SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State men’s soccer team heads to the Pacific Northwest to play at Oregon State Sunday at 2 p.m. The match will be streamed on ESPN+ with Ann Schatz on the call. The Aztecs and Beavers played together in the Pac-12 for the last 19 years. This year SDSU is an affiliate member of the WAC while Oregon State is an affiliate member in the WCC.
Aztec Tidbits
- The Aztecs are coming off a 1-1 draw at Maryland Monday evening. The Aztecs didn’t attempt a shot in the match’s final 55 minutes but neutralized the Terrapin attack with stout defense that included a highlight reel second half save from goalkeeper Eddy Vargas.
- Austin Brummett scored SDSU’s lone goal on an assist from Rommee Jaridly. Brummett leads SDSU in points (6) and goals (3) and Jaridly has a team-high three assists.
- This was San Diego State’s first match outside of San Diego of the season and their first match in the Eastern time zone since 2019, a 2-0 win at Brown.
- The Aztecs are 14-2-4 (.800) in their last 20 non-conference matches.
- Sunday will be the Aztecs’ first day game of the season.
- Monday was the first time SDSU’s opponent had more corner kicks than them. The Aztecs lead the WAC and are 24th in the nation with 6.5 corner kicks per game.
- The Aztecs have outshot their opponents 75-58 and hold a 39-23 advantage in corner kicks.
- Through five matches, SDSU already has had 10 players record a point. In each of their last two matches, at least 17 players played for at least 20 minutes.
- The Aztecs have used a different starting lineup in each of their last five matches.
- The Aztecs are ranked No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches Far West Region.
- After playing their first five matches in San Diego (and four at home), six of SDSU’s next seven matches will be on the road.
- SDSU is 18-2-1 in non-conference home matches under head coach Ryan Hopkins (5th season).
- The Aztecs are 21-11-4 at home since the beginning of the 2021 season.
- SDSU has shut out their opponents in seven of their last 10 home non-conference matches.
- The Aztecs will be competing in the WAC as an affiliate member this year following the demise of the Pac-12. SDSU, who played in the Pac-12 for the past 19 years, played in the WAC from 1996-98. The WAC has sent multiple teams to the NCAA tournament in five of the last seven years.
- The Aztecs were picked to finish third in the WAC Preseason Coaches poll, trailing Seattle and California Baptist.
- SDSU’s five goals against UC Riverside in their season opener tied for their most vs. a DI opponent in the Ryan Hopkins era (5th season).
- The Aztecs’ loss at San Diego Aug. 26 snapped a stretch of 14 non-conference matches without a loss (11-0-3).
- San Diego State has been in the national rankings in two of the last three seasons.
- Last season was the first since 2012 that SDSU had four players with at least 10 points. Three of those players return: Austin Brummett (17), Rommee Jaridly (13) and Terence Okoeguale (10).
Player Notes
- Austin Brummett, who was named to the Preseason All-WAC Team, is top three in the WAC in shots on goal per game (1st, 1.83), shots per game (2nd, 3.33) and goals (3rd, 3). In his last two matches, five of his seven shots have been on target.
- Goalkeeper Eddy Vargas, a transfer from Vermont who is in his sixth year of college, has started the last four matches. His 0.93 goals allowed average is second in the WAC.
- Vargas has made more starts and played more minutes this season than he did in his five years at Vermont.
- Goalkeeper Djibril Doumbia, who is also in his sixth year of college, started the first two matches of the season and played the final 20 minutes at Maryland Monday.
- Rommee Jaridly, a Pac-12 honorable mention selection a year ago, is second in the WAC with three assists. Last year he was second on the team with 13 points (4 goals and 5 assists).
- Beto Apolinar, the team captain, has started at three different positions this season: center back, defensive midfield and center midfield. He is second on the team in minutes played (83 per match).
- Nir Drori, a 22-year-old freshman from Israel, has started the last two matches at outside back.
- Ferran Florencio Catalá scored the game-winning goal vs. Sacramento State Sept. 6. It was the first career collegiate goal for the 24-year-old forward from Spain.
- Tristan Viviani started at forward Monday after starting the first four matches as an outside back. He is tied with Jaridly for third on the team in minutes played (78.2 per match)
- Long Island transfer André Puente was named a “Defender to Watch” by the United Soccer Coaches, one of 16 players to be highlighted. Puente has been an All-NEC First Team selection each of the past three seasons and made the All-Northeast Region Team the past two years.
- Redshirt sophomore defender Reid Fisher was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and a Freshman All-American (College Soccer News) last season.
- Both Puente and Fisher were named top 100 players in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer.
- Fisher was tabbed the WAC Preseason Defender of the Year by the league’s coaches.
- Forward Robbie Matei, a transfer from American University, was a Patriot League Second Team selection in each of the last two seasons. He is second on the team with two goals.
- Midfielder Daniel Pacella, one of two transfers from Vermont, made the America East Second Team twice and was the league’s Rookie of the Year in 2020-21.
- Three players have started every match for SDSU: Brummett, Fisher and Jaridly.
- Fisher is the only Aztec to play every minute this season.
- The Aztecs return three of their top four leaders in points from a season ago, including Brummett, who had a team-high 17 points (7 goals and 3 assists).
- SDSU has 10 players in their fourth, fifth or sixth year of college.
- The Aztecs return nine letterwinners and six starters. 10 returners started at least one match last season.
- SDSU has 13 newcomers (seven transfers and six freshmen).
Opponent Notebook (Oregon State)
The Beavers are 2-2-1 on the year and 1-1-0 at home… They were picked to win the WCC in the preseason coaches poll and began the season ranked No. 4 in the country in the United Soccer Coaches poll… Fran Cortijo, Arnau Farnos, Ellis Spinker and Dante Williams were named to the All-WCC Preseason Team… They advanced to the College Cup last season… Spinker leads the team with seven points (2 goals and 3 assists)… John Nicolson has started the last three matches in goal and has a 1.33 goals allowed average… Head coach Greg Dalby is in his second season at Oregon State. He led OSU to its first ever College Cup last year… SDSU is 12-24-5 all-time against Oregon State, however they are 1-1-2 over the last two seasons and have earned a draw in both their matches in Corvallis.
Coach Hopkins’ Take on Oregon State
“We are excited to renew our rivalry with our old Pac-12 friends Oregon State. Even with them advancing to the final four last year, our games have been extremely tight the last few times out and I expect another closely contest matchup on Sunday.”