The Cal State Monterey Bay women’s soccer team has three wins this season.
Each of them has been a shutout victory. Each time, Stephanie Busch was in net.
The Santa Cruz High alum continues to provide a strong last line of defense for the Otters (3-4, 1-3), who on Sunday defeated visiting Stanislaus State 1-0 to earn their first victory in California Collegiate Athletic Association play.
Busch made five saves in the match and recorded her third shutout of the season, which, according to the school’s website, ties her with Victoria Whyte (2015) and Andrea Davis (2009) for No. 4 on the all-time CSUMB list. The all-time record for shutouts in a season is five, held by Alyssa Noh (2017) and Lily Garza (2013).
Busch this season has been close to a clean sheet in several other matches. In fact, aside from a 6-1 loss to No. 2 UC San Diego on Sept. 14, each of the Slugs’ losses have been narrow 1-0 defeats. And Busch, who previously competed for Saint Mary’s College, has totaled 22 saves in those games.
Friday, in a 1-0 loss to visiting Chico State, the senior keeper totaled nine saves — one save shy of tying her career best of 10, which she first reached on Oct. 30, 2014, while competing for Saint Mary’s. Busch also made 10 saves on Aug. 30 against Northwest Nazarene, which is tied for No. 3 on the CSUMB all-time list.
Currently boasting an .826 save percentage and a 1.17 goals-against average — both of which would rank in the top 6 all-time — Busch was nominated for CCAA Player of the Week honors for Sept. 2-9.
She’ll guide the Otters into Thursday’s match at UC Santa Cruz.
Opal Ward (Santa Cruz), UC Merced, Fr. >> Midfielder recorded her first collegiate goal on Saturday, as the Bobcats (4-3-1, 2-0-0) defeated visiting Providence Christian College 6-0 in California Pacific Conference play. Ward was credited with the game-winning goal, after she scored in the 34th minute.
Isa Berardo (Saratoga; SC native), Pomona-Pitzer, Jr. >> Keeper earned two shutouts in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play, as the Sagehens (6-1-1, 3-1-1) defeated visiting Cal Lutheran 1-0 on Sept. 19, and tied host Whittier 0-0 on Saturday. Berardo combined to make four saves. She has allowed one goal this season.
Erin Woods (Harbor), Chico State, Sr. >> Starting forward assisted on a goal Sunday, as the Wildcats (4-0-4, 3-0-1) defeated host Cal State East Bay 2-1 in CCAA play. It was Woods’ first assist of the season.
Men’s soccer
Walmer Martinez (Soquel), Cal State Monterey Bay, Jr. >> Starting forward scored the game-winning goal off a penalty kick in the 74th minute Sunday, as the Otters (2-5, 1-3) defeated visiting Stanislaus State to earn their first win in CCAA play. Forward Steve Lopez (Harbor), who beat his Stanislaus defender, drew the PK after he was knocked down from behind in the box. The goal, Martinez’s second, supplies him with a team-best six points.
Julio Varela (Watsonville), Cal State Monterey Bay, Sr. >> Reserve defender scored the team’s lone goal on Friday — and his first goal of the season — as the Otters (2-5, 1-3) lost 2-1 in overtime to visiting Chico State in CCAA play. Varela scored in the 72nd minute.
Leonardo Ortiz (Soquel), Soka, Jr. >> Reserve forward deposited a goal in the 42nd minute last Thursday, as the Lions (6-3, 2-0) defeated host California Maritime Academy 6-1 in CalPac play.
Anthony Orendain (Watsonville), University of Pacific, Jr. >> Starting forward assisted on a goal in the 35th minute on Sunday, as the Tigers (6-2-1) defeated visiting UC Irvine 4-2. It was Orendain’s second assist of the season.
Blake Kuehl (San Lorenzo Valley), University of Saint Mary, Fr. >> Keeper combined to allow one goal across two matches in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference play, as the Spires (2-4-1, 0-1-1) tied host Bethel College 2-2 on Sept. 19, before losing to visiting Sterling College 1-0 on Saturday. Kuehl entered the against Bethel in overtime and allowed no goals, making one save across 20 minutes. Against Sterling, he allowed one goal and made four saves across 90 minutes.
