The CSUN women’s soccer team, coming off their best season since 2019, finishing with a 5-11-3 record, saw a positive end to their season despite getting knocked out of postseason contention on the final day of the regular season.
The Matadors had five players named to all-conference teams with four All-Big West honorable mentions including Angelica Claiborne, Paige Califf, Yoshi Rubalcava, and Cailey Jackson as well as Kayden Perigo being the lone All-Freshman team selection
A pleasant surprise coming from the freshman class, forward Kayden Perigo broke out for the Matadors after starting in 17 of her 18 appearances on the season. CSUN head coach Gina Brewer said that the freshman forward flew under the radar until the Matadors signed her late in the recruiting process.
“Kayden was a good last minute pickup for us. She’s done a fantastic job and she’s a really hard worker, very coachable,” Brewer noted. “We’ve really been proud of her, to be a freshman and have the impact that she had was really big.”
She earned a Big West All-Freshman Team selection for her contributions to the team which includes two goals and an assist in 18 matches.
“The sky’s the limit for her, so we’re excited about that,” Brewer added.
Coming off her redshirt sophomore season, Califf, a defender, appeared in 19 games for CSUN in 2024. Califf and Claiborne led the way for the Matadors backline for a majority of the season, with Califf playing all but 10 minutes of Big West conference play. Califf ended the year with the lone assist she logged in a draw with Cal State Fullerton on Sept. 22nd.
Rubalcava finished the season as the Matadors leading goal scorer. She ended the year with five goals scored, a career-high for the junior midfielder. She tied for seventh in the Big West in goals scored and tacked on two assists along the way. Her game-winning goal against Long Beach State sealed the first win at the Beach since 2012 for CSUN.
Jackson, the team’s second leading scorer, had a breakout year as well for the Matadors. The junior forward scored four goals this year and also had two assists. She started in all 19 games this year for CSUN as she formed a formidable attacking duo with Rubalcava throughout the season.
Claiborne, the Matadors’ team captain, earned a nod as an all-conference selection during her final year at CSUN. She lined up in the defense for all 19 matches and played in all but 24 minutes for the Matadors. Claiborne will leave CSUN as one of the most accomplished defenders in recent years, playing in 75 total matches and starting 66 of them.
Although the team was unable to clinch a spot in the Big West Women’s Soccer Championships with a loss to UC Davis on Oct. 31 that ended their season. CSUN has a lot of talent returning and Brewer and the coaching staff should be excited for what’s building after a positive 2024 season for the team.
