CSUN GOALIE HAVING IT EASY.

Byline: JILL PAINTER University Beat

Joe Barton has had little opportunity to showcase himself at Cal State Northridge this season.

The senior goalie for the men's soccer team has faced just five shots on goal in three games. That's because the CSUN defense has been so dominant.

``In some senses (it's frustrating), I guess,'' Barton said. ``But if they don't have any shots, they can't score. That's OK, too. The whole point of the defense is to stop them from scoring goals. If I don't have to do anything, it makes it that much easier.''

The Matadors (2-1) are off to a promising start, thanks to a new emphasis on defense. CSUN will play Fresno State (1-1-1) in its home opener Sunday at the new Matador Soccer Field.

CSUN, ranked eighth in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Far West region poll, allowed just three second-half shots in a 1-0 loss to San Jose State last Sunday.

``This game will be a big game to see how we react after the loss, especially a loss of that magnitude,'' Barton said. ``We dominated that second half and still didn't win. But it will be exciting with the new field.''

CSUN had to vacate North Campus Stadium but will play on a new grass field. There are 850 portable bleacher seats, which might not be enough, considering CSUN averaged 880 fans last year and had a season-high crowd of 1,743 for the San Jose State game.

The Matadors also will be without senior defender Brian Phillips, who received two yellow cards against San Jose State. That meant an automatic red card and a suspension for this game.

``It's tough, but I'm not worried about it because guys will step up,'' said Phillips, who was named to Soccer America's national team of the week last week after CSUN posted back-to-back shutouts against Cal and Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Phillips will be back for next Thursday's game at Loyola Marymount - ranked third in the NSCAA Far West.

CSUN coach Terry Davila handed defensive duties to assistant coach Keith West this year. So far, it's worked. This might be just what the Matadors need to finally make the playoffs in Division I. The last time CSUN made the playoffs was in 1989, when the team was Division II and Davila was a player on the team.

``We're a good program but not a great program,'' Davila said. ``We're trying to become great. We've just got to keep doing the little things.''

--USC even better? The second-ranked USC women's volleyball team is expected to be even better this season, although it doesn't have matches this weekend and has just two exhibitions scheduled next week, including one against the Czech Republic on Tuesday.

The Trojans are 6-0 and have won two tournament titles. That means there's plenty of time for freshman Bibiana Candelas to get adjusted. Candelas, who was playing with the Mexican National Team, got to campus just this week and is playing catch-up with her classes. The 6- foot-5 middle blocker joins the team just in time, as the Pacific-10 Conference season begins Sept. 20.

--Ace of the staff: The Cal State Northridge women's volleyball team set a three-game match record with 16 services aces against Boise State. CSUN's all-time record is 19, but that was for a five-game match.

Under former coach Lian Lu, the Matadors didn't jump serve. But new coach Jeff Stork has incorporated it. Three players - Becky Moores, Jennifer McNees and Nadine Nickel - have jump served in matches and McNees, who took last season off due to the birth of her son, has a team-best 14 aces.

``We experiment quite a bit, and pretty much all the players tried it in spring,'' Stork said. ``You have to have players who have good arms and good long approaches to get it done. I think there's an advantage with it, if you can get a player who can hit it hard enough and find the open court here and there. I think you'll see the development throughout the college game on the women's side.''

--Odds and ends: The fourth-ranked UCLA men's soccer team (4-0) will play the University of San Diego in its home opener at Frank W. Marshall Field at Drake Stadium on Sunday.