Sept. 27, 2017
SAN DIEGO -
SDSU Women's Soccer Weekly Notes
Game Week Preview
San Diego State (4-6; 1-1 MW) at Utah State (6-3-1; 1-1 MW)
Friday, Sept. 29 | Noon MT | Mountain West Network | Chuck & Gloria Bell Field | Logan, Utah
San Diego State (4-6; 1-1 MW) at Boise State (6-4-1; 1-1 MW)
Sunday, Oct. 1 | 1 p.m. MT | Mountain West Network | Boas Soccer Complex | Boise, Idaho
Storylines
- San Diego State returns to the road for the third time in four weeks for Mountain West games at Utah State and Boise State. Both afternoon contests will stream live on the Mountain West Network.
- The Aztecs opened conference play this past week with home games vs. Nevada and UNLV. San Diego State blanked the Wolf Pack, 3-0, before returning to the pitch vs. the Rebels and losing, 1-0, on an own goal in the 52nd minute.
- In the win vs. Nevada, two of SDSU's three goals were scored by true freshmen. Mia Root scored her team-best fourth of the season in the 20th minute and was followed by an impressive strike from Sarah Broacha in the 43rd. The third goal was provided by sophomore Darcy Weiser.
- SDSU, which started five true freshmen vs. the Wolf Pack and four vs. the Rebels, is being led by the class statistically. Of San Diego State's 12 goals on the season, seven have been recorded by first-year collegiate players. They are also responsible for 36.4 percent of the team's assists (4 of 11), which includes Chloe Frisch's pass vs. Nevada that led to Root's goal.
- The youth on display is promising, for now and the future, when looking at the freshman and sophomore numbers. Combining the two classes, they are responsible for nine of SDSU's 12 goals (75 percent) and six of the team's 11 assists (54.5 percent). Overall, the freshmen and sophomores account for 24 of the Aztecs' 35 points on the year (68.6 percent).
- Sophomore Gabby English posted her 10th career shutout in San Diego State's 3-0 win over Nevada. The blanking of the Wolf Pack put herself in a seventh-place tie with Elizabeth Judkins for most career shutouts in school history. Judkins played at SDSU from 1994-95.
- As much as the youth has contributed, they have benefitted from the experience of the seniors and it was on display in the game vs. Nevada. The Root scoring sequence was started by Stacie Moran, who found Frisch, who fed Root for the goal. Then on the Weiser goal, the sophomore was on the receiving end of a Hailey Balma shot that deflected to Weiser for SDSU's third goal of the game.
- From a team standpoint, other than the freshmen and sophomores, San Diego State's seniors are responsible for its other points. Aliyah Utush owns two goals and two assists, Angela Mitchell has one goal and one assist apiece, and Moran has the one assist from the Nevada game.
- SDSU goes into its game at Utah State with a 5-0-1 all-time record vs. the Aggies. The Aztecs have won five straight meetings dating back to 2013, and are 2-0 all-time in Logan. In both of its trips to Cache County (2013, 2015), San Diego State has won by 2-0 margins.
- The game at Utah State is a match-up between two teams that garnered consideration to win the Mountain West in the preseason. The Aztecs were the favorites to win with 110 points and three first-place votes. The Aggies, meanwhile, finished in fourth place in the preseason poll with 97 points and one first-place consideration.
- The Aztecs will head to Boise State looking to improve upon their 5-3 all-time record vs. the school. San Diego State, however, has split the last four meetings with the Broncos, but has had the upper hand lately, winning the last two get-togethers, both of which occurred in 2016. SDSU's last trip to the City of Trees (2015) ended in a 2-1 defeat, which dropped it to 2-1 all-time at Boise State. San Diego State will be in search of its first road win over the Broncos since 2013.
- All of the games vs. Utah State and Boise State have come under the direction of 11th-year head coach Mike Friesen. Of his school-record 126 victories, 10 have come against this week's foes. Friesen is 10-3-1 all-time vs. Utah State and Boise State combined.
Opponent Notebook
Utah State
The Aggies are 6-3-1 and 1-1 in the Mountain West after losing at San José State in double overtime, 2-1, and shutting out Fresno State, 1-0, on the road last week... USU has won three of its last four games, all of which were on the road... The home date vs. SDSU will be Utah State's first in seven games, with the Aggies posting a 4-2 record during their six-game road trip... Ashley Cardozo leads the team with five goals and 13 points... Wesley Hamblin has a team-high four assists, one more than Cardozo... Sara Cobb has logged 901:16 of a possible 945:32 in between the posts and owns a GAA of 1.00 to go with 50 saves.
Boise State
The Broncos are 6-4-1 and 1-1 in the Mountain West after posting similar results as Utah State... Boise State downed Fresno State, 2-1, on the road before dropping a 2-1 decision at San José State... The Broncos have won three of their last four, all on the road, and Friday's game vs. New Mexico will be their first since Sept. 3, spanning five games... Raimee Sherle shares the team lead in goals (5) and assists (2), and owns a team-best 12 points... Baylee Blaser has scored five times for 10 points... McKenna Kynett has two assists to her credit... Janelle Flores (0.81 GAA, 31 saves) has started all nine games in which she has played and Tara Fisher (0.79 GAA, 10 saves) has earned the starting assignment twice in four games.