Men’s water polo
Kalani Fouts (Soquel), Whittier, So. >> Utility player recorded one steal on Saturday, as the No. 19 Poets (3-7, 1-0) defeated Caltech 16-3 to open SCIAC play.
Football
Riggs Powell (Aptos), BYU, Sr. >> Linebacker recorded two tackles, including one solo tackle, as the No. 25 Cougars (3-1) defeated visiting McNeese State 30-3 on Saturday.
Women’s volleyball
Tessie Powers (Mitty, Aptos resident), Santa Clara, Jr. >> Setter totaled 40 assists, one kill and 15 digs across two matches in West Coast Conference play, as the Broncos (5-9, 0-2) lost to host San Francisco in three sets last Thursday before falling to Pacific in three sets on Tuesday.
Camryn Rocha (Soquel), University of Nevada-Reno, Jr. >> Outside hitter combined for 20 kills, three digs and a block across two matches in Mountain West play, as the Wolf Pack (7-6, 0-2) lost to visiting Colorado State in four sets last Thursday before losing to host Wyoming in three sets on Saturday.
Alysha Crowther (Santa Cruz), Allegheny, Jr. >> Middle hitter combined to record 20 kills, six digs and three blocks across two matches, as the Gators (5-11, 0-1) lost to Kenyon in three sets on Saturday in North Coast Athletic Conference play before defeating Chatham, in a nonconference match, in four sets later in the day.
Marianne Soria (Monte Vista Christian), Simpson University, Jr. >> Defensive specialist totaled 37 digs, five assists and four aces across two matches in CalPac play, as the Red Hawks (3-11, 0-4) lost to visiting Benedictine in three sets last Thursday before losing to visiting Embry-Riddle in three sets on Friday.
Vanessa Ditz (Harbor), San Francisco State, Sr. >> Libero/defensive specialist combined to record 21 digs and one ace across two matches in CCAA play, as the Gators (7-6, 2-4) lost in five sets to host Chico State on Friday before losing in five sets to host Stanislaus State on Saturday.
Lauren Matias (Harbor), UC Davis, Jr. >> Outside hitter had 11 kills, one assist and five digs on Friday, as the Aggies (8-6, 0-2) lost to visiting University of Hawai’i in three sets in Big West Conference play.
Rebecca Lee (Harbor), Notre Dame de Namur, Jr. >> Middle blocker had 10 kills and two blocks across two matches in PacWest play, as the Argonauts (3-11, 2-4) defeated visiting Academy of Art in five games on Friday before losing to host Dominican in four games on Saturday.
McKinley Fox (Santa Catalina; Santa Cruz native), Marist, Fr. >> Setter recorded one assist and two digs, as the Red Foxes (6-7, 3-0) defeated host Siena College in four sets on Friday in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play.
Savannah Horton (Soquel), Humboldt State, Sr. >> Middle blocker recorded two kills on Friday, as the Lumberjacks (3-10, 0-5) lost in three sets to visiting Sonoma State in CCAA play.
Men’s cross country
Matthew Founds (Soquel), Fresno State, So. >> Recorded a time of 27 minutes, 29.5 seconds across 8 kilometers to place 11th in the UNLV Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, as the Bulldogs placed third out of five teams.
Jake Gill (Santa Cruz), Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Fr. >> Ran a 28:16.0 across an 8k race to place 78th at the CSUSB Coyote Invitational on Saturday, as the Stags placed fourth out of 11 teams.
Jordan Tahquechi (Santa Cruz native), Dominican, Sr. >> Clocked 39:16.1 across an 8k race to place 100th at the San Francisco State Invitational at Golden Gate Park on Friday, as the Penguins placed 10th out of 11 teams.
County Connections appears Thursdays in the Sentinel. Contact sports@santacruzsentinel.com if you know of a former Santa Cruz County prep athlete now playing at the collegiate level.
