Oct. 21, 2015
Match Week Preview
California (5-5-2, 0-3-2 Pac-12) at San Diego State (6-5-2, 1-4-0 Pac-12)
Friday, October 23 | 2 p.m. PT | Edwards Stadium | Berkeley, Calif.
No. 3/2 Stanford (11-1-1, 4-0-1 Pac-12) at San Diego State (6-5-2, 1-4-0 Pac-12)
Monday, October 26 | 7 p.m. PT | Cagan Stadium | Stanford, Calif.
Storylines
- After splitting its matches against the Pac-12's Bay Area teams last Friday and Sunday, San Diego State rematches California and Stanford on their turf this weekend. The Aztecs face the Golden Bears on Fri., Oct. 23 at 2 p.m. and No. 3/2 Stanford on Mon., Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. Both matches will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks.
- To open the weekend at SDSU Sports Deck, a goal in the 44th minute was all San Diego State needed to shut out California, 1-0, on Friday. The win marked the Aztecs' first in conference play this season, and their first over the Golden Bears since the 2012 campaign. Despite out-shooting No. 3 Stanford, and a team ranked in the top three, for the first time since 2013, San Diego State lost to the Cardinal, 3-1, on Sunday.
- Jeroen Meefout was the Aztecs' top player during the weekend with his parents in the stands visiting from the Netherlands. Against No. 3 Stanford, Meefout scored San Diego State's lone goal of the match just 1:18 in off of the rebound of a Dalin Cutler shot. Against the Golden Bears, he assisted on the match-winner, sending a perfectly-placed free kick to Ozzie Ramos, who sliced in the 1-0 match-winner. In both matches, he led the team in shots (four versus Stanford, three versus California).
- Last weekend, San Diego State out-shot No. 3 Stanford -- the first time the Aztecs out-shot both Stanford and an opponent ranked in the top three since 2013 - and California, continuing a visible trait of its attack this season. The team has out-shot 10 of its 13 opponents, producing a 6-2-2 mark when tallying more chances than its opponent.
- The Aztecs began their conference slate with a pair of 1-0 losses to No. 15 Washington and Oregon State. The last time San Diego State opened Pac-12 play by allowing two goals was in 2011, when the Aztecs opened the conference season with 1-0 and 2-1 wins over Stanford and California.
- For just the sixth time in the program's 48-year history, San Diego State allowed eight-or-fewer goals in its first 10 matches of the season (1979 - 7; 1982 - 4; 1987 - 8; 1988 - 6; 2005 - 5). The Aztecs have allowed more than one goal in only three matches.
- San Diego State has one of the most distributed offenses in the conference. Ten different Aztecs have scored goals, a number tied with California and UCLA among Pac-12 teams.
- Redshirt senior Rene Reyes has been the Aztecs' most reliable scoring threat this season. His four tallies in a season's first three matches are the most for an Aztec since 1999 and he currently ranks tied for fifth in the Pac-12 with four goals. Personally, his four goals are a career high, which he surpassed three matches into the season, and his two-goal outing against San Diego Christian was the first of his career.
- San Diego State head coach Lev Kirshner announced the hire of two assistant coaches, both of whom possess a diverse set of experiences at the youth, collegiate, professional and international levels. Jeffrey "Ziggy" Korytoski and Tony Vigil join Kirshner's staff for his 16th season at the helm of the Aztecs' program in 2015. Korytoski will be in charge of recruiting, while Vigil will handle all scouting.
- As a member of Guam's Men's National Team, redshirt-junior Travis Nicklaw and Matao were in Qatar and Turkmenistan last week for a 2018 World Cup Qualifying match against Turkmenistan on Oct. 13. The San Diego native has helped Matao to a 2-2-1 in round two of World Cup Qualifying with three matches remaining.
- Kirshner matches California head coach Kevin Grimes as the longest tenured head coach in Pac-12 men's soccer. Under his tutelage, San Diego State maintains a 74-62-18 record out of conference play.
Opponent Notebook
California
The Golden Bears have had a rough go of Pac-12 play, sitting last, and winless, in the conference standings. The team has been shut out in its last three matches against Washington, SDSU and UCLA, going 308 minutes without cashing in. Andrew Mangels' goals against average has risen to 1.34 and his save percentage now sits at .712 after allowing three goals against the Bruins, while splitting duties with Jonathan Klinsmann, and one versus the Aztecs. Kevin Grimes, a five-time conference Coach of the Year, is in his 16th season as the Golden Bears' head coach.
Stanford
No. 3/2 Stanford continued to prove its status as one of the nation's premier teams this weekend. Despite getting out-shot at both UCLA, 15-6, and SDSU, 14-10, the Cardinal won their contests last weekend. Reigning Pac-12 Player of the Week Jordan Morris scored in both of the matches, helping Stanford to a 12-match undefeated streak and its best start since 2011. The team's backline has been a major cause of its success, as it has allowed just three goals in five Pac-12 matches. Head Coach Jeremy Gunn, the reigning Pac-12 and NSCAA West Region Coach of the Year, is in his third season at the helm of Stanford's program.