Aug. 17, 2011
SAN DIEGO -
SDSU Women's Soccer Weekly Notes | Video Recap: Point Loma Nazarene
Game Week Reset
Arizona (0-0) at San Diego State (0-0)
Friday, Aug. 19 | 4 p.m. PT | SDSU Sports Deck
San Diego State (0-0) at California (0-0)
Sunday, Aug. 21 | 1 p.m. PT | Edwards Stadium
Aztec Story Lines
- San Diego State, the preseason favorites to win the Mountain West, opens its 2011 regular-season slate on Friday against Arizona at SDSU Sports Deck. The season opener is set for 4 p.m. PT and admission is free. The Aztecs will then travel to face California on Sunday at 1 p.m. PT.
- The Aztecs were tabbed for a first-place finish in the Mountain West in the league's preseason coaches' poll. SDSU earned 34 points and four first-place votes, which put it ahead of second-place finisher New Mexico, which garnered 33 points and three first-place tallies.
- SDSU is opening the season at home for the first time since 2009 and is unbeaten in its last two season-openers on Montezuma Mesa. In 2009, the Aztecs defeated Fresno State, 1-0, and in 2007, tied Toledo in double overtime, 1-1.
- The Aztecs carry a 5-1 record in their last six games at SDSU Sports Deck.
- San Diego State is coming off a 2-1 exhibition victory over Point Loma Nazarene last Saturday. The Aztecs outshot the Sea Lions, 20-2, and held a 12-2 advantage in shots on goal. SDSU dominated the game in all facets and received single goals from junior Megan Jurado in the 19th minute and freshman Kelsey Booth in the 35th. PLNU got on the scoreboard in the 76th minute when Brooke Winklepleck connected on a well-place shot from 20 yards out.
- SDSU finished 2010 with a 8-10-3 overall record (5-2 Mountain West) and welcomes back 14 letterwinners and seven starters off that squad. In addition to what returns, the Aztecs also get back redshirt senior Cat Walker and redshirt junior Tiffany Hurst, who both missed the 2010 campaign due to injury. Walker is back after a 2009 season in which she was the MWC Offensive Player of the Year, an all-MWC first-team choice, the MWC tournament MVP and a NSCAA all-Pacific Region third-team selection. Hurst, meanwhile, played in 22 games, starting 19, and had the fifth-most points on the 2009 MWC championship team, which advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
- SDSU opens the season with seven of its first eight at home, which is the polar opposite of its schedule a year ago. In 2010, the Aztecs opened with four straight on the road, with two coming against top-10 programs. SDSU's lone road match during its first eight games occurs on Sunday when the Aztecs take on California.
- The Aztecs enter the opener with Arizona having never lost to the Wildcats in three tries. San Diego State has shut out UA three times and outscored the Pac-12 school by a combined score of 8-0. SDSU won the first meeting in 1994, 3-0, in Tucson, and by a 4-0 margin the next season. The last meeting, which occurred in 2007 in Tucson, was a 1-0 Aztec victory in head coach Mike Friesen's first year at the helm.
- San Diego State newcomer and sophomore Jensen Skinner will be facing the same club she played for in Arizona on Friday. The forward/midfielder played her freshman season in Tucson and finished with the second-most goals (3) and points (6) on the team, while playing all 20 games.
- SDSU travels to Berkeley looking to snap a three-match losing streak to the Golden Bears. The Aztecs are 3-6 all-time against California with their last victory coming in 1998. In fact, San Diego State is looking to notch its first win in Berkeley, having gone winless in three tries.
- San Diego State is facing the Golden Bears for the first time since 2007. That season, California escaped with a 2-0 win in San Diego. The Aztecs will be making their first trip to Berkeley since a 1-0 loss in 1999.
- SDSU is unbeaten in its last two against current members of the Pac-12. A year ago, the Aztecs won at Utah and tied with No. 18 Oregon State, 2-2, in Corvallis. Prior to the double-OT draw at OSU, SDSU dropped a narrow 2-1 overtime decision to Oregon at the Oregon State Nike Invitational.
Opposition Notebook
Arizona
Arizona finished the 2010 season with a 5-13-2 overall record and a 1-8 mark in the Pac-10... The Wildcats return three of their top four scorers from a year ago (the fourth being Skinner) in Renae Cuellar (6 g, 3 a, 15 pts.), Jazmin Ponce (3 g, 6 pts.) and Ana Montoya (2 g, 1 a, 5 pts.)... Also returning is top goalkeeper Ashley Jett... Arizona was picked to finish 12th in Pac-12 preseason poll.
California
California, picked to finish in sixth place in the 2011 Pac-12 preseason poll, is coming off a 2010 effort which saw it end the year at 9-6-5 (4-4-1 Pac-10)... The Golden Bears lost leading scorer Alex Morgan (14 g, 2 a, 30 pts.) to graduation, but return their second-leading scorer in junior Lauren Battung, who finished with seven goals, four assists and 18 points... Sophomore Emily Kruger also returns in net for California.