Saturday, October 16, 2004
Sunbirds swamp Point Loma Nazarene 9-2

Box score

Fresno - Three first half goals from Fabricio Codeceira were all the Fresno Pacific University Sunbirds need to beat the Point Loma Nazarene University Sea Lions at Steinert Field this afternoon. But they got much more.

When the dust had settled the Sunbirds had an easy 9-2 Golden State Athletic Conference win in their pocket.

FPU spotted the Sea Lions and early Matthew Horak goal off a long throw in. That's when Codeceira went to work. The senior midfielder, who sat out the first nine games of the season, evened it with a penalty kick at 15:57.

That set off a Sunbird scoring frenzy. Codeceira struck again just three minutes later (19:15). Less than four minutes later Codeceira served Orlando Ramirez who headed it past Sea Lions goalkeeper Michael Gebhart.

At 28:59 Codeceira completed his hat trick with an unassisted effort low from the right side. Ramirez set up Wesley Teixeira at 39:28. Jared Dugger made it 6-1 at 42:11 converting a Milton Blanco pass.

All that occurred before Brian Thames picked up his second yellow card of the match. He was ejected at 43:28.

FPU head coach Jaime Ramirez substituted liberally in the final 45 minutes.

Horak made it 6-2 at 51:44 intercepting Paul Moran clearing pass and beating Oscar Rodriguez in the FPU goal.

Ramirez scored his 2nd of the game, 20th of the season, 10 minutes later. Ramirez then found Adam Arteaga to make it 8-2. Moran closed with a penalty kick at 85:05.

"I tried to do my talking on the field," said Co. "I'm not 100 percent yet, but it is getting better."

"We are starting to play like we did last season," said Jaime Ramirez. "I think we can create four or five scoring opportunities against any team in the GSAC. Today we finished them."

That would be bad news for the rest of the GSAC. The 2003 Sunbirds finished 22-2 as the runner-up in the NAIA National Championship.

FPU will be in Costa Mesa next Thursday to face the Vanguard University Lions.

Soccer Livestats from FPU's Steinert Field

Updated records
Point Loma Nazarene: 9-4-0 overall, 3-3-0 GSAC
Fresno Pacific: 12-1-1, 4-1-1

Updated series record
FPU leads 19-7-4

Updated series scoring
FPU leads 84-38

Game preview notes

* This match features two high-octane offenses that have out-scored their opponents by wide margins. The Sea Lions have out-scored their opponents 50-19, while the Sunbirds have out-scored their opponents 69-15.

* Senior striker Orlando Ramirez scored 4 goals in FPU's 7-1 win over Hope International in Fullerton on Tuesday. He now has 18 on the season and 71 in his career. Ramirez also has 11 assists for 47 points.

* There are several others who have found the back of the net with regularity this season. The list includes Milton Blanco (8 goals, 13 assists, 29 points), Gaston Cignetti (7-2-16), Eddie Gutierrez (6-6-18), Adam Arteaga (6-5-15) and Jared Dugger (6-2-14).

* Fabricio Codeceira has two goals and four assists (8 points) in four matches. The 2003 NAIA National Player of the Year missed the first nine games of the season with a nagging lower body injury sustained in May while playing for the Fresno Fuego of the Premier Development League

* Oscar Rodriguez has a 6-1-1 record while logging 756 minutes in the FPU goal. He has a 0.83 goals against average.

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* Brothers Brian (15 goals, 4 assists, 34 points) and Derrick Thames (5-9-19) and Matthew Horak (8-5-21) lead the Sea Lions offense.

* Greg Stoaks (6 goals, 3 assists, 15 points) and Nathan Brewer (5-4-14) are also key contributors.

* Senior goalkeeper Michael Gebhart, a graduate of Bullard High School in Fresno, the team's 2003 most valuable player. He has an 8-1 record in goal this season while allowing 1.67 goals per game.