April 8, 2015
SAN DIEGO -
SDSU Water Polo Weekly Release
Game Week Preview
Azusa Pacific (9-12; 2-2 GCC) at No. 18 San Diego State (13-14; 4-0 GCC)
Friday, April 10 | Aztec Aquaplex | San Diego, Calif. | 4:30 p.m. PT
Santa Clara (13-10; 1-1 GCC) at No. 18 San Diego State (13-14; 4-0 GCC)
Saturday, April 11 | Aztec Aquaplex | San Diego, Calif. | 1 p.m. PT
Storylines
- No. 18 San Diego State will look to lock-up its second straight Golden Coast regular-season championship this week with a pair of home games at Aztec Aquaplex. SDSU will welcome Azusa Pacific on Friday at 4:30 p.m. PT before playing host to Santa Clara in its 1 p.m. PT GCC finale. Admission is free for all home dates.
- The Aztecs can clinch at least a share of the Golden Coast regular-season title with a victory over Azusa Pacific. A win on Friday would put San Diego State in a position to capture the outright championship on Saturday vs. Santa Clara. Two victories will also put the finishing touches on SDSU's second straight 6-0 campaign.
- If the Aztecs are successful in picking up at least one win, a shared or outright title (with two wins) will add to San Diego State's collection as a department. This academic year alone, the Aztecs have claimed championships in women's soccer (Mountain West regular season and tournament), women's swimming and diving (Mountain West) and men's basketball (Mountain West regular season). Since the beginning of 2012-13, SDSU has won a total of 23 team conference championships, including water polo's 2014 GCC crown.
- San Diego State returns home with a lot on the line and looking to snap a three-game losing streak that dates to March 21. More recently, the Aztecs dropped a pair of games in Hawaii nearly two weeks ago. SDSU fell to top-ranked UCLA, 13-4, and No. 6 Hawai'i, 8-2.
- The Aztecs have had their offense shut down during their three-game skid as they have averaged 3.7 goals per game, but that should change this week. In conference action, SDSU is averaging 11.3 goals per game and over its last six home contests, the Aztecs have scored an average of 8.3 goals.
- Caroline Israels recorded three of San Diego State's six goals in Hawaii with two coming in the 8-2 defeat against the Rainbow Wahine. The sophomore has scored in six straight games, five of which have been multi-goal efforts, and in 17 of her last 18 outings. She leads the team with 49 goals and is two shy of matching her career high. Additionally, Israels has already set a personal record with 46 steals, surpassing her previous high of 34.
- Ioli Benekou was responsible for half of San Diego State's offense vs. UCLA, scoring twice against the No. 1 Bruins. The sophomore ranks second to Israels in goals scored with 40, while ranking third in steals (41) behind Nikole Ferrari's 48 and Israels' 46. Benekou needs one steal to equal her career high.
- Rachel Mitchell has 216 saves on the season, which ranks second in the Golden Coast Conference. Ferrari and Israels are 1-2 in the league in steals with Benekou sitting in fifth, Carina Carballo eighth (37) and Anique Hermann 11th (36).
- SDSU will face Azusa Pacific for just the second time in the history of the series. Last season, the Aztecs downed the Cougars, 9-5, in Azusa to complete an unblemished conference season. All six Aztecs who scored in that game return for the rematch. Benekou, Ferrari and Taylor Gums each netted two goals, while Carballo, Israels and Alyssa Diacono found the back of the net once. Mitchell made eight stops in net.
- San Diego State is 3-1 all-time vs. Santa Clara and split two meetings with the Broncos last year. SCU downed the Aztecs in overtime, 9-8, in the opening game of the UCSD Triton Invitational only to have San Diego State return the favor on the road, 7-6. The four Aztecs who scored in the victory are also back. Israels posted a hat trick, Benekou had two goals and Ferrari and Makena Magro each added one.
- Azusa Pacific will head south to San Diego, but not before stepping out of Golden Coast action to face Pomona-Pitzer on Wednesday. The Cougars opened league action by losing to Pacific and LMU before downing Fresno Pacific and California Baptist. The 9-8 victory over the Lancers last Thursday was APU's first-ever in the 11-game history of the series.
- Santa Clara opens a two-game road swing on Thursday at California Baptist before visiting Montezuma Mesa. The Broncos had lost four straight, including a pair to GCC foe Pacific, only to reverse the trend by defeating Fresno Pacific at home, 9-7, last Thursday.
- Following this week's home games, San Diego State will return to Aztec Aquaplex for one final game before heading to Stockton and the University of the Pacific for the GCC Championship. The regular-season finale will feature SDSU and its crosstown foe UC San Diego in the 14th annual Harper Cup game. San Diego State will look to recapture the Cup after surrendering it for the first time last season when the Tritons earned an 8-5 victory. SDSU is 12-1 all-time in the game and 6-0 at home. The Aztecs will look to avenge a 9-7 loss at the Triton Invitational back in February.