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Men's Soccer News
January 4, 2007
Holy Names University Names Paul Sapsford and
Robert Risley as Co-Head Coaches for Men’s
and Women’s Soccer
Oakland, CA – Holy Names University Director of Athletics Robin Martin announced the hiring of Paul Sapsford and Robert Risley as HNU’s Men’s and Women’s Soccer Co-Head Coaches, effective immediately. “Holy Names University Athletics is very excited and pleased that Paul and Robert will be coaching our Men’s and Women’s Soccer programs. They bring with them a level of professionalism, play and experience that any university would be proud to add to their athletic department. With Paul and Robert comes a caliber of play that we hope can be reproduced in the efforts of Hawks Soccer,” said Martin. “Paul’s success at Saint Mary’s and Stanford should translate into the establishment of Holy Names Soccer as a nationally recognized premier soccer program. Robert rejoins Paul in coaching from their time at Saint Mary’s and adds an even brighter future for Hawks athletics.“
Sapsford comes to Holy Names with a wealth of experience, including that of NCAA Division I Head Coach for Saint Mary’s College of California Women’s soccer program in 2003-2005. In his two seasons with the Gaels, the team compiled a 27-9-4 record and earned an NCAA playoff berth in 2001, their first appearance in seven years.
Sapsford also served as NCAA Division I and PAC-10 Conference Co-Head Coach for the Men’s and Women’s soccer teams at Stanford University for the 2002 season, during which the Cardinal Women were ranked #1 in the nation. Sapsford helped guide the Cardinal women's soccer team to an elite eight finish in the 2002 NCAA playoffs and was named the national Coach of the Year by Soccer America, along with fellow Stanford co-head coach Stephanie Erickson. In the 2000 and 2001 season Sapsford was an Assistant Coach for the Gaels before moving onto Stanford the following season. Most recently, Sapsford has been the Director of Goalkeeper Academy for the Mustang Soccer Club of Danville, CA, and Head Coach for the club’s U17 team, recently ranked 5th in the nation.
Sapsford began his coaching career in 1989 following completion of the English FA’s Preliminary Coaching Badge and passed the FA’s Coaching Certificate Course in 1997. He currently holds a USSF "A" License and NSCAA Goalkeeper Academy Level II Award. He has coached United States Youth National Team Goalkeeper’s for Olympic Development Programs in Florida and Northern California, and has previously coached collegiate soccer players in England and Australia. Additionally, Sapsford has coached at soccer schools on behalf of Wimbledon FC, Arsenal FC, Tottenham Hotspur FC and Brentford United FC.
Sapsford was a member of the University of Exeter team which won the Devon and Exeter Premier League Championship in 1997/98. While there, he completed the Post Graduate Certificate of Education in Physical Education. Prior to Exeter, he played collegiate soccer at Saint Mary’s University College, London, where he completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Sport Science. Sapsford's undergraduate thesis examined the Home Advantage in Professional Soccer and was conducted with first team professionals at Wimbledon FC and Crystal Palace FC. He later lectured in the field of Sport
Psychology at Saint Mary’s, and his research into the 1994 FIFA Experiment on Semi-Professional Soccer was published in the Journal of Sports Sciences in 1997.
Sapsford is currently studying at Saint Mary’s College towards a Masters degree in Health, Physical Education and Recreation, majoring in Sport Psychology, and is conducting research in the field of collective efficacy with collegiate level athletes. He is married and resides in Danville.
Robert Risley is also an English import, and assisted Sapsford at Saint Mary’s in the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Risley joins the program after several years coaching at various levels, including youth, college and professional programs in California and Massachusetts. He is currently a P.E. teacher at a private Lafayette, CA elementary school for grades K-8 and Technical Director for the Lamorinda Soccer Club, including two U17 teams. Risley also founded and is Coaching Director of the Regional Soccer Academy in Walnut Creek.
Prior to Saint Mary’s, he was Head Coach of the Boston Renegades, a semi-professional women’s soccer league in Boston, MA. He led the senior women's soccer club to an undefeated regular season title, as well as coaching for Assumption College at the Division II level. Risley began his coaching career in the U.S. with Play Soccer in Marlboro, MA.
Risley holds his NSCAA Advanced National and National diploma's as well as the English FA Coaching certificate. Additionally, Risley has assisted with numerous soccer camps and coaching schools, on a year-round basis, in California, Massachusetts and New England.
