"We were playing against a team with players who were at least 6'4'' tall," Head Coach Joaquin Wallace said. "We struggled against their pressure, but we also missed a lot of shots under the basket."

On Monday Nov. 9, the Gators traveled to University of Las Vegas-Nevada, where they lost 42-34 in their first and only exhibition game of the season. However, they managed to keep it a low-scoring game by inflicting a dominant defense.

"Defensively, we proved we could play against bigger and stronger girls," Wallace said about his team's momentum. "Our goal on offense is maintaining good ball movement, which is something we still need to work on during practice."

The Rebels led 17-13 after a slow first half, but it was all freshman Carly Cator who ignited a four-point stretch to tie the game. The freshman guard also contributed two assists and four rebounds.

"I had a lot of adrenaline going into the game," Cator, 19 said. "I knew we had the potential to win, and I'm just glad to be given the opportunity to grow from playing on a team with a great group of girls."

"They compete all day, everyday," Assistant Coach Blair Hardiek added. "They're even challenging our senior players."

Despite the Gators competitiveness, the Division I Rebels refused to lose at home. Forcing 23 turnovers by the visiting team accompanied by 13 steals, it was farewell to Sin City for the Gators.

SF State will continue on the road to nearby Belmont for a non-conference game against Notre Dame de Namur University on Tuesday Nov. 17.

But when mourning the death of an all-time great, the simple respectful action of silence can roar louder than any ovation.

Silence filled the Gator gym on Nov. 14 as SF State's wrestling community paid their final respects to All-American wrestler and SF State Alumnus Eustacio Torres, who on July 19 was shot to death in his San Diego Home. He was 41.

"I feel he's here with us," Rafaela, Eustacio's mother, said as she walked the hallways of the main gymnasium. "He loved this sport so much."

Silvia Torres-Limon, Eustacio's sister, accompanied her mother. "His spirit is here," Silvia said.

The alumni match was dedicated to Torres' memory and the legacy he left at SF State. Wrestling as a Gator between 1988-89 and 1990-92, Torres earned the title of All-American when during his senior year, he placed fourth in the 158-pound weight class at the 1992 Division II National Championships. His name is cemented in Gator record books, as he still ranks second in escapes with 187, fourth in total points with 942, fifth in takedowns with 290 and fifth in wins with 87.

"He was my teammate, I thought I had to be there," Mark Zonligt, Torres' teammate from 1991-92, said.

Zonligt, who wrestled at 118 pounds and ranks sixth in seasonal escapes for his 1992 campaign, made the two-hour drive with his family from his Modesto home to the Alumni match. "It was well worth it," he said. "It was the least I could do."

Though the alumni match was billed as a fun event, head wrestling coach Lars Jensen mentioned that it was an opportunity to pay tribute to Torres. "Honor our wrestling greats," Jensen, who recruited Torres out of Alhambra High School in Martinez, said. "That's what we're trying to do. That's the key."

"I can't lose," exclaimed Lars Jensen, head wrestling coach, before the match. "I'm an alumni and I coach these (current) guys, so I'm in a win-win situation."

Jensen did prevail, as his present crop of wrestlers "beat" the alumni team 39-10, earning seven of the 10 scheduled matches. Four of those seven wins, however, were won by forfeit due to a shortage of alumni competitors.

Advertised as a fun event, the meet commenced with lanky, 5-foot-10-inch freshman Julian Perez dominating 1992 alumnus Mark Zonligt in the 125-pound category. Perez was in total control as he outmaneuvered and outmuscled the rapidly tiring Zonligt, gaining the pin with 18 seconds left in the match.

"I was pretty nervous. I saw the guy, I was like 'Oh s---,'" Perez said. "I knew he was going to go for all or nothing. I feel like I'm getting back into it."

In the 133-pound match, All-American alumnus Donald Lockett, SF State's all-time leader in takedowns with 483, earned an 18-4 major decision over senior Jamil Smart. The battle started with Smart evading the elder Lockett's takedowns. But as the match progressed, the wily veteran began to take over capitalizing on the young wrestler's mistakes. After the first period, Lockett had a commanding 7-1 lead. By the end of the second, the cool-headed Lockett had extended his lead to 14-4. Entering the final stanza, Lockett's expression was one of total relaxation, as he notched a few more points, securing his win.

In the third match of the night, 141-pounders Ben and Ali Lockett decided to keep it in the family as they went head-to-head. Despite terrific fatigue and being the recipient of a huge slam, it was older brother Ali who escaped with a narrow 6-4 decision. Entering the third period, Ali had a 5-0 lead on Ben, but was gassing fast. Ali was in survival mode as Ben hunted for a final opportunity to end the match. Ben nearly got the finish when he slammed Ali in the final seconds, but the brutal maneuver wasn't enough to secure the win.

"This was the first time I felt I could beat him," said younger brother Ben, who refused to shake Ali's hand before the match, attempting to play mind games. "When I got that slam, I knew what the score was. I hoped to knock him unconscious ... regardless if he was my brother or not. He was kind of mad when I didn't shake his hand. I was trying to play mind games. But he stayed smart. He executed his game plan, I didn't execute mine. He's going to have that on me all year. No matter how successful I am."

