Aug. 26, 2008

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BERKELEY - With head coach Shellie Onstead back in the fold after completing her Olympic experience in Beijing, the California field hockey team opens the 2008 regular season with a non-conference match against Pacific at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30, at Brookside Field in Stockton, Calif.

Onstead, a U.S. women's assistant coach in the 2008 Summer Olympics, returned to the Bay Area on Aug. 23 in time to watch the Golden Bears defeat rival Stanford, 5-1. Half the Cal coaching staff, including Bears volunteer assistant Peter Milkovich, was in Beijing. Milkovich was an assistant coach for the Canadian men's team.

Cal produced a 12-6 overall record and a 5-1 NorPac Conference record in the 2007 season. The Bears' conference mark gave them the regular-season title and the top seed in the NorPac tournament at Stanford. Cal reached the final, but lost to the rival Cardinal, 3-1, to end its season.

Ashley Glosz is Cal's top returning scorer. The senior midfielder/forward posted 21 points (8 goals, 5 assists) in 2007 and made a team-high four defensive saves. Senior defender Christina McGrath (6, 4) and senior midfielder/forward Andrea Lo (5, 6) ranked right behind Glosz in 2007 with 16 points each. Senior defender Carolina Bistue paced the Bears with a career-high eight assists.

Kelly Knoche, a Cal senior who posted a 1.42 goals-against average in 2007, returns to provide a steady presence in goal.

Bears Finish 1-1 in Preseason
Cal split its two recent scrimmages, defeating Stanford, 5-1, on Aug. 23 in Stanford, Calif., and losing a close game to Victoria, 1-0, on Aug. 26 in Berkeley. Five different Bears - Lo, redshirt freshman defender Erin Magill, senior midfielder Caitlin Byrne, senior defender Rachel Moffitt and senior forward Katie Knoche - scored against the Cardinal. Cal outshot the Vikes, 7-6, and took a penalty-corner advantage over Victoria, 6-4, in that loss.

Tigers Coming Off 7-11 Season
Pacific (7-11, 4-2 NorPac in 2007) handed Cal its only regular-season NorPac loss in 2007 with a 3-2 decision in Stockton on Oct. 20. Junior midfielder Kim Keyawa is Pacific's top returning scorer and goalscorer, compiling 19 points and nine goals in 2007. Pacific lost both of its goalkeepers who played last year, meaning a new face in goal this season. Tigers freshman Corinne Yieder made two saves in the Stanford scrimmage.

Up Next:
Bears Host Drexel, Play 3 in Virginia
Cal hosts Drexel in a non-conference match at 1 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 1, at Maxwell Family Field and then hits the road for three conference games in Farmville, Va., the home of NorPac opponent Longwood University. The Bears play Longwood at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, Sept. 4, battle Radford at 4 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 5, and tackle Appalachian State at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 7.