Aztecs Play at No. 17 LMU Monday

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(RV) San Diego State (1-0-0) at No. 17 Loyola Marymount (1-0-0)
Monday, August 30 | 7 p.m. PT | Sullivan Field | Los Angeles Calif.
Media Coverage: WCC Network | Live Stats

Aztec Storylines
- The Aztecs beat CSUN 2-0 in their season opener Thursday evening behind two goals in the last 10 minutes of the match.
- Freshman Alex Hjælmof scored a goal and notched an assist in his collegiate debut. His first goal came in the 82^nd minute on a PK after he was fouled in the box. In the 88^th minute, he assisted Andre Ochoa on a nifty give-and-go.
- SDSU plays at No. 17 LMU Monday evening. In Coach Hopkins' 12 matches as head coach, seven have come against ranked opponents.
- SDSU is receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll. Three Pac-12 teams are ranked (No. 8 Stanford, No. 9 Washington and No. 16 Oregon State).
- The Aztecs return eight starters from a season ago, including all three of their all-Pac-12 honorees (Andre Ochoa, Blake Bowen and Iñigo Villaldea).
- SDSU brings back 82 percent of their scoring and 87 percent of their points from last year.
- SDSU has nine newcomers (seven freshmen and two transfers). The Aztecs added three defenders, three midfielders, two forwards and one goalkeeper. Four of the incoming Aztecs are international recruits, hailing from Australia, Denmark, Netherlands and Slovenia. Rik Regeling (Netherlands) was listed by Top Drawer Soccer as one of their ten "International Players to Watch."
- The Aztecs have 16 underclassmen and just four seniors.
- After playing a Pac-12 exclusive schedule last year, SDSU will play seven non-conference matches this season, six of which will be against schools from the Big West or WCC.
- SDSