Sept. 10, 2014
SAN DIEGO -
San Diego State Women's Soccer Weekly Notes
Game Week Preview
Washington (4-1; 0-0 Pac-12) vs. San Diego State (2-1-1; 0-0 MW)
Friday, Sept. 12 | 4:30 p.m. PT | Merlo Field | Portland, Ore.
San Diego State (2-1-1; 0-0 MW) at Portland (2-3; 0-0 WCC)
Sunday, Sept. 14 | 2:30 p.m. PT | PortlandPilots.com | Merlo Field | Portland, Ore.
Storylines
- San Diego State returns to action this week with a pair of games at the Nike Portland Invitational. The Aztecs will take on Washington Friday at 4:30 p.m. PT before facing Portland on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. PT. Both games will be contested at UP's Merlo Field.
- The Aztecs-Huskies game will have live stats only, which will be available at GoAztecs.com. The SDSU-Portland tilt, meanwhile, will have video streamed online along with stats, courtesy PortlandPilots.com. Both of those links will be available at GoAztecs.com.
- San Diego State was last in action on Aug. 31, when it blanked No. 10 Michigan, 3-0, at SDSU Sports Deck. The victory extended its unbeaten streak to three games after battling UC Riverside to a 2-2 double-overtime draw two days prior on Aug. 29.
- The win over 10th-ranked Michigan was the Aztecs' highest-ranked opponent they had beaten since taking out No. 5 Pepperdine exactly two years prior. On that day, SDSU earned a 1-0 win over the Waves before enjoying the finest season in school history (21-2-1 record, Mountain West regular-season and tournament champions, NCAA Sweet 16 appearance).
- Following San Diego State's 1-0-1 weekend, the Aztecs swept the Mountain West weekly awards. Freshman Angela Mitchell was named the offensive player of the week, while fellow newcomer Meggie Gulczynski earned top defensive player honors. Mitchell, for the second time this season, was taken down in the box vs. UC Riverside, which led to a Mariah Helmer penalty kick goal. Then vs. Michigan, she scored her team-best third goal of the year in the 87th minute. Gulczynski, meanwhile, scored the winner from 20 yards out vs. the Wolverines and was a part of a defensive unit that limited UCR to zero shots in overtime and zero corner kicks in the final 67 minutes, 13 seconds. Circling back around to the Michigan game, she helped SDSU hold the Wolverines to just four shots on goal.
- The Aztecs continue to pile up shots and pressure their foes while limiting them to only a handful of scoring opportunities. San Diego State is averaging 24.2 shots per game and allowing 9.0. As far as shots on goals are concerned, the Aztecs have put 45 on target, compared to just 18 by their counterparts. Additionally, SDSU has attempted 20 more corner kicks (32-12) through four games.
- San Diego State is taking on a Washington team on Friday that is 4-1 on the season and is in the Also Receiving Votes section of the latest NSCAA top-25 poll (42nd overall). After starting the year with three straight wins, the Huskies have split their last two, losing 4-0 at home to No. 15 Wisconsin and beating Dartmouth, 3-1, last Sunday.
- SDSU and Washington are getting together on the pitch for the ninth time and for the first time since 2008, when they also met in Portland. The Aztecs have not fared well against the Huskies, going 1-6-1 in the previous eight matchups. San Diego State's lone victory came in Seattle back in September of 2005, when it earned a 1-0 decision. SDSU's draw occurred in the second all-time meeting in October of 1992 (2ot-T, 1-1), which was also in Seattle.
- Portland is receiving votes this week checking in with the 33rd-most points in the NSCAA poll. The Pilots, who will face Miami (Fla.) on Friday, have played a challenging schedule to date as three of their five opponents have been nationally ranked at game time. UP lost to No. 2 Florida State on the road in its opener, 1-0, fell to No. 5 Stanford at home by an identical score, and dropped a 3-0 decision to No. 15 Wisconsin on Sunday.
- The Aztecs and Pilots will meet for the 12th time in the history of the series (2-9). SDSU lost the first eight to Portland before finally breaking the streak and winning in consecutive seasons, both home and away, starting in 2011. Last season, UP ended its two-game losing streak to San Diego State by defeating the Aztecs, 2-1, at SDSU Sports Deck.
Opponent Notebook
Washington
The Huskies are making their second trip of the season this weekend after last playing on the road Aug. 29 and Aug. 31... That trip took them to Philadelphia, Pa., where they earned a pair of 1-0 victories over La Salle and Pittsburgh... Washington is coached by Lesle Gallimore, who coached the Aztecs from 1990, their second Division I season, to 1993... The 21st-year Husky head coach led SDSU to a 32-25-9 record and enjoyed three winning campaigns.
Portland
The Pilots have alternated losses and wins the entire season, which brings them to their 2-3 record... Portland's game vs. Miami (Fla.) on Friday will represent just its second home contest of the season... UP has been shutout in all three of its losses, two of which were by 1-0 scores... Danica Evans and Parkes Kendrick have done all of the goal scoring this season... Evans has two goals and Kendrick one... Five different Pilots, however, have recorded one assist, including Evans and Kendrick... Goalkeepers Hanna De Haan (1.19 GAA, 9 saves) and Taylor Luty (1.21 GAA, 9 saves) have split time in net.