2024 Cal State LA Women's Soccer - Season Summary

LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's women's soccer team continued its impressive run of success and overcame several obstacles during a challenging 2024 season.

The Golden Eagles were masterful once again defensively and were one of the top teams in the conference despite dealing with injuries to several key players. Cal State LA reached the California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament for the 11th straight season and the 15th time overall. The Golden Eagles, as the third-place finisher in the conference regular-season, hosted a first-round game in University Stadium to end their season.

Cal State LA was poised for a third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and was ranked seventh in the final West Region poll, only to see a team ranked below the top seven earn an automatic bid for capturing a conference tournament title, essentially bumping the Golden Eagles from the tournament field.

The 2024 season was an admirable follow-up to Cal State LA's record-setting 2023 season when the Golden Eagles set a program record with a 15-game unbeaten streak, went unbeaten through an entire CCAA regular season (5-0-6) and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for just the fourth time in program history.

Cal State LA didn't quite match the accomplishments of the record-breaking 2023 season, although the Golden Eagles did achieve nine wins for the second straight season in 2024 and was a top threat in the West Region once again as well.

Goalkeeper Taesja Paopao had another spectacular season and became the first goalie to earn CCAA Goalkeeper of the Year honors for a second straight season. Paopao also earned first-team All-Region honors for a second straight season from the United Soccer Coaches and D2 Conference Commissioners Association. She recorded nine more shutouts to give her 21 in her two-year Cal State LA career, which is No. 2 all-time with Reyna Coca, eight behind program record-holder Adriana Maldonado.

Paopao did set new career marks for goals against average (0.54) and save percentage (.877).

She was one of two Golden Eagles to earn All-Region honors as senior midfielder Jassmin Ortiz picked up second-team honors from the United Soccer Coaches.

Paopao and Ortiz were among seven Golden Eagles to earn All-CCAA honors after both received first-team recognition. They were joined by second-team selections Shelby Melin and Jaclyn Orozco and honorable mention awardees Delia Bocanegra, Destiny Moedano and Liliana Gonzalez.

The Golden Eagles relied on one of the stingiest defenses in the nation once again. Cal State LA was second in the conference in goals against average and 20th in the nation. Cal State LA allowed one or fewer goals in 16 of its 18 games, including its final seven contests. The Golden Eagles were also No. 1 in the CCAA in save percentage and No. 11 n the country.

The Golden Eagles had another successful non-conference schedule that included ties against tournament qualifiers Point Loma and Hawaii-Hilo and wins over Westmont and Vanguard.

Cal State LA opened conference play impressively with road wins at Chico State and Stanislaus State and moved to 3-0 after a home win over Sonoma State. That streak ended with a disappointing 1-0 loss to Cal Poly Humboldt that was especially costly for a key injury to Bocanegra, who was Cal State LA's leading scorer. She exited the game in the final five minutes and missed the next seven contests before returning for the CCAA Tournament game against Cal State Monterey Bay. The loss to Cal Poly Humboldt started an 0-3-1 stretch before the Golden Eagles bounced back with consecutive wins over Cal State San Marcos, San :Francisco State and Cal State :Monterey Bay that lifted them into second place in the conference.

A costly 1-0 loss at Cal State Dominguez Hills on the final day of the regular season dropped the Golden Eagles into third place and denied them a first-round CCAA Tournament bye that would have come in especially handy given how many injuries they were dealing with late in the season.

As a result, the Golden Eagles hosted Cal State Monterey Bay in a first-round match in Los Angeles just three days later and saw their season come to an end in a nine-round penalty-kick shootout to the Otters after a 0-0 tie.

Cal State LA Women's Soccer
2024 Overall Record: 9-4-5. CCAA Record: 6-4-1, 19 points (3rd place)
Final National Ranking: RV
Final West Region Ranking: 7
United Soccer Coaches All-Region: Taesja Paopao (1st team), Jassmin Ortiz (2nd team)
D2 CCA All-Region: Taesja Paopao (1st team)
CCAA Goalkeeper of the Year: Taesja Paopao
All-CCAA: Taesja Paopao (1st team), Jassmin Ortiz (1st team), Shelby Melin (2nd team), Jaclyn Orozco (2nd team), Delia Bocanegra (HM), Liliana Gonzalez (HM), Destiny Moedano (HM)
CCAA Player of the Week: Taesja Paopao (Sept. 9-15, Sept. 30-Oct. 6), Destiny Moedano (Sept. 23-29), Jassmin Ortiz (Oct. 28-Nov. 3)
CSC Academic All-District: Alejandra Andalon
2024 CCAA Fall Academic Honor Roll: Alejandra Andalon, Victoria Avina, Madison Juarez, Genesis Lopez, Jacqueline Marin, Brianna Marquez, Peytyn Mize, Jaclyn Orozco, Sofia Orozco, Natalia Puccio, Carisia Raygoza, Giselle Uribe
2024-25 CCAA All-Academic: Alejandra Andalon, Presli Dillon, Madison Juarez, Jacqueline Marin, Peytyn Mize, Syra Valdez
2024-25 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award: Alejandra Andalon, Madison Juarez, Genesis Lopez, Peytyn Mize