SAN MARCOS, Calif. – Win and you're in. The Cal State San Marcos men's soccer team (7-7-3, 4-4-2 CCAA) controls its own fate as it heads to Cal State East Bay (7-7-3, 2-6-2 CCAA) for its regular-season finale on Thursday with CCAA Tournament implications on the line.
 
LAST WEEK

• CSUSM took a pair of 2-0 losses at Cal State San Bernardino and then-No. 11 Cal Poly Pomona on Friday and Sunday.
• Staying at 14 points, the Cougars are tied for fifth in the CCAA standings with the Yotes, but currently own the sixth seed in the CCAA Tournament since CSUSB owns the head-to-head tiebreaker.

 
COUGARS BY THE NUMBERS

• With a win on Thursday, the Cougars would earn their first CCAA Tournament berth in program history.
• With a draw, the Cougars can earn a spot with a Cal State San Bernardino loss or a loss/draw by Sonoma State.
• With a CSUSM loss and a Sonoma win/draw, the Cougars would be eliminated since the Seawolves hold the tiebreaker.
• The Cougars are putting up the fourth-most shots per game in the CCAA at 12.12.
• CSUSM ranks fifth in the CCAA for goal differential (+3), shots on goal per game (5.24), shutout percentage (.353), total assists (19) and total points (67).
• Ryan Meinardus ranks fifth in the CCAA with six goals scored and is seventh with 15 points.
• Curtis Collazos is ninth in the conference for both goals (5) and points (13).

REGULAR-SEASON FINALE AT EAST BAY

• The Pioneers will play their final game of the season against the Cougars on Thursday after already having been eliminated from postseason contention.
• East Bay is currently 10th in the CCAA standings with eight points and has lost its past three games.
• This past weekend, the Pioneers fell 4-1 at Cal Poly Pomona on Friday before suffering a 2-1 loss at Cal State San Bernardino on Sunday.
• CSUEB hasn't earned a win since its 2-0 victory against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Oct. 8 – seven matches ago.
• The Pioneers have the third-best save percentage in the CCAA and rank 35th nationally at .782.
• East Bay is scoring the second-fewest goals per game in the conference at 1.18 while their goals against average of 1.118 are the fifth fewest.
• Aaron Farnan leads the Pioneers' offense with 16 points, six goals and four assists.
• Keeper Adam Corona has the fifth-best save percentage (.753) and goals-against average (1.188) in the conference.
• The Cougars and Pioneers last met in a non-conference game in San Marcos on Sept. 23 and saw East Bay leave with a 1-0 win.
• CSUSM owns the series lead against CSUEB at 4-3-1 and is 2-1-1 when playing in Hayward.
• The Cougars have won four of the last five games against the Pioneers and are on a two-game winning streak when playing in Hayward.

THE 2023 COUGARS

• CSUSM's 2023 roster consists of 29 student-athletes with 20 returners and nine newcomers.
• Stefano Brunetto returns as CSUSM's points leader in 2022 as he tallied eight with two goals and four assists.
• The Cougars were picked to finish eighth in the 2023 CCAA Preseason Coaches Poll.
• Curtis Collazos, Oliver Reader and Derek Westwood were each named All-CCAA honorable mentions for their play during the 2022 season.

THE PULVERS FILE

• This season marks the 18th season for head coach Ron Pulvers at CSUSM.
• Pulvers has a 134-121-32 (.523) record as CSUSM's head men's coach.
• In 26 seasons as a collegiate head men's soccer coach, Pulvers holds a 260-192-46 (.568) 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.