Aug. 19, 2016
SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego State men's soccer team will close out its two-match exhibition slate on Sunday evening when it squares off against Cal State Northridge at Matador Soccer Field in Northridge, Calif. Opening tap is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT, with a live stats link courtesy of CSUN available on GoAztecs.com.
San Diego State got its first taste of outside competition in advance of the regular season on Wednesday when it battled Santa Clara in a home friendly at SDSU Sports Deck. The Aztecs received goals by redshirt junior Dallin Cutler, redshirt senior Travis Nicklaw and redshirt freshman Pablo Pelaez to key their 3-2 victory in a see-saw affair.
In 2015, SDSU posted its best record in five years, logging an 8-8-3 mark, capped by a thrilling 1-0 double overtime home victory over then-No. 16 UCLA in the season finale.
Individually, the Aztecs return nine of its 11 starters from a year ago, including two defenders who earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Division I All-Far West Region third-team honors in senior Matt Callahan and sophomore Kyle Adams. Meanwhile, junior forward Jeroen Meefout (4 goals, 11 pts.) is SDSU's top returning goal scorer and point earner.
Like the Aztecs, CSUN has already played one preseason match of its own, knocking off California by a 2-1 count at home on Aug. 14. Last season, the Matadors posted an identical mark as San Diego State, finishing with an 8-8-3 record overall, including a 4-4-2 ledger in conference play, which was good for second place in the Big West South Division.
Junior Dean Wright is CSUN's top returning scorer from a year ago, notching two goals and a team-high four assists in his first season with the squad after beginning his collegiate career at Cal State Fullerton. In addition, redshirt senior Patrick Hickman is also back in the mix for the Matadors, having received all-Big West honorable mention in the past two years at defender.
The Aztecs will officially open their regular-season schedule on Friday, Aug. 26, when they travel to the Pacific Northwest to face the University of Illinois, Chicago at the Gonzaga Soccer Tournament in Spokane, Wash. SDSU will also lock horns with Bradley to wrap up the event on Sunday, Aug. 28.