Oct. 3, 2007
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SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State women's soccer team returns to Montezuma Mesa this weekend for the first time since Sept. 16, to wrap up the non-conference portion of its schedule at the SDSU Sports Deck. On Friday at 4 p.m., SDSU will face its third consecutive Pac-10 opponent in second-ranked UCLA. The Aztecs will then face CS Bakersfield on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
SCOUTING THE BRUINS
Last season's national semifinalists are once again one of the nation's top teams with a 5-1-2 record. UCLA has gone unbeaten in its last seven games after opening with a 2-1 loss against then No. 7 Texas.
Since dropping the opener to the Longhorns, the Bruins have scored 19 goals and have beaten San Diego and Illinois, two teams that have been ranked during the season, as well as No. 2 Portland on Friday, 2-1, in overtime. The 20 goals tallied by UCLA currently ranks tied for 26th in the nation.
The Bruins' leading goal scorer this year has been sophomore Lauren Cheney who has eight goals. The 2006 NSCAA/adidas first-team All-American led the Pac-10 in scoring last year with 39 points and 10 goals.
Cheney has formed a tough one-two scoring punch with senior Danesha Adams who has scored six goals and tallied three assists.
The Bruins will be the best passing team the Aztecs have faced as they have registered 22 assists on their 20 goals. Junior Christina DiMartino, a 2006 first team NSCAA/adidas All-American, leads the team with five assists.
In the net, SDSU will face UCLA's all-time career wins leader in Valerie Henderson. The senior from Orinda, Calif., has won 61 contests over the course of her four-year career. This season, Henderson has a 0.78 goals against average and has made 17 saves in 695 minutes of action.
SCOUTING THE ROADRUNNERS
At the half way point of the season, CS Bakersfield is looking for a fresh start.
The Roadrunners are winless in their last four games and are 2-7-1 overall this season. In all seven of the team's losses, CSUB has been shutout. In six of the losses the Roadrunners have been beaten by two or more goals.
Freshman goalkeeper Nicole Padilla has struggled in net allowing 21 goals in 919 minutes. The defense in front of the young net minder hasn't been much help allowing 134 shots.
Offensively, the Roadrunners are led by sophomore Alexa Vickroy who has scored two of the team's four goals.
CSUB and SDSU have played one common opponent this season in UC Santa Barbara. The Gauchos, who beat SDSU 2-1 in double overtime, blanked the Roadrunners, 2-0.
Sunday's game will be second of the weekend for CS Bakersfield in America's Finest City following a Friday contest at USD.
FOLLOW AZTEC SOCCER ON THE WEB
Live Stats for Friday and Sunday's game will be available on GoAztecs.com.
LAST TIME WE MET
The Bruins make the return trip to San Diego after defeating the Aztecs in Los Angeles last season, 1-0.
Fifth-ranked UCLA was able to score its lone goal nine minutes into the game when Kristina Larsen deflected in a shot from Lydia Cook.
The loss was the first of the season for SDSU after the team opened with wins against Butler and Purdue.
This will be the first-ever match up between the Aztecs and the Roadrunners.
PAC-10 FINALE
When the Aztecs face UCLA on Friday, it will mark the third consecutive game against a foe from the Pac-10 Conference and fourth overall this season.
SDSU owns a 1-2 record to date with Sunday's win against Arizona being the program's first over a Pac-10 team since 2005 when the Aztecs beat Washington, 1-0.
ROAD WARRIORS
The Aztecs have spent the majority of their first half of the season, six games, on the road.
Last year, the Aztecs struggled on the road winning only thee of 11 games. With Sunday's victory at Arizona, SDSU has already matched that number with three contests away from Montezuma Mesa left on the schedule.