"I didn't know if I was wrestling today. I was like, 'OK, this will be fun,'" Ali responded. "But it was kind of serious. The last seconds of the match, (Ben) slammed me really hard. I was knocked out for a bit. I remembered I was on the floor. And I was happy it wasn't a tie, because I didn't want the match to go into overtime. I was really tired."

The next 149-pound bout featured alumnus Joaquin Carlos notching his typical nothing-fancy-style 7-4 decision win over Kyle Cooper. A senior wrestler last season, Carlos for the most part controlled Cooper, racking up points bit-by-bit. The win didn't come easily, however, as the tiring Carlos had blood smeared on his face for much of the third round.

"I took a shot, my whole face ran into his knee. It happens," Carlos said. "I'm a bleeder. "I did pretty much the same thing. Get the first couple of points and ride him out. Just in case I got tired -- and I did."

The next match featured 157-pound freshman Isaiah Jimenez pinning Eric Fitzpatrick in the opening chapter of the match. Jimenez sidelined his nerves and achieved two takedowns before earning the pin.

"I had the first-match-of-the-season jitters," Jimenez said. "When I felt I had that arm bar ... I clamped it."

In a defensive battle, 174-pound junior Markham Bertron earned a narrow 4-3 decision over last year Gator and national qualifier Marques Gales.

The final match of the night was solely for kicks, as heavyweight All-American Steve Franklin and Vince Bordi continuously exchanged takedowns, reversals and escapes. Both participants were the recipients of forfeits, and thus decided to wrestle each other. Franklin got the nod, 20-17.

The two Zachs on the team -- 184-pound Zach Jimenez and 165-pound Zach Sesar -- both won their matches by forfeit, as they had no alumni to wrestle.

"This was kind of a dress rehearsal," Jensen said. "Just a fun event. We get to raise money, tell stories and jokes."

The Gators return to the mat on Nov. 21 when they compete at the Cal State Fullerton open.

[X]: How did you get the invitation to go to Thailand?
H: You're supposed to fight qualifying fights to get to Thailand, but the head coach saw my last fight and called me and said, "Your last fight impressed the hell out of me." So I had my sponsor help me out and got some fundraisers.

But I ended up giving back some of the money because I didn't want to keep money that is going to the fight. I got a good amount of donations from the family.

[X]: What is happening over in Thailand?
H: It's The Kings Cup tournament -- where you fight people from all over the world; Japan, Germany and other places. It's for the Olympics. Whatever country wins, you will get a gold medal for the country. I got asked to go next year, so it's OK.

[X]: So you are still going to Thailand?
H: I leave on the 22nd. I have a lot of support coming with me, we're all just gonna go and explore Thailand and maybe watch some fights. I'm not going to be able to go anymore to the actual event, because it would be too hard to go and not fight.

[X]: What will you be doing there?
H: Touristy things with my family and friends. We're going to go check out the temples and go to Bangkok and an island and kind of relax. We're also going to go to Limpini, the most well-known stadium for muay thai.

[X]: When did you get the fracture?
H: I fractured my knuckle. My coach said I could fight, but it's not worth it because I'm not getting paid for it and if I were to land a punch in the same spot, I would risk breaking my hand. Plus, I'm leaving to study abroad in France three weeks after, and it's just not worth it to break my hand. It's a hard decision, because as athletes, you always get injured. I've always been stubborn and this time I didn't want to be.

[X]: How did it happen?
H: When I was training for the MMA (mixed martial arts) fight at Kezar, I was training with the little gloves and punching a lot of stuff -- hitting as hard as I could with the pads. And during training they said to find the knuckle -- so I found it and I broke it. I think it was before my last fight, so I fought with it before and it hurt during the last fight, but I went to my legs toward the end of the fight. So, I don't know exactly when I fractured it. I could fight, but it's training that's going to mess me up.

[X]: What was your reaction when you broke your hand?
H: There was a million things, because I was only taking a couple hundred to a thousand calories in and working out hard, so when I found out I said, "Well, I can eat now," but it just really sucks. I cried about it. I was being a baby for a while. I could have done it and I could have fought but it's not worth risking it.

[X]: What have you been doing to rehabilitate it?
H: Ice and warm compress, on and off. I was wrapping it with a splint, but I haven't done that for a while. I've had so many injuries, so it's just like, "Ah, whatever."

[X]: Are you still training now?
H: I have seven other weapons that I can use, but I decided to steer my focus toward school. All I've been doing is getting my schoolwork down, so when I come back from Thailand, I wont have to worry about going to France.

[X]: When is your next presumed fight?
H: My boyfriend is going to France with me, so we are going to find a gym to join. If we find a good gym in France, we are thinking of fighting in France as long as we have each other there in the corner.

Throughout the historic 70 years of men's soccer at SF State, the Gators have had quite the number of ups and downs -- from discouraging back to back one-win seasons in 1959 and 1960 to winning four conference championships in 1967, 68, 72 and 78. Here's a look at some great players who have taken the field donning the purple and gold, some significant moments in Gator history and possible future stars in the making.