Risley attended Marshall University, West Virginia, from 1993-97, starting four years as a central defender, captaining the team from his sophomore season. Risley gained all-conference, all-tournament and All-American scholar accolades and was also voted the team's most valuable player for two straight years.
Prior to Marshall, Risley played for Tottenham Hotspurs youth teams of the English Premiership and also represented England Schoolboys as well as being the all-time caps leader for Essex County. After college, Risley played for Romford and Hornchurch in the English Ryman division between 1997 and 2000. Additionally, he also played in the USL for the semi-pro teams Rhode Island Stingrays and Worcester Kings from 2000-02.
Risley graduated from Marshall with a degree in Journalism, and earned his master's degree at Saint Mary's in Health Physical Education and Recreation in 2006. He currently resides in Walnut Creek.
NAIA Region II Men's Soccer Playoffs
Westmont Ends Holy Names' Season
Warriors Advance With 2-0 Win
Hayward, CA – 5th seeded Westmont College advanced to the second round of the 2006 NAIA Region II Playoffs with a 2-0 win over #4 seed Holy Names University. Michael Thompson scored both goals for Westmont , the first off a Sammy Montemer pass in the 42 nd minute. He went in solo the second time in the 52nd minute to seal the Hawks fate. Holy Names had two good looks at the goal late in the game but could not convert. The Hawks' season ends at 8-4-1. Westmont improves to 12-5-3 and will face the winner of the #1 Azusa Pacific / #8 Point Loma Nazarene game.
Ono's Goal Gives Hawks Cal Pac Title
HNU Claims Second Title in Three Years
San Rafael, CA - Senior Sukui Ono scored the game's lone goal in the 78th minute to give Holy Names a 1-0 win over defending champ Dominican University and clinching the 2006 Cal Pac Championship. Holy Names completes a perfect conference season ay 7-0 and gives the 5th year program their second championship in three years and an automatic berth in the NAIA Region II Tournament.
Keeper Andreas Lindstrom pitched a shutout recording four saves. Ono had an earlier chance to be the hero but had his penalty kick in the 62nd minute blocked by DU keeper Todd Seech. Seech recorded 10 saves in the game.
Holy Names advances to their third straight regional tournament, a tournament they won in 2004. The Hawks are seeded 4th and will host Westmont College in a first round game on Wednesday November 1st. The game will be held at the Stadium Field on the campus of CSU East Bay in Hayward, CA at 1:00PM.
Holy Names Stays Perfect
Beat Simpson 4-0
Joaquin Escoto scored a pair of goals as Holy Names beat Simpson University 4-0 to remain perfect in conference play. Edwin Pouzeaud and Ricardo Marquez each added a goal as Holy Names improved to 7-3-1 overall and 6-0 in Cal Pac play.
Holy Names sits alone in first place after Dominican and Menlo fought to a 0-0 tie. Dominican is now 5-0-1 and is the only team standing in the way of the Hawks second Cal Pac Championship in three years. Holy Names travels to San Rafael to take on the Penguins this Saturday. The game begins immediately following the women's game at 12:00PM.
Escoto Named Cal Pac Player of the Week
Holy Names at 5-0
Holy Names University senior Joaquin Escoto was named the Cal Pac Men's Soccer Player of the Week for the second time this season as announced by the league today. Escoto helped his teammates take both games on the week over conference foes to remain perfect in cal Pac play at 5-0.
Escoto knocked in 4 goals in an 11-0 route of CSU Maritime and added one more in the Hawks 3-0 shutout of Bethany. The Guadalajara native is second in the Cal Pac in scoring with 23 points on the season.
Hawks Remain Perfect
Route CSU Maritime 11-0
Holy Names shutout visiting CSU Maritime 11-0 to improve to 5-3-1 and remain perfect in conference play at 4-0. Joaquin Escoto and Sukui Ono each scored four goals on the day to lead the Hawks. Jonathan Tinjaca added 2 goals and 2 assists while Ricardo Vargas provided the final goal.
Keeper Andreas Lindstrom saved both Maritime shots on goal to record the shutout.
The Hawks travel to Scott's Valley Friday to take on conference foe Bethany University.
Hawks Down Menlo 2-0
3-0 In Cal Pac Play
Oakland, CA - Sukui Ono and Jonathan Tinjaca each scored early goals for Holy Names who held on the rest of the way for a 2-0 win over rival Menlo College. Onon went in unassisted 16 minutes into the game while Tinjaca scored off a Beto Vega pass in the games 28th minute.
