Nov. 4, 2016
SAN DIEGO -
SDSU Women's Soccer Game Notes
Game Day Preview
(1) UNLV (16-3-2; 8-1-2 MW) at (3) San Diego State (10-7-3; 6-2-3 MW)
Saturday, Nov. 5 | 7 p.m. PT | Mountain West Network | SDSU Sports Deck | San Diego, Calif.
Storylines
- Third-seeded San Diego State will play its fourth game in nine days on Saturday when it competes for the Mountain West tournament title against top-seeded UNLV at SDSU Sports Deck. The Aztecs find themselves in this position after defeating Boise State and San José State by 2-0 margins in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.
- The Aztecs will be making their fifth straight Mountain West finals appearance, which is tied for the longest streak in conference history. Brigham Young also made five consecutive title-game appearances from 1999-2003, going 4-1 in the process.
- San Diego State will be making its eighth overall appearance in the MW championship game. The Aztecs are 4-1-2 in their previous seven when playing for the league's automatic NCAA berth, including a 3-0-1 mark over the last four seasons.
- The Aztecs are looking to add to their trophy case. In it already are MW tournament trophies from 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2014. San Diego State's four tourney crowns are the most among current members. UNLV ranks second with two.
- SDSU is 4-0-1 in Mountain West championship games under head coach Mike Friesen, who on Thursday tied the school record with his 122nd career victory. The 10th-year coach can move pass Chuck Clegg (1989, 1994-2003) with a victory vs. UNLV.
- Friesen, who already owns the Mountain West record for most conference victories (61), can move into sole possession of second place for most overall wins in league history. At 122 victories, he is tied with former New Mexico head coach Kit Vela. BYU's Jennifer Rockwood is the MW all-time leader with 190 wins from 1999-2010.
- SDSU carries a 10-game Mountain West Championship unbeaten streak into the finals. During the run, the Aztecs have posted a 8-0-2 record.
- SDSU is 17-10-4 all-time at the Mountain West Championship, but is a much better 10-2-2 in tournament games played in San Diego.
- Since Mike Friesen took over head-coaching duties in 2007, the Aztecs have been very good in the month of November vs. unranked teams, posting a 16-3-2 record.
- San Diego State has the benefit of hosting the Championship at SDSU Sports Deck, a place where it has a track record of winning. Since the start of the 2012 campaign, the Aztecs are 45-8-4 in all home games (regular season, conference tournament, NCAA tournament).
- After starting the season 0-4 and being outscored, 13-0, the Aztecs have tightened things up and have only allowed two foes the rest of the way to score multiple goals. Since the 0-for-4 start, the Aztecs are 10-3-3 and have outscored the opposition, 22-12.
- Victoria Barba scored the second of two Aztec goals in the semifinal win over SJSU to give her a team-best eight goals on the year. Over her last six games, she has scored seven goals, which equaled her total in her previous four seasons combined heading into 2016.
- The game-winning goal vs. the Spartans came from Angela Mitchell, who notched her fourth of the year and her first since scoring the winner with three seconds left in double overtime at Nevada back on Oct. 9. Three of her four goals this season have won the game for the Aztecs.
- Aliyah Utush assisted on the winner vs. SJSU, which gave her a career-high seven assists on the year. In her first two seasons combined, the junior had eight total assists, including six last season. She now is tied for ninth all-time on the school's career assists chart with 15.
- Gabby English shut out her eighth opponent of the season on Thursday, which put her eighth all-time on the school single-season list. She has recorded two clean sheets in a row to tie a career-long streak, something she has done twice before this season.
- SDSU and UNLV tied earlier this season, 1-1, in Las Vegas. The draw was first in the 22-game history of the series, one in which the Aztecs lead, 14-7-1. In San Diego, the Aztecs are 8-2 vs. the Rebels and have won four in a row.
- San Diego State is 2-2 all-time vs. UNLV in the MW Championship, but the teams haven't met since 2012, when the Aztecs won, 3-0 in San Diego.
- Admission to tournament is $10 for adults and $5 for youth and students with a current ID. Group ticket rates are available in advance only by contacting the Aztec Ticket Office at (619) 283-7378 or by visiting Window E at Qualcomm Stadium. Group rates are not available at SDSU Sports Deck on game day.