Top 5: Gnawing Gators

Paul and Peter Mangini:
Before the NFL had the Manning brothers, SF State had the Mangini twins. The Mangini brothers played from 1979-82, starring in 73 games each. They led their 1980 team to a school record 124 points in a single season. Paul Mangini holds the school career record for goals with 35, has 14 career assists ranking third all-time and has the career record for points with 84. Peter Mangini tallied 30 career goals, 16 assists and 75 career points ranking second in all three categories in Gator history.

Dylan Glass:
Before Dylan Glass made his tearful farewell this season, the senior left his mark. Joining the Gators in 2006, Glass has recorded six goals, eight assists and 20 points this season. The forward has been as smooth as glass his entire career --- his 62 points and 24 goals rank third all-time in the respected categories and his 14 assists place him third on the all-time list.

Billy Papadopoulos:
Papadopoulos played for the Gators from 1986-89 and ranks first for the best last name in school history. Papadopoulos played in 66 career games amassing 52 career points and 23 career goals, ranking fourth all-time in both categories. In his 1989 season, he had 11 goals ranking sixth for a single-season and 25 points ranking eighth for a single-season.

Ricardo Rasner:
Ricardo Rasner, the Gator's man between the pipes from 1992-93, managed 15 wins and 14 shutouts. Rasner only posted a record of 15-17-6, but he set a school record with 200 saves in his 1993 season and notched 382 career saves.

Honorable Mention:

This season, senior Wes Whitt was most notable for his intimidating style of defense and tremendous free-kick ability. The captain played every position except goalkeeper for the Gators and finished fourth on the all-time assist list.

The 1978 FWC champions and NCAA II western regional finalist team was led by Tom Harvey, who scored 26 points and 11 goals. He was thus backed up by goalkeeper Scott Ludwig, who recorded seven wins during that memorable season.

During the Gators' 1968 FWC title campaign, All-American candidate Otto Bos made great defensive strides in helping his team reach the top of their division.

Andreas Wolf, the Gators' keeper from 1981-84, had 6.5 shutouts, 8 wins and set a school record with only 17 goals allowed during his 1982 season.

Future Greats?

With a talented young roster, the future could be as prestigious as the past; here is a look at a few Gators with the potential to make this list.

Edgar Villagrana, freshman, Pittsburgh, Calif. Villagrana tallied two game winning goals, totaled six goals tied for the team lead and finished tied for third on the team with 12 points. Two of his six goals were game-winning, the last of which came in the Gators' 2-1 overtime win against Cal State Monterey Bay, which also broke a Gator five-game losing streak.

Arnol Arceta, sophomore, Bay Point, Calif. Arceta also scored six goals for the Gators, and finished second on the team with 13 points.

Mike McNeil, freshman, Oakdale, Calif. This young keeper, touted earlier in the season as a top fantasy prospect, played in 10 games, posting a record of 4-4-1. McNeil also went on to mark three shutouts and 50 saves this season.

Significant moments revisited: historical accounts from SF State's previous publications.

In 1967, approximately 28 years after the founding of the men's soccer program, the Gators had their first Far Western Conference title. In 1968, the Gators repeated the feat, capturing their second conference title.

Phoenix, Oct. 24, 1968: Art Bridgman, men's soccer head coach since 1950, partially credits his team's success to San Francisco's nightlife.

"In fact, these country boys (from Davis, Arcata and Chico) are so tired from the night before the game that SF State can usually defeat the opposition very handily."

In the same issue, Bridgman addressed a problem that still nags today --- no fan support. Bridgman confides that his team has all the ingredients to form a championship team, with one glaring exception -- fans. "It is difficult for the players to be up for a contest when there is no support ... The players need support from the sidelines."

Phoenix, Nov. 21, 1968: The Gators clinched their second consecutive FWC title by defeating UC Davis 3-1. The squad was built mainly of international players, with only one member from the United States.

Phoenix, Jan. 16, 1969: After clinching the FWC title, the Gators fell 9-0 in the NCAA regional playoffs to the then number-one ranked San Jose State Spartans.

Phoenix, Sept. 16, 1976: "When SF State soccer coach Art Bridgman returned from summer vacation, he expected to greet more than a dozen returning lettermen and field a team with a real shot of winning a Far Western Conference championship this Fall. What he got instead was two returning lettermen, one of whom has since quit, and a team that is almost as young as most high school squads."

The Gators got smoked 13-0 in their preseason opener against San Jose state and didn't win a game all season.

Phoenix, Sept. 29, 1977: Art Bridgman, coach for the last 26 years, stepped down due to health problems and a heavy class load. The man who took charge of the Gators was Luis Sagastume, who ushered in his own successful era. In 1977, Sagastume took his team to western regionals, where they lost. By 1978, Sagastume completely reversed his team's losing ways, taking the squad to the FWC title.

Zenger's/Golden Gater, Oct. 30, 1978: "This team has always had an inferiority complex because no one had ever played on a championship team before. Now we know we can play with anybody. A lot of it, of course, has to do with winning -- but a lot has to do with Louie," Toby Rappolt said, then soccer player, acknowledging Sagastume's presence.

