Valdivia Finally Sees CSUN in Playoffs but Has to Watch

NORTHRIDGE —  Cal State Northridge soccer star Armando Valdivia has waited four seasons to breathe the rarefied air of the playoffs, but because he suffered an injury in the waning moments of a meaningless match Sunday, he could miss out.

Valdivia, the MPSF Pacific Division’s player of the year who leads the nation in assists, will miss the team’s Mountain Pacific Sports Federation playoff match today at 5 p.m. against Air Force at UCLA.

He suffered a pulled right hamstring Sunday with five minutes to play in a loss to NCAA Division III Cal Lutheran--a match that had no bearing on the Matadors’ season because they clinched an MPSF playoff berth the day before by beating UC Santa Barbara.

“It’s a game that’s basically irrelevant to the whole season, and I get hurt in it with five minutes left,” he said. “You wonder, maybe the second half I shouldn’t have played.”

Valdivia, who has not missed a match in his four seasons at Northridge, has been unable to practice this week, but will suit up for today’s match.

“It’s been so frustrating,” he said. “If we’re losing or tied, I don’t see how I’ll be able to just sit there. I’ve been waiting so long to get here.”

Should the Matadors (11-8) defeat Air Force (13-3-1) today, they will play in the MPSF championship match Sunday against the winner of the UCLA-Stanford semifinal. The MPSF champion receives a berth in the 32-team NCAA playoffs.

Valdivia leads NCAA Division I with 20 assists and ranks third in goals (17) and points (54). Sophomore midfielder Keith West will fill Valdivia’s spot.

Senior midfielder Teddy Davila, who missed the last two matches because of an ankle injury, and sophomore defender Ross Linhart, who sat out the past five matches because of a pulled hamstring, are expected to play against Air Force.