Keeper Andreas Lindstrom recorded two spectacular saves in the second half to secure the Hawks win. Holy Names sits at 3-0 in conference play
Holy Names Blanked by the Slugs
Hawks Go Down 5-0
Santa Cruz, CA - Holy Names University got out shot 19-2 en route to a 5-0 loss at perennial D-3 power UC Santa Cruz Wednesday. UCSC knocked in 4 goals in the opening frame, 3-0 of them in a 5 minute span, and cruised to victory. Ricardo Marquez and Andreas Lindstrom split time in the goal for Holy Names, who drops to 3-3-1 on the season. Harry Abraham recorded 2 goals and an assist for UCSC.
Holy Names Wins Third Straight
2-0 in Conference Play
Holy Names Men's Soccer improved to 2-0 in Cal Pac play with their third straight win, this one a 4-1 decision over visiting William Jessup University. The Hawks jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the game's first 19 minutes on Sukui Ono and Jonathan Tinjaca goals. William Jessup's Andrew Koekemoer would make it 2-1 in the 4 minutes later and the score would remain there until Joaquin Escoto gave Holy Names some breathing room in the 83rd minute. Tinjaca added one final goal 5 minutes later to secure the 4-1 victory.
HNU's Ricardo Marquez made his first start in the net this season recording 4 saves and allowing just one goal. Last week Marquez knocked in 4 goals and recorded an assist in the Hawks 10- win over Pacific Union.
Both soccer squads travel to Santa Cruz to take on the Banana Slugs Wednesday. The women's game begins at 2pm with the men's immediately following.
Hawks Win Conference Opener
Route Pacific Union 10-0
Oakland, CA - Holy Names University blanked visiting Pacific Union College 10-0 in the Cal Pac opener for both teams. Holy Names improves to 2-2-1 on the season after nearly a month between games.
Ricardo Marquez started and finished the scoring for Holy Names going in unassisted in the game's 4th minute and converting a Jonathan Tinjaca pass in the games final minute. In between the senior knocked in two more and assisted on another to finish with 4 goals and an assist. Tinjaca added a goal of his own while Joaquin Escoto added 2goals and an assist. Sukui Ono, Ricardo Vargas and Guilherme Freitas finished off the scoring for Holy Names.
The Hawks are next in action on Tuesday, October 10 as both the men's and women's teams host William Jessup UNiversity in a Cal Pac double header. The women play at 1pm with the men immediately following. Holy Names plays their home games at Merritt College.
Soccer Trip Cancelled
The mens and womens soccer program's trip to Arizona to compete in the Embry Riddle Tournament has been cancelled. Both squads were originally scheduled to play two games each, one against host ERAU and one against Bethany College of Kansas. Bethany decided they could not make the trip leaving Holy Names with just one game. Both squads hope to find replacement games for later in the season. Please check their respective schedules for any additions or changes.
Cervantes Resigns Post
Vilmar Marquez Named Interim Head Coach
The Holy Names University Athletic Department has announced the resignation of Head Men's and Women's Soccer Coach Orlando Cervantes effective immediately. Assistant Coach Vilmar “Vava” Marquez has been named the Interim Head Coach for both programs and will hold the positions through the end of their respective seasons. A series of personal and family emergencies forced the premature resignation of Cervantes who spent the last two seasons as the women's coach and was hired to run the men's program this May.
“I appreciate the opportunity entrusted to me from the University. These unusual personal circumstances have led me to make this decision,” stated Cervantes. “I wish continued success for the soccer programs and the exemplary student-athletes involved."
Cervantes posted a 13-15-3 record in his two years including an 8-3 Cal Pac record, back to back 2 nd place finishes and an appearance in the Cal Pac Playoffs in 2004. The Cal Pac discontinued the soccer tournaments starting in the 2005 season.
Marquez meanwhile brings a slew of experience to his new positions on the local, national and international levels. Currently an assistant coach with the United States National Futsal Team, Marquez also served as the Head Men's Soccer Coach at Foothill College from 1992-2003 and has been the Head Boy's Soccer Coach at Los Altos High since 1999.
In addition to his coaching experience Marquez had a number of stops in his professional playing career. He played for the Brazilian Professional Soccer Club Goiania Sport Club from 1981-1986. He also played for the San Jose Earthquakes during the 1988-89 season and with Milwaukee Wave, in indoor soccer team from 1988-1990.
Marquez kicked off his Holy Names campaign with a bang leading the Hawks to their first win of the season last Friday, a 2-1 win over visiting Hope International University. He takes over a women's soccer program that is currently 0-3 on the young season. All three losses have by the score of 1-0 including on the road to #4 Simon Frazier and #8 Concordia University (OR).
Hawks Notch First Win of the Season
Clip Hope International 2-1
Hayward, CA - Holy Names University notched their first win of the season with a come from behind 2-1 victory over visiting Hope International Friday on the CSU East Bay campus. The Hawks fell behind 1-0 just 20 minutes into the game on a Igor Balanovski goal. The Hawks would tie it up 12 minutes later as Jordan Vital scored off a pass from Sukui Ono. The game winner came off the foot of Alberto Vega in the 60th minute. Andreas Lindstrom recorded 4 saves in the game as Holy Names imporves to 1-2-1.
Escoto Named Cal Pac Player of the Week
Senior Scores Pair of Goals
Holy Names senior midfielder Joaquin Escoto was named the Cal Pac Player of the Week today for his efforts the Hawks three game swing through Southern California. Holy Names lost to The Master's College 5-1 on Tuesday in Santa Clarita, CA before heading to San Diego over the weekend for the Point Loma Nazarene Tournament. Escoto recorded the Hawks only goals notching one in each game as Holy Names lost to #19 Bellevue (Neb.) 2-1 and tied #27 Madonna (Mich.) 1-1 in double overtime.
Hawks Lose One; Tie One in San Diego
Lose to #19 Bellevue 2-1
San Diego, CA - Holy Names Men's Soccer returned home from the Pt. Loma Nazarene Tournament with a tough loss and an impressive tie over the Labor Day weekend. The Hawks dropped a heartbreaker to the NAIA's 19th ranked Bellevue College (Neb.) 2-1 on a Bellevue goal in the 83rd minute. Senior Joaquin Escoto tied the score at one apiece with a goal in the 8th minute of the game off an Ivan Kepciji pass. The score would not change until Bellevue's Jon Pagel got by a tired Holy Names defense for the game winner. Holy Names is playing this early season schedule with a 14 man roster. Keeper Andreas Lindstrom had a couple saves in his 90 minutes in the box.
The next night saw similar excitement and a better result for Holy Names as they came away with a 1-1 tie against Madonna University (MI). Escoto again tied the score a 1-1 after an early goal by the opponent, this time in the 31st minute and off a pass from Beto Vega. Lindstrom again played the entire match recording 5 saves including a game saving block of a Madonna penalty kick in the second overtime. Holy Names is now 0-2-1 on the young season. Madonna sits right outside the Top 25 in the 28th spot.
Hawks Drop Season Opener to Master's 5-1
Holy names Men's Soccer dropped their 2006 season opener on the road to The Master's College Tuesday afternoon by the score of 5-1. A Sukui Ono header off a Jordan Vital corner kick in the 24th minute pulled the Hawks even at 1-1. They held serve there for a spell before back to back Rob Miller goals put The Master's up for good at 3-1. The host squad would put up two more second half goals for the final tally. Miller ended up with a hat trick.
Holy Names' road doesn't get any easier as they return to Southern California this weekend to play #23 Bellevue (Neb.) and Madonna (Mich) at the Point Loma Tournament. Madonna sits just outside the NAIA's Top 25 at #28.
Cervantes Hired As Men's Soccer Coach
HNU's Women's Coach to Pull Double Duty
Holy Names University has selected current women's soccer coach Orlando Cervantes to coach the men's program as well, as announced by Associate Athletic Director Dennis Jones last week. Cervantes replaces recently departed Lance Thompson and is the fourth head coach in the program's short history.
Cervantes has been in charge of the women's program the last two years and has proven himself as a defensive tactician and a tremendous X's and O's guy. Under Cervantes, the Lady Hawks finished 7-8-1 last year after a 1-8 start that saw them play 5 of the nation's top 10 teams in the preseason. Holy Names narrowly missed a spot in the NAIA Region II Tournament and saw junior Roccio Ferree named the Cal Pac's MVP.
Cervantes brings a wealth of experience with him to his latest job addition. He has enjoyed stints as the head coach of the West Valley Men's program and the California Jaguars Professional Soccer Club. In addition, Coach Cervantes has pulled double duty twice previously serving as the assistant coach for the men's and women's soccer teams at both UC Santa Cruz and San Jose State.