"He's great. Lou has a lot of experience; he's been playing soccer all his life. He gives everyone a chance to play -- and that makes us feel good," Mike Graham, then soccer player, said after their 3-0 win over Hayward.

Zenger's/Golden Gater, Nov. 14, 1978: After the Gator's 2-1 overtime win against Chico in the NCAA Div. II Western Regional playoffs, Rappolt had this to say about their next opponent, Seattle-Pacific: "Seattle-Pacific has a lot of big defenders. But I don't care who they have -- they could have Pelé -- because we'll kill 'em."

Seattle-Pacific didn't have the great Brazilian soccer specialist, but they still upended SF State 2-1 in the NCAA Western Regional final.

After his two terrific seasons at SF State, Sagastume was lured into a soccer coaching position at the Air Force Academy, where he accumulated a record of 303-196-43 after 28 years. Upon leaving SF State, Jack Hyde took the reigns of the soccer program in 1979.

Marking his 30th anniversary at SF State this year, Hyde is now solely in charge of the women's team. Up until 1994, Hyde skippered both men's and women's teams, not without complications, however, as demonstrated in this next clip from 1987.

Golden Gater, Oct. 15, 1987: Soccer coach Jack Hyde suspended second leading goal scorer Nick Psiol, who quit the team after the suspension. The suspension came when Psiol smiled during a "chalk-talk" where Hyde wrote on a chalk board the conference records of all the teams, which was a combined 0-0. Hyde's intention was to show that his squad still had a shot at the title.

"I thought it was funny. I smiled and Jack didn't like that," Psiol said of the chalk-talk. "He coaches you like you're a bunch of kids."

"Nick had a few problems being a team player," Hyde said in 1987. "It was a combination of disruptiveness during practice and an inability to put the team before self."

In early 2009, Sagastume was honored for his terrific work as head coach from 1977-78 and was thus elected into SF State's Athletic Hall of Fame.

Golden Gate [X]press, Feb. 26, 2009: "To remember the success I had in the two years I coached here, and the players that I got, and the lives that I touched, it's just an incredible career," Luis Sagastume said.

"Our intention wasn't to play soccer. But then from God, came this guy. He dropped out of the sky. For two years, we won the lottery. We had no idea that in terms of playing, this was going to be the greatest moment of our lives," Toby commented on his former coach being inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Winning fourth place doesn't mean anything to Head Women's Basketball Coach Joaquin Wallace. Rather, his attention is focused more on the quality of his team's performance.

"We came out feeling good; the nerves were out and we felt confident we could win," Wallace said. "Our chemistry kept us playing hard and allowed us to stay together."

"Fort Lewis is a very good and experienced team, but we really suffered from all our missed shots," Wallace said, who's in his fifth year as head coach. "On our part, however, we still put up points compared to the number eight team."

Day two of the tournament was a complete turnaround for the Gators. Senior Donisha Tate recorded 16 points and a 20 rebounds, leading her team to a 62-59 win over Southern Indiana.

"She is the go-to person on this team," Wallace said. "'D' is our security blanket and a warrior on the glass. All the girls really look up to her as a leader."

"This tournament was a learning experience playing with different players, but i have to say our momentum was a lot stronger," Tate said. "We definitely conquered the challenge of reinstating the basics; and it showed on the court."

For the freshman, this was their first-time experiencing an on-the-road game. However, traveling and adjusting to a new atmosphere didn't seem to intimidate the newcomers.

"They transitioned very well from a hostile environment to a neutral site and I was extremely pleased on their performance," Wallace said. "Compared to the incumbent players, every freshman played really poised like they belonged on the team; they were phenomenal."

Despite delivering an exceptional performance, the Gators lost 67-75 to Western Oregon, placing them in fourth place overall.

The traveling continues when SF State visits the Las Vegas Rebels at the University of Nevada in an exhibition game Monday Nov 9.

In a full-house match Friday Nov. 6 between the nation's second-ranked UC San Diego Tritons, the SF State Gators were pumped and adrenaline-ready to compete. The Gators proudly snatched UC San Diego's 16-match winning streak after an intense four sets (25-19, 16-25, 25-15, 30-28).

"I've known from the beginning what my girls are capable of achieving and tonight their game gave me the chills," Head Coach Michelle Patton said. "They were playing naturally and as a team, they played their all-time best."

But after such a resounding victory Friday night, the Gator celebration didn't last long.
SF State fell short in a fifth-set loss against Cal State East Bay (25-20, 17-25, 23-25, 25-23, 16-14) Saturday evening Nov. 7 where they hosted their last home game of the season.

Despite the immediate loss, the Gators still impressed with their big win the night before.

"Especially with a tough crowd like this one, it makes it harder for us to play," Patton said after the UCSD win.

"We had it set in our minds to play focused and compete well," Mackenzie Pike, junior, said. "We were determined to get it from the beginning, and we did."

Leading 17-8 and finishing with 25-19 in the first set, the Gators played with no shame. But after an error-filled second set, the Gators suffered an embarrassing 16-25 loss.

"It was all of our mistakes that brought us down," Jackie Domescus, junior, said. "After that set, we knew exactly what went wrong and corrected our mistakes to win the third set."

