Sept. 12, 2007
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SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State women's soccer team returns to action this weekend with a pair of games at the SDSU Sports Deck. On Friday at 4 p.m., the Aztecs will battle Cal Poly while on Sunday, SDSU takes on Pac-10 power California at noon.
SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS
The Mustangs make the return trip to San Diego this year after the Aztecs traveled to San Luis Obispo in 2006. Last year, Cal Poly defended its home field by registering the 3-0 win.
Cal Poly is off to a rough start winning one of its first four contests. The Mustangs dropped their opening-weekend matches to Dayton and Arizona, as well as Friday's contest versus Dartmouth, before gaining their first win against Providence on Sunday.
Cal Poly has struggled to score goals early on, netting only four on 68 shots.
Senior Sharon Day leads the team with 12 shots, but has not scored on any of them. Sophomores Julianne Grinstead and Ally Kellog, freshman Whitney Sisler and junior Ashley Vallis have all connected for goals, with Grinestead's securing the win over Providence.
The net is patrolled by senior Alli Tramel who has started all four games and has given up seven scores and made 16 saves.
SCOUTING THE BEARS
Sunday will mark the first meeting between the Bears and the Aztecs since 2001.
The Bears, a 2006 Women's College Cup Participant, are off to a 4-0 start under first-year head coach Neil McGuire. California has knocked off Columbia, Colorado College, Cal State Bakersfield and Vermont heading into the week's action versus CS Fullerton and the Aztecs. The four victories have helped the Bears climb to No. 23 in the latest Soccerbuzz.com rankings.
In the early season, the Bears have been led by senior midfielder Caitlain Hannegan who has two goals. Hannegan is tied for the team lead in points with four along with fellow senior Stephanie Wieger who has tallied a goal and two assists.
California has been stellar in net as three goalies have not allowed a goal this season. The Bears have blanked 30 of their last 48 opponents and have recorded double digits in shutouts in each of the last two campaigns. Sophomore Gina Pellegrini has spent the most time at the keeper spot in 2007, over 236 minutes in three games, and has made seven saves and credited with two shutouts.
Of the seven starters that return this season for California, four garnered all-Pac 10 honors in 2006. Seniors Courtney Hooker and Caroline Lea both gained second-team recognition while junior Nkechi Kanu was an honorable mention honoree and sophomore Kelly Menachof earned a spot on the first-ever Pac-10 All-Freshman team.
FOLLOW AZTEC SOCCER ON THE WEB
Live Stats for this weekend's games will be available on GoAztecs.com.
LAST TIME WE MET
In 2006, the Aztecs were blanked by the Mustangs, 3-0, in San Luis Obispo, Calif. SDSU was outshot, 14-4, with sophomore Erika Sutton leading the way with two shots for the Aztecs, who started eight underclassmen for the eighth time in nine games. Juniors Jessica Girdner and Ashley Young had the other shot attempts for SDSU.
SDSU and California will be meeting for the first time since 2001. The Aztecs were unable to come away with the victory as the Bears won, 3-1, at the Sports Deck. California leads the all-time series between the teams, 5-3. Kim Castellanos scored the lone goal for SDSU.
LAST TIME OUT
The San Diego State women's soccer team traveled to the state of Nebraska last weekend and came away with a victory at Creighton and a tie versus Nebraska. Senior Jackie Ragudos recorded the first two goals of her career as SDSU defeated the Jays, 2-0, and freshman goalkeeper Aubree Southwick shined once again saving 10 shots in 110 minutes of action against the Huskers. The victory was the first in the head coaching career of Mike Friesen and Southwick extended her scoreless streak to 286 minutes.
SOUTHWICK CLAIMS MWC HONORS
Following a weekend where she recorded consecutive shutouts on the road versus Creighton and Nebraska, San Diego State freshman goalkeeper Aubree Southwick (Danville, Calif./San Ramon Valley High) was named Mountain West Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.
Southwick led the Aztecs to their first win of the season, 2-0, on Friday by blanking the Bluejays in Omaha, Neb., and followed that up with a 10-stop performance in a double overtime tie, 0-0, against the Cornhuskers in Lincoln.
The Danville, Calif., native has not given up a goal in her last 286 minutes of action, spanning three games, and has made 19 saves while registering a 0.45 goals against average on the season.
Southwick shared the honors with BYU senior goalkeeper Erika Woodbury who also posted a pair of shutouts this weekend.