to a 6-1-0 record. The Toreros have faltered and have dropped three straight matches by a combined score of 9-3. USD suffered a 4-0 pasting at Gonzaga (10/7) and dropped a 3-2 decision in Portland (10/9). Junior forward Andrew Feld leads the way for the Toreros with seven goals and 17 points, while junior forward J.T. Howlan adds four goals and 11 points. On the year, San Diego has scored 23 goals and have allowed 26. Seamus McFadden, the only head coach in USD history, is in his 28th year and owns a 300-219-11 overall record.

A LOOK AT LOYOLA MARYMOUNT: The Lions enter the final weekend of West Coast Conference play with a 5-8-5 overall record and a 3-6-1 WCC slate. LMU suffered a sweep in the Pacific Northwest last week, falling at Portland 1-0 on Friday and then dropped a 2-1 decision at Gonzaga Sunday in Spokane. After recording a 2-2 deadlock at Santa Clara October 17, the Lions have lost four of their last five. Sophomore forward Rafael Baca leads the way for LMU offensively with four goals (two game-winners) and nine points, while freshman forward Artur Jozkowicz adds three goals and six points. Junior goalkeeper Patrick Sampson has done a strong job between the pipes for the Lions and owns a 0.87 GAA with four shutouts. Paul Krumpe is in his 11th season at the LMU helm and owns a 95-93-28 overall record in Los Angeles.

CHINN CONTINUES HIS OFFENSIVE TEAR: After going scoreless in his first four matches this season, junior forward Conor Chinn continues to make up for lost time and has scored 13 goals in his last 12 contests. The West Coast Conference leader in overall (13) and league (10) scoring strikes has registered two multi-goal games this season against Gonzaga (11/2) and Portland (10/31) and has scored a WCC high five game-winners in 2008.

CHINN AMONG WCC SCORING LEADERS: Junior forward Conor Chinn led USF in goals (6) and points (17) and ranked second in assists (5) during a solid sophomore campaign. Chinn ranked fourth among West Coast Conference leaders in goals, sixth in points and rated third in shots (44). Chinn scored four goals against nationally elite teams last season, with two goals to lead the Dons to a 2-1 victory against No. 11 Cal (9/14) and struck for a goal at No. 4 Santa Clara (10/12/07) and added another against the No. 3 Broncos (11/9/07) at home. So far in 2008, Chinn leads the team and the entire WCC in goals (13), points (27), shots (66) and game-winners (5).

CHINN - WCC PLAYER OF THE MONTH (OCTOBER): Junior forward Conor Chinn led the Dons to a 5-2-1 mark in the month of October and was a difference maker, scoring a remarkable seven goals in eight league contests during the month. For his efforts, he earned West Coast Conference Player of the Month honors. With a two goal outburst on Halloween in a 3-0 blanking of Portland, Chinn moved into a share of second place on the single-season goals list for league matches with his seventh scoring strike to close a prolific October. Chinn opened the month by tallying game-winners in back-to-back 1-0 victories at Gonzaga (10/3) and Portland (10/5) and recorded 15 points and scored in six of the Dons eight contests. Chinn is the first Don to capture WCC Player of the Month honors since former standout Aaron Chandler was tabbed in September of 2006.

VISSER CHASING MENTOR STEVE NEGOESCO: With a 1-0 double-overtime victory at Saint Mary's (11/9), USF head coach Erik Visser notched his 37th West Coast Conference win and is one shy of equalling his mentor, USF Legend of the Hilltop and NSCAA Hall-of-Famer Steve Negoesco, who compiled a 38-31-4 slate in 13 seasons. Entering the final week of the 2008 WCC schedule, Visser's league record stands at 37-33-6 in his eighth conference campaign. The WCC adopted a double round robin format prior to the start of 2004. Visser currently ranks seventh all-time in league victories, fourth among active coaches. San Diego's Seamus McFadden sits atop the leader board at 80-57-12 in his 21st season.