Freshman Lauren Walsh recorded a season high after smashing an outstanding 20 kills, while veteran Beth Perkins finished with 21. Picking up her 19th double-double for the year was freshman Iris Tolenada, who notched a stunning 46 assists and 12 digs. And if that isn't enough, the Gators outdid the Tritons 11 to three in team blocks.

Communication determined the outcome of the third set for the purple and gold as they capped a 25-15 win. But no one expected what was about to happen in the fourth set.
With 18 tied scores and 11 lead changes, it was a brawl between the two teams. After an epic back-to-back block to tie the score 12-12, the Gators were back in the game.

"I was shaking," Pike said. "I was telling myself to relax, just stay focused."

The score remained neck-and-neck the remainder of the fourth set. But after a Tolenada's assist to Perkins, it was time for the Tritons to head home.

"This was a validation win for us. It means to come in, put in work and stick with the right mentality," Patton said. "This has been their best game so far."

Though SF State underperformed against CSUEB, a 9-20 team whom the Gators mopped last month 3-2, they will be given a final shot at improving their overall 19-9 season record when they finish off their season down south against Cal State San Bernardino on Nov. 13 and Cal Poly Pomona on Nov. 14.

The Gators faced top teams from all over the western United States, some traveling as far from Alaska and Hawaii to compete in the race.

The men's squad finished in 11 out of 20 with 314 points in their 10K race.
The women's team kept their results pretty consistent to where they have been all year, finishing 13 out of a possible 24 teams scoring 339 points in their 6K race.

On the men's side, the Gators had strong performances from freshman Brian Trejo, and juniors Ryan Raya and Kyle Fujitsubo, all finishing within a minute of each other in a tight pack. Trejo, Raya and Fujitsubo also placed 48, 49 and 51 out of 131 runners, respectively.

"I think we did well," Trejo, who finished with a time of 33:40.2, said. "It shows we have a lot of potential for next year and I wouldn't be surprised if we finished out in the top 10 in the region for next year."

"We finished where we expected to," Fujitsubo, who finished with a time of 33.51, said. "Brian and Ryan ran great races. I felt slow but we all put it together."

Raya finished second for the Gators, recording a time of 33:40.4. "I felt great -- very strong," Raya said. "The course had fast down hills which made you work even harder for the up hills."

Head Cross Country Coach Tom Lyons was satisfied with the men's performance. "We finished about where we were hoping to finish," he said. "Brian, Kyle and Ryan kept it together and had good days. I was pleased with where the remaining guys finished as well."

The women's top runners were Brittany Garrett and Tanya Ferreira. Garrett finished 34 out of 161 runners with a time of 22:48.6, while Ferreira finished 41 clocking a time of 22:57.6.

"Brittany had the best race she has had at SF State," Pete Cushman, assistant coach, said. "Tanya did it again and was very consistent."

"I felt I did ready good and better than the last race I had here," Garrett, senior, said. "The team did well and it was a beautiful day to run."

Lyons expressed his pride for his senior runner Garrett.

"Brittany finished off her season/career with a fantastic race," he said.

Behind Garrett was Ferreira, the Lady Gator's iron horse for the 2009 season. "I felt OK, I was sick last week so it was a gamble to see how today was going to play out," Ferreira said.

From here, the cross country teams practice for two more weeks. Those who will participate in track and field, will take a week off and then come back to prepare for the track and field season.

Top team honors went to Chico State in the men's competition and Alaska Anchorage took first in the women's race.

Lisbet Sunshine -- a 45-year-old mother of three and SF State's head of government relations -- qualified for her fifth Olympic trial last year.

And when most are still asleep, Sunshine rises by 5 a.m. for her daily workouts.

"Most mornings, I get it all done before I come to work," Sunshine said.

When her workouts are complete, she dashes to SF State by 7 a.m., where she works with elected officials from the state, local and federal governments to secure grants for the University. Sunshine recently secured $750,000 from the federal government for SF State's school of nursing -- all done without breaking a sweat.

"The job entails that I secure more financial aid and instill direct policy to help students complete college," Sunshine said.

A Yale University alumna and English major, Sunshine was not always a successful marathon runner.

"I didn't run in college," Sunshine said. "The only sports I took part in were rugby and sailing because they involved drinking beer."

Sunshine got involved in the sport of marathon running post-college, roughly 20 years ago. Her journey brought her to Boston, Mass., in 2008, where Sunshine qualified for her fifth Olympic trial. She placed 78th out of 161 runners, notching a time of 2:47:57.

"I wanted to start exercising and be able to eat as much as I could," she said. "I entered a local race 20 years ago and realized the longer the distance, the better I was."

Today, Sunshine is a member of the San Francisco Impala Racing Team. The team consists of eighty post-collegiate women between the ages of 22-75 and competes on a regular basis.

"I have been involved with the Impalas for 20 years. It keeps me motivated," Sunshine said.

The Impalas meet twice weekly for team workouts and track training that are geared to prepare the runners toward competing in a variety of distances.

"It's pretty amazing at how she can juggle so much," Pete Cushman, assistant coach to the Impalas, said. "She is a good runner because of her consistency, durability, work ethic and talent. She has an abundance of all her qualities and her achievements are remarkable."

