Aug. 31, 2011
SAN DIEGO -
San Diego State Weekly Soccer Notes
Game Week Reset
UCF (1-1) at No. 22 San Diego State (3-1)
Friday, Sept. 2 | 4 p.m. PT | SDSU Sports Deck
Alabama (2-1-1) at No. 22 San Diego State (3-1)
Sunday, Sept. 4 | 1 p.m. PT | SDSU Sports Deck
Aztec Story Lines
- No. 22 San Diego State continues its season-long six-game homestand on Friday when it welcomes Central Florida to SDSU Sports Deck for a 4 p.m. PT date. On Sunday, Alabama pays the Aztecs a visit in a match slated for 1 p.m. PT. Admission is free to both events.
- The Aztecs are ranked for the first time since ending the 2009 campaign ranked No. 16 by Soccer America. The same outlet has them at No. 22 in its poll this week.
- San Diego State is the second team out of the NSCAA Top-25 Poll, putting it at No. 27 heading into this week's action. The Aztecs, however, are tied for third place with Oregon State in the NSCAA Pacific Region rankings behind co-number-ones Stanford and UCLA. In the Soccer Times poll, SDSU is the first team out at No. 26.
- The preseason Mountain West favorites are 3-1 for the first time since 2005 after home victories over Minnesota and No. 4 Portland last week.
- In the win over the Golden Gophers, who were ranked No. 26 by NSCAA and advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2010, the Aztecs were led by a pair of freshmen in Hannah Keane and Haley Locker. Keane scored her first career goal and was assisted by 2010 MWC freshman of the year Haley Palmer. After Minnesota tied the score just before halftime, Locker provided the game-winner in the 84th minute off a pass from Tiffany Hurst.
- Against No. 4 Portland, Tiffany Hurst scored in the 25th minute, with the assist going to Haley Locker, and the defense made the goal hold up as the Aztecs snapped the Pilots' 13-game unbeaten run. SDSU's 1-0 shutout also represented the first time Portland had been held off the scoreboard since Nov. 28. 2008.
- For their efforts last week, Tiffany Hurst and Haley Locker were named the Mountain West defensive and offensive players of the week, respectively. The season is just two weeks old and San Diego State has earned three of the four player of the week awards after Cat Walker was named co-offensive player of the week on Aug. 22.
- Tiffany Hurst was also named the CollegeSoccer360.com Primetime Player of the Week on Tuesday. The last Aztec to be honored by the media outlet was Cat Walker back on Nov. 11, 2009, for her effort at the MWC Championship. That season, SDSU won the conference title en route to the NCAA Tournament.
- San Diego State's defense has been stellar this season, allowing just three goals in four games this season, while posting two shutouts. Last year, it took the Aztecs 16 games to record two shutouts. Starting goalkeeper Rachel Boaz has both shutouts, which is tied for No. 1 in the Mountain West, and has a goals-against average of 0.50, which is the second-best GAA in the MW.
- The Aztecs are 8-1 in their last nine games at SDSU Sports Deck.
- San Diego State is meeting Central Florida for the second consecutive season. Last year, the Aztecs dropped a 2-0 decision in Orlando. The loss dropped SDSU's all-time record vs. the Knights to 1-2. The Aztecs are seeking their first win over UCF since 1997, which occurred in San Diego.
- The Scarlet and Black will face Alabama on Sunday for the first time in school history.
Opposition Notebook
UCF
Central Florida is 1-1 on the season and has not played since dropping a 1-0 decision to No. 17 Wake Forest on Aug. 21... The Knights defeated South Florida, 5-1, in their season opener... UCF was picked to win the league in the Conference USA preseason poll and is tied for fourth with Missouri in the NSCAA Central Region rankings... Tishia Jewell was named C-USA's preseason offensive player of the year for the second straight season and was joined on the preseason all-league team by Marissa Diggs, Katie Jackson and Aline Reis... Jewell and Biance Joswiak lead the team with two goals apiece... Jewell has a team-best six points, while Joswiak has five... Reis has started both games in net and has a GAA of 1.00... Following its game vs. San Diego State, Central Florida will face San Diego on Sunday.
Alabama
The Crimson Tide rolls into San Diego with a 2-1-1 record after playing New Mexico to a scoreless draw on Sunday... Alabama's two victories have come against Kennesaw State (7-1) and at Samford (2-1); the lone defeat came at home to Memphis (1-0)... Goalkeeper Justine Bernier was one of 42 players to be named to the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List, which is the highest individual award in intercollegiate soccer... Bernier has started all four games and has a GAA of 0.76, while making 19 saves... Laura Lee Smith leads the Crimson Tide with three goals and six points, while Theresa Diederich (2 g), Lindsey Sillers (1 g, 2 a) and Kendall Khanna (1g, 2a) each have four points apiece... Alabama will play at USD on Friday before facing the nationally ranked Aztecs.