SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos men's soccer team (4-3-4, 0-3-1 CCAA) will wrap up a three-game homestand when it faces Cal State Monterey Bay (4-3-3, 1-2-1 CCAA) on Thursday at 3 p.m. before starting a three-game road trip at San Francisco State (0-6-4, 0-2-2 CCAA) on Sunday at 11:30 a.m.
 
LAST WEEK

• CSUSM fell 2-1 to Cal State San Bernardino in its CCAA home opener while Ryan Meinardus scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season.
• The Cougars then fell 3-0 to then-No. 18 Cal Poly Pomona on Sunday.

 
COUGARS BY THE NUMBERS

• Of his six goals, Ryan Meinardus has posted three-game winning goals, ranking second in the CCAA and 10th nationally.
• Meinardus' 1.91 shots on goal per game are the most in the CCAA and rank 11th nationally while his 3.55 shots per game are the second most in the conference and 11th most in Division II.
• Meinardus' .55 goals per game rank fourth in the CCAA while his six total games also rank fourth.
• Keeper Tony Flores has the fourth-best goals-against average in the CCAA at 1.182 while making the third-most total saves at 37.
• Playing all 990 minutes this season, Flores has played the second-most minutes among keepers in the CCAA and ranks 11th nationally.
• Stefano Brunetto's four total assists rank third in the conference.

THURSDAY AGAINST THE OTTERS

• CSUMB comes into the week alone in seventh place in the CCAA standings with four points.
• The Otters earned their first conference win with a 4-0 victory against Stanislaus State this past Friday before falling 3-0 to then-No. 12 Chico State on Sunday.
• Ronaldo Guardarrama leads Monterey Bay with eight points on three goals and two assists while Hugo Vargas-Rios and Mason Ward each have seven points.
• Making 4.00 saves per game, keeper Sean Mattivi ranks second in the conference while allowing the eighth-most goals in the league at 1.50 per game.
• The Otters have the top shot accuracy in the CCAA at .534 and rank 10th nationally while putting the second-most shots on goal per game in the league at 7.10.
• CSUMB has the fifth-best scoring offense in the CCAA at 1.70 goals per game while allowing the seventh-most goals per game at 1.40.
• CSUSM owns a 5-3-1 lead in the all-time series and is 3-0-0 when facing the Otters at home.
• The Otters have taken the past two games in the series by scores of 4-0 and 1-0, both of which were in Seaside.
• Monterey Bay is 1-1-2 in road games this season.

SUNDAY AT SF STATE

• Before facing the Cougars, the winless Gators will travel over to Cal State East Bay on Thursday evening.
• This past weekend, SF State fell 2-0 to then-No. 12 Chico State before settling for a 1-1 draw against Stanislaus State.
• With two points, the Gators are currently tied for ninth in the CCAA standings.
• SF State is giving up the most goals per game in the conference at 2.20 while scoring the eighth-most goals per game at 1.10.
• The Gators have the second-best shot accuracy in the CCAA at .490.
• Isaac Sandoval leads the Gators with five goals and 10 points this season.
• CSUSM is 3-5-1 in the all-time series against SF State but is still searching for its first win in San Francisco.
• Last season, CSUSM posted a 5-1 win against SF State in San Marcos.
• In each of the Cougars' three wins against the Gators, CSUSM has won by three or more goals.
• All four games at SF State have been decided by a goal or less.

2024 OUTLOOK

• CSUSM was picked to finish seventh in the 2024 CCAA Men's Soccer Preseason Coaches Poll.
• The Cougars' roster of 29 includes 19 returners and 10 newcomers.
• Curtis Collazos was named to 2024 CCAA Men's Soccer Watchlist after earning All-CCAA first team honors in 2023.

THE PULVERS FILE

• This season marks the 19th season for head coach Ron Pulvers at CSUSM.
• Pulvers has a 138-125-38 (.522) record as CSUSM's head men's coach.
• In 26 seasons as a collegiate head men's soccer coach, Pulvers holds a 264-196-52 (.566) career record.
• He was 84-42-24 (.640) while in charge of the CSUSM women's program.
• From 2006-13, Pulvers led both the CSUSM men's and women's soccer teams.