Last Time Out
The Aztecs fell in the 2018 home opener 2-1 to Army West Point. SDSU got on the scoreboard first with a beautiful display of passing between Damian German, Emil Kjellker and Keegan Kelly to set up Pablo Pelaez for a 23rd minute goal. SDSU took the lead in to half time but saw the Black Knights score two second half goals, one in the 58th minute and another in the 80th minute, to earn the win.
Aztec Storylines
- The Aztecs will be hosting the 11th annual Courtyard Marriott San Diego Central Aztec Soccer Tournament this weekend. They will host LIU Brooklyn Friday evening and UC Irvine on Sunday at 5:00 p.m. Both those teams will also face Loyola Marymount. In the tournament's ten year history, the Aztecs have been crowned champions four times (2009, '11, '14 & '16).
- The Aztecs are in the midst of a stretch of five consecutive home matches (Sept. 1 – 24). They will then begin Pac-12 play with a pair of matches in the Bay Area against Stanford (Sept. 27) and Cal (Sept. 30), before returning for three more consecutive home matches (Oct. 4-13), meaning seven of their next nine matches will be at home.
- Pablo Pelaez, the Aztec's captain, has scored a goal in each of the last two matches, putting him in a tied for third in the Pac-12 with 0.67 goals per match. Washington's Scott Menzies leads the conference with four goals in four matches.
- Assistant Coach Josh Hill (2nd Season) recently received high praise from Top Drawer Soccer. He was one of nine DI coaches tabbed "Assistant Coach to Watch." Hill has been instrumental in the Aztecs' roster overhaul via the transfer market and is one of the top up-and-coming young coaches in the nation.
- The Aztecs have fielded a different starting XI in all three matches so far this season, but each lineup combination has featured at least six players who entered the year with less than 10 career starts for the Aztecs. Of the 17 players who played in their last match, eight are new to the program this year. SDSU's 13 newcomers were recently named a top 30 2018 recruiting class by Top Drawer Soccer.
- The Aztecs' schedule will only get more difficult as the season progresses. 10 of SDSU' final 14 matches are against teams ranked or receiving votes in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll.
Opponent Notebook
LIU Brooklyn
The Blackbirds are 1-2-1 on the season... Their lone win was a 2-1 victory in extra time against Northeastern... They went 6-9-3 in 2017... They have allowed eight goals through four matches with six of them coming in the second half... Fredrik Mathisen leads the team with two goals; Romario Guscott has a goal and an assist... Sam Ilin and Anthony Sciola have both made two starts in goal. They have combined for a 1.88 goals allowed average... Head Coach TJ Kostecky (20th season) enters the year with a 126-173-44 career record at LIU Brooklyn... This is the first ever meeting between these two programs.
UC Irvine
The Anteaters are 2-1-1 so far this year... Their only loss was at UCLA (1-0)... They are receiving votes in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll... UC Irvine opened the season without allowing a goal for 252 minutes, the third-longest stretch to open a season in program history... Senior Ivan Canales is the team's active career leader in goals (16), assists (15) and points (47)... Goalkeeper Greg Patenaude has 13 saves and a goals allwowed average of 0.68... Head Coach Yossi Raz is in his second season after spending four years as the head coach at Cal Poly Pomona... The Aztecs are 12-7-5 all-time against UC Irvine... They last played in 2015 as part of the Courtyard Marriott Central San Diego Tournament and tied 0-0.