Cushman also serves as the assistant coach for the SF State men's and women's cross country teams.

"She's inspirational in terms of her racing ability and she's incredibly competitive," Karen Ribble, president of the Impalas, said. "She's really contributed a lot to the team."

The contribution Ribble speaks of comes on and off the pavement. Having spent over 20 years on the Impalas, Sunshine has spent countless hours with her teammates, which have lead to her establishing close friendships. These friendships somehow or another always make their way back to running.

Awaking at 5:40 a.m. every Monday, both Sunshine and Ribble, along with other teammates, meet at the corner of Pacific Avenue and Arguello Boulevard for an hour-long run.

"There's really no one else in your life that you spend an uninterrupted hour with," Ribble said, who is in ninth year on the Impalas. "Rain or shine, we've been running like this for about five or six years."

Through her 20-plus years of running competitively, Sunshine has competed in 18 marathons throughout her lifetime.

"She is very dedicated and has an incredible capacity to juggle her work, life and running," said Sunshine's husband of 12 years, Stuart. The couple met at City Hall where Stuart worked for San Francisco Mayor Frank Jordan and Lisbet worked for a city supervisor Bill Maher. "She is the most dedicated, strongest person I have ever come across. She is an incredible mother, friend and athlete."

When Sunshine doesn't have a phone glued to her ear or isn't qualifying for the Olympics, she spends the free time she has with her three children, Eric, Lulu and Mats, her husband Stuart and her dog Cosmo. But for this busy lady, time -- just like on the track -- is not something she has an abundance of.

"Between my work, with being on the phone and e-mail all day, there are a lot of balls in the air," she said. "The morning runs allow me to clear my head and get in some good thinking time."

With the busy schedule however, Sunshine still gets a few moments every now and then to tinker with the cooler things in life.

"I just got an iPhone," she said. "So learning all the fun things it does is taking up some of my time."

On Oct. 30, the visiting Wildcats held the Gators to a scoreless double overtime draw, forcing the Gators to come up with a win on Nov. 1 and hope for a Chico loss or draw. Unfortunately, the opposite ensued, with Chico winning in overtime against CSU Monterey Bay and the Gators falling in the closing minutes of regulation to Cal State Stanislaus.

"It was disappointing," said women's soccer Head Coach Jack Hyde of Sunday's 1-0 loss. "We played well, but couldn't put one in."

Friday's match against Chico was riddled with intensity as both teams fought for the top spot in the CCAA North.

Both teams had chances to pull ahead but unyielding defense kept the score sheet clean throughout the match. The Gators' closest chance came early in the second half, when freshman and top goal scorer Katie Voss rattled the goal from 20 yards out with a shot off the left post. In the final 30 seconds of the match, Gators freshman keeper Annicia Jones made a tremendous save, keeping Sadi' Stouder's shot from curling into the top right corner of the goal.

"I don't think I've ever had my adrenaline rushing that much," said junior and co-captain Carly Bliss. "It was so intense."

The SF State women's soccer team ended its 2009 season without the results needed to keep their postseason hopes alive. Despite the disappointing weekend, the Gators looked back on the last two months with positivity and satisfaction.

On Sunday, the Gators needed the results of both their match and Chico's match to tilt in their favor. With news of Chico's overtime win reaching the Gators' sideline shortly before kickoff, the focus shifted to the departing senior trio who would take the field in SF State jerseys for the last time. Alex Emanuel, Zoila Marquez, and Rachel Lauderdale were honored in a pre-match ceremony, along with the seniors on the opposing team.

Sunday's loss ended up not being the determining factor in the Gator's quest for postseason glory, and afterward, the team was thankful to have ended the season so close to the top of the table, tied for second place with Sonoma State.

"After September, I don't think anyone was expecting us to be in a situation where the last two games could've put us in first place," sophomore defender Tamerra Griffin said.

In September, the Gators went on a five game losing streak that extended into the first week of October before they completely turned their season around. A draw against Chico in October was the beginning of what seemed like a whole new team dynamic. The Gators went on to win five games straight, putting them in title contention.

"We're fortunate to have even been in (the title race)," Hyde said.

The Gators now move on to winter and spring training in hopes of coming back even stronger next year. "We're only losing three players," Hyde added.

Despite being unable to repeat last season's feat of capturing the CCAA North title, returning members are still holding their heads up.

"This isn't the end," Griffin said.

The new-look Gators went 2-1 in their three games Halloween weekend, and were crowned co-champions next to the Magic Kingdom.

"All the teams we played were solid. I think what these two wins does is give us some feel of confidence," Bill Treseler, head coach, said. "We know we still have a long way to go to get where we want to be."

Junior guard Phoenix O'Rourke was named to the All-Tournament Team, averaging about 11 points and five rebounds per game.

"It gives me a little confidence, but that's not our main focus," O'Rourke said. "I won't feel satisfied until we win league here."

SF State's two victories were keyed by their defense, holding eight-time Division II national champions Kentucky Wesleyan to 53 points in their first win, while allowing their second opponent's offense, Grand Canyon, to score a meager 58 points.

