CSUN MAKES TOURNEY MATADORS QUALIFY FOR FIRST TIME IN D-I.

Byline: Sean Ceglinsky Staff Writer

Yosi Raz jumped out of his seat as if he were attempting to score on a header. Joe Barton and Charles Mitchell came flying out of their spots on the hardwood floor just as fast. Peabo Woodson and Jesse Servin pumped their fists. Terry Davila hugged anyone and everything in sight.

Normally, Keith West's living room is a quite, relaxing place. But Monday afternoon, it was anything but. And he wouldn't have had it any other way.

The Cal State Northridge assistant men's soccer coach assembled his players in front of the big-screen television in his Granada Hills home in anticipation for the announcement of the NCAA Division I Soccer Championships tournament field.

And at approximately 1:45 p.m., it became official: CSUN received an at-large bid into the 2002 NCAA College Cup, opening first-round play Saturday at noon against Loyola Marymount at Sullivan Field.

``I knew we had a good chance,'' said Davila, the CSUN head coach whose Matadors will be making their first postseason appearance since moving into Division I in 1991. ``This is big. It's good for our program. It's good for the community. We promised our recruits that we were going to get to this point, and we did. It almost brings tears to my eyes.''

It's not surprising CSUN (14-4-2) qualified. It played a tough schedule against six nationally ranked opponents, including Loyola Marymount (14-3-2) which ended in a 1-1 tie.

But the Matadors were considered a bubble team because last season, the selection committee didn't take a representative from the Big West Conference. The Big West is one of the few conferences in which the conference winner is not granted an automatic bid.

This year, the voters took two. UC Santa Barbara also qualified and opens up against San Diego after winning its second consecutive conference title.

Davila hopes West Coast soccer is finally getting the respect it deserves from a selection committee that some believe is biased toward East Coast teams.

``We have a great shot. We can play with anyone in the nation,'' Davila said. ``I know it's a cliche, but we're going to take it one game at a time.

If CSUN advances, it will play UCLA on Nov. 27 in a second-round game at Frank Marshall Field.

After clinching its first-ever Pacific-10 Conference title, the Bruins (13-3-3) received an automatic bid and third seed - its highest since 1995.

The tradition-rich Bruins are making their 20th consecutive postseason appearance, and UCLA coach Tom Fitzgerald is as optimistic as ever. ``We were pretty confident that we'd get in, but you never know what the committee is thinking,'' Fitzgerald said.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo:

CSUN soccer players erupt after finding out they made the NCAA Division I tournament.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer