Columnist Nick Green has written 100 Percent Soccer
since 2005. A
native of England, he began writing about soccer in
the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat
in the stands for one in
the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home
Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas
USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer.
Married to a long-suffering soccer widow, he has a cat
named Pele.Corrie Hirokawa, Win or Go Home
The Cal State Dominguez Hills women open the playoffs tonight in Seattle against UC San Diego.
Lose and not only are they done, but so is Hirokawa's stellar college career.
In her fourth post for 100 Percent Soccer, she previews the game:
Last week, we played in the CCAA Tournament, where we fell to the Chico State Wildcats, 2-0, in the second semifinal match on our own home field, Toro Stadium.
It was not the outcome I was looking for, but it was a game that our team has learned from.
I am now in Seattle waiting to play against UCSD once again in the NCAA playoffs.
We played UCSD two years ago in Seattle and lost to them 1-0 in the first round of the NCAAs.
It was a close game and the goal was scored off an own goal.
It seems like a repeat from last year because the scenario is the same, however I am hoping that this year's result will be different. If we win tonight, we will face top-seeded and second-ranked Seattle Pacific on Saturday afternoon, whose record is a perfect 20-0 this season.
The whole team has worked so hard all season and we have grown from every game we played whether we won or lost.
It is time for us to really step up for playoffs.
We are pumped up to play UCSD and it is always a competitive game. No matter the end result, I just want to play my heart out.
Although I hope we come out with a win, I realize this game could be the end of my college career, and I plan to leave everything on the field.
Wish us luck.
Go Toros!