April 2, 2018
SAN DIEGO -
Game Week Preview
No. 23 California Baptist (14-13; 2-1 GCC) at No. 21 San Diego State (10-13; 2-1 GCC)
Thursday, April 5 | 4 p.m. PT | Aztec Aquaplex | San Diego, Calif.
Fresno State (4-14; 1-2 GCC) at No. 21 San Diego State (10-13; 2-1 GCC)
Sunday, April 8 | Noon PT | Aztec Aquaplex | San Diego, Calif.
Storylines
- No. 21 San Diego State returns home this week for its final two home games of the 2018 season. The Aztecs will face Golden Coast Conference foes California Baptist and Fresno State on Thursday and Sunday, respectively. Admission is free for both games and Sunday will feature Senior Day festivities at Aztec Aquaplex.
- The Aztecs played just once last week, a neutral-site date vs. No. 2 California in Morro Bay, during the University's annual Spring Break holiday. SDSU suffered a 15-7 defeat and was led in scoring by Hannah Carrillo and Shelby Kraft as both scored twice.
- SDSU has won two of its last three games and will step back into conference play for the first time since a road game at Azusa Pacific back on March 23. The Aztecs earned a 10-8 overtime decision vs. the Cougars to improve to 2-1 in the Golden Coast.
- San Diego State enters the week in a three-way tie for second place with California Baptist and Loyola Marymount. The trio, all with 2-1 league records, sits behind only Pacific, which is perfect in three Golden Coast games. Fresno State, along with Santa Clara, meanwhile, is one game back of the Aztecs, Lancers and Lions at 1-2 in conference play.
- SDSU is in search of its 12th straight season with at least six home victories. San Diego State is currently 4-3 at Aztec Aquaplex and needs victories over California Baptist and Fresno State to keep the streak alive. The Aztecs are 6-0 all-time vs. the Lancers at home and will face the Bulldogs for the first time on Sunday.
- With her two goals vs. the Golden Bears last Wednesday, Carrillo extended her goal-scoring streak to a season-long six games. Over that time, the junior has scored 11 goals to raise her total to 30 on the season. Prior to her current run, her previous best in 2018 was a three-game goal-scoring streak (5 goals) back in mid-February.
- Kraft's scoring performance vs. California marked the second time she has led the team in goals this season, matching her two-goal effort vs. Long Beach State on Feb. 24, at the Barbara Kalbus Invitational. She has three multiple-goal games in 2018, and has 15 goals on the season, which is tied with Karli Canale for the third-highest total on the team, trailing Emily Bennett (36) and Carrillo (30).
- Bennett was held scoreless vs. the Golden Bears and has appeared in the scoring column twice in the last four games (3 goals), but continues to find other ways to contribute as evidenced by her season totals. The freshman leads the team in scoring (30), steals (46) and ejections drawn (49), and ranks second in field blocks (20) and third in assists (11).
- San Diego State will face a California Baptist program that it has dominated over the years. SDSU enters the contest with a 17-2 all-time record vs. the Lancers and has won 15 consecutive meetings. The schools split the first four contests and the Aztecs have not suffered a loss to CBU since an 8-4 setback on April 13, 2001, in Long Beach.
- SDSU is 7-0 vs. California Baptist (4-0 in San Diego) dating to a meeting in 2010. The last seven get-togethers have been close games with six being decided by two goals or less. The one outlier was an 11-6 decision at the 2015 GCC Championship in Stockton.
- The game vs. Fresno State on Sunday will be San Diego State's first as the Bulldogs are in their first season. The Aztecs will recognize at the game their four seniors in utility Lizzy Bilz, utility Courtney Jarvis, driver Katrina King and driver Malia Magro. The quartet has helped the Aztecs win four consecutive GCC regular-season titles, capture a 2016 GCC tournament championship and earn an NCAA tournament berth in 2016.
Opponent Notebook
California Baptist
The Lancers are 14-13 on the season and 2-1 in the Golden Coast... CBU, like SDSU, played once last week and defeated Azusa Pacific in Riverside, 9-8... California Baptist has struggled since the middle of March, going 2-4 in the process... Prior its current six-game stretch, CBU had won five straight and six of its last seven... After facing the Aztecs, the Lancers will face LMU on the road on Saturday... Kira O'Donell leads CBU with 47 goals... Grace Ramirez is the starting goalkeeper with 361 saves.
Fresno State
The Bulldogs are 4-14 (1-2 GCC) in their first season competing at the Division I level... Before facing the Aztecs, Fresno State will play at Concordia on Friday... FS lost a 13-11 decision to UC San Diego in Fresno on Satudray, dropping it to 1-4 in its last five games... The one win was a home victory over Santa Clara, 7-6, last Wednesday... Callie Woodruff leads Fresno state with 29 goals... Madelynn Garcia has started 12 of her 14 games in net and has 199 saves and a 10.43 GAA.