Saturday, October 9, 2004
Final: #7 FPU def. #17 Westmont 2-1

Box score

Santa Barbara - The Fresno Pacific University Sunbirds used a goal and an assist by 2003 NAIA National Player of the Year Fabricio Codeceira to fashion a 2-1 win over the No. 17 ranked Westmont College Warriors.

In the 58th minute, Codeceira served a ball, high, far post to Orlando Ramirez, who headed it passed Warriors goalkeeper Frank Logan.

Fifteen minutes later Ramirez sent a through ball to Adam Arteaga who was hauled down in the box by a Warriors defender. That resulted in an FPU penalty kick and head coach Jaime Ramirez did not hesitate to call on his senior midfielder. Codeceira responded with the match-winner.

"This a big win for us," Ramirez said. "It keeps us in the thick of things for one of the six playoff positions"

The teams played a scoreless first half, but less than three minutes in to the second half, Kevin Saiki gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead on a pass from Michael Thompson.

It was the first goal of the season for Codeceira who missed the first 10 games of the season with injuries and eligibility issues.

Today's win was the Sunbirds third in a row at Russ Carr Field. FPU is now 9-17-1 against the Warriors in Santa Barbara.

FPU will be in Fullerton on Tuesday to take on Hope International University.

The next home game for the Sunbirds is Saturday, October 16, when they host Point Loma Nazarene Kick-off time at Steinert Field is 1:00 PM.

Updated records
Fresno Pacific 10-1-1, 2-1-1
#17 Westmont 7-3-1, 2-1-1

Updated series record
Westmont leads 29-15-6