"Defensively, playing hard all the time and not letting them penetrate were our main focus," O'Rourke said.

As with the their victories, the Gators' defense, or lack thereof, was their downfall in their last game of the tournament against Western Washington. SF State was out-rebounded 40-29, and were stifled offensively, only mustering 52 points in the loss.

Junior guard Marquel Hoskins, who led the Gators in scoring against Western Washington with 13 points, cited a lack of offensive consistency as one of the key factors in the defeat.

"Offensively we weren't hitting our shots," Hoskins said. "They played a different style of defense than the other teams we played."

The other champions of the tournament were the two teams the Gators defeated in their two victories, Western Washington and Kentucky Wesleyan. The two squads mirrored SF State with a 2-1 record.

SF State will look to continue preserve its winning record when it treks to Colorado Nov. 20 and 21 to play in the Adams State Bankers Classic basketball tournament.

But the search for the final "W" of the season failed, as the Gators lost and tied a game a piece in their final weekend of play at home. The Gators ended their season on Oct. 30, first losing 4-1 to the Chico State Wildcats and then ending tied with Cal State Stanislaus 1-1 on Nov. 1.

"Two evenly matched teams fighting for pride and that's what you get, a tie," Wes Whitt, senior, said about the second match.

In hosting Chico in their first game, neither team scored in the first half. The Wildcats, howeve,r broke the tie in the 56th minute, when Zach Bradford connected on goal off a pass from Ryan Nevarez. Chico doubled their lead just minutes later, when Evan Armstrong scored off a pass from Kyle Crain.

Mounting some momentum, the Gators struck back a minute later, when Dylan Glass found Josh Kuluris for the header.

But the Wildcats squashed any comeback attempt when Chris Akwaja slipped past the defense and kicked in their third goal. Armstrong headed in his second score of the game for the fourth and final goal, giving the Wildcats the 4-1 victory.

The Gators played most of the game with a 10-9 player disadvantage due to penalty calls. The first call against the Gators came first half, when Edgar Villagrana jumped up to try and gain control possession for SF State. Villagrana knocked over Chico State's Luis Martinez, and was promptly given a red card.

The second call came in 66th minute when Jonathan Sanz picked up his second yellow card, when he apparently tripped over the goalkeeper and both players were given yellow cards.

"We got screwed," Head Coach Joe Hunter said after the game.

In their final game against Cal State Stanislaus, the Gators scored first when, in the 29th minute, Charles Conway found senior Robert Maeda for his first goal of the season from three yards away.

But just seven minutes later, CSUS tied the game at one when Victor Regaldo knocked in a rebound in front of the goal past goalkeeper Mike McNeil.

The game remained tied and the Gators headed for their eighth overtime game of the season.

In the overtime period, the Gators had a chance for the winning goal when Spencer Schwandt tried to cross a ball in front of the Warriors' goal. The pass hit a defender and ricocheted towards the goal but hit the post, ending the game in a draw.

"We had the chance to win at the end," Hunter said. "We would have liked to have won but it didn't happen."

"I thought we could have pulled out the win," McNeil said. "But a draw is better than a loss."

The Gators finish the season with a record of 3-9-4 in CCAA play, and 6-10-4 overall.

Senior Day:

The Gators had six seniors who played their emotional last game on Nov. 1 against Cal State Stanislaus.

Wes Whitt, Gabriel Chavez, Silvestre Arias, Dylan Glass, Robert Maeda and Spencer Schwandt are the six Gators whom the younger players had to say goodbye to. Many embraced and exchanged handshakes after the game.

"These guys started this thing four years ago, and got this program back to respectability," said Head Coach Joe Hunter. "We're going to miss them."

"It hasn't really hit me yet, next week I'll be wondering why I am not practicing," Whitt said. "This has been the best four years of my life, and it has helped me mature as a person."

In competing at the CCAA Championships in McKinleyville, CA on Oct. 24, both the men's and women's squads failed to collectively finish in the top five in their respected races but had individual bright spots for the SF State Cross Country program.

On the women's side, Tanya Ferreira continued her very impressive 2009 season finishing 21st out of 100 runners with a time of 23:48.9 in her 6K race.

"Tanya had a great race, highest finish in the last five years at SF State and 20 seconds back from all conference. We were lucky to have her leading the way," Pete Cushman, assistant coach, said. "She ran strong and patient on a course that was not easy."

The lady Gators finished 7th out of 11 teams earning 162 points.

"The course had a lot of wet grass and hills which made it difficult but fun," Ferreira said. "I felt strong and fast during the race so I was happy. Hopefully we can be 10th in the region for the next race and we are closing in on Humboldt."

The women's squad finished 16 points behind Humboldt State, a team the Gators have in their crosshairs for the NCAA DII West Regional's, which will be hosted in San Francisco.

Despite finishing 6th out of 7 teams, individuals from the men's squad stood out. The men's 8k race brought excitement to their future with freshman Brian Trejo individually finishing first for the Gators in back-to-back meets. Trejo finished 25th out of a total 68 runners with a time of 26:41.9.

"Brian has been extremely consistent for a freshman and has turned out to be more that we could ask for," Cushman said.

Trejo has had a very successful year for the Gators making the transition from High School running to the longer distance at the collegiate level.

"Brian ran really well again, I thought I had a better race in me and as a team we didn't do as well as we had hoped," team captain Kyle Fujitsubo said.

Finishing behind Trejo was Fujitsubo who clocked a time of 26:49.9.

"Kyle has been Mr. Constancy," Cushman said. "He handled the hills well and ran a good race. Kyle and Brian I would say are the most disciplined runners I have seen coaching here at San Francisco State."

Both men's and woman's squads have two weeks rest until the NCAA DII West Regional's at Speedway Meadow in Golden Gate Park on Nov. 7 at 9 a.m.

"I think we will do much better at regionals, we know the course and this last week we got a gauge who we need to run with," Fujitsubo said.

"I'm really sad. I love everyone and it's going to be weird to me, because I've been a volleyball player my whole life," said Perkins, 21, who will be graduating in less than three months. "It's bittersweet. For the next captain, I would just tell her to have fun while it lasts and live it up."

But as one great athlete leaves the team, another must carry the torch and responsibility of leader. One player who may succeed Perkins next season is freshman defensive standout Iris Tolenada.

"I think my performance will lead me to the captain position because setters have to be a leader on and off the court," said Tolenada, 18. "I want to be a better teammate by pushing someone else in the gym so they get better also; I want to see people at their full potential."

With key players such as Perkins and Tolenada, it's no miracle the Gator Women's Volleyball Team is ranked eighth in the region.

Barely two years old, SF State's volleyball team has fought its way to a solid position in the NCAA west. Though Tolenada and Perkins aren't the team's only tough players, they have stood out this season. Perkins thus far has notched a team-high 361 kills while also being named the CCAA's athlete of the week for Sept. 14-20. Tolenada has also left her mark on the defensive side of the net, recording 270 digs, currently the second highest on the team.

"Iris and Beth keep the game at a high level which allows them to play 100 percent," head coach Michelle Patton said.

As the lone senior and captain on the team, Perkins has had to play the leadership role in helping bring the team to a victorious season. Thus far, she has led her teammates to a 17-7 record, eclipsing last season's 13 total wins. She was last season's captain as well.

"Beth has been one of the most persistent players -- outside hitter is the go-to position and everyone knows when she's getting the ball," Patton said. "It's her last shot, she's the only senior and she wants to end on a high note."

Born into a family of coaches, Perkins has always been focused on the game.

"She was always an intense little kid," Teresa Perkins, Beth's mother, said. "We had to slow her down. She's crazy steady -- kind of machinist, and she comes to play every time."

For some, Perkins' title of captain comes as no surprise, as she has already earned her bachelor's degree in liberal studies while keeping her team focused.

"She handles stress really well," Teresa said. "When times get tough and difficult, she seems to be able to balance it and can handle it."

As for Tolenada succeeding Perkins as captain, nothing is set in stone, but her dedication to helping her teammates and her strong will may ultimately help her reach her goals.

"She doesn't give up for anything. Nothing is 'no' to her," Janet Tolenada, Iris' mother, said. "When the team is losing, that's when she plays harder."

Tolenada's attitude, along with her role as the team's setter, may propel her to the lofty status of captain.

"Setters are usually natural leaders for the most part," Patton said. "The ability to handle pressure and be responsible is what I'm looking for in a captain."

These two women have shown true dedication in their academics and with their team.

Staying focused and driven plus being able to handle pressure from all angles is the equation for being a great athlete and a leader. That is something that both the senior and freshman embody.

"One of those things that is great about Iris and Beth is that they have that high volleyball IQ," Patton said.

The Gators haven't had the best luck over their recent five-game losing streak; four of their five losses either came in overtime or in the last 10 minutes of the game. But this overtime was different.

In the 97th minute of play, Edgar Villagrana received a pass from Spencer Schwandt, he then slipped past a defender, and fired a shot from 18 yards out past the goalkeeper, Brenden Baca. The dog pile then ensued with the Gators bench sprinting onto the field to smother Villagrana in celebration of the 2-1 win.

"I got a good pass from Spencer, I had a chance to shoot it and it just went in," Villagrana said.

The goal was Villagrana's sixth of the season, and his second game-winning goal of the season.

The Gators took an early lead in the 27th minute of play when Sasha Chalak's header found the net, off a corner kick from Schwandt. The lead lasted until the 65th minute of play, when Beau Villanueva scored the equalizer to tie the game at 1.

In the overtime period, Gators goalkeeper Thomas Comer came up with two big saves, which allowed Villagrana to score the game-winner.

"It's a good feeling, we worked hard all week," Comer said. "It's a team effort; you have to trust the guys on the field."

The win improves the Gators' record to 3-8-3 in conference play, and 6-9-3 overall. Though the Gators are last in the CCAA north with two games left, head coach Joe Hunter was pleased with results.

"Glad we were able to get the monkey off our back. We kept plugging away," coach Joe Hunter said. "We deserve this win."

The Gators return to action on Oct. 30, 12:30 p.m. at Cox Stadium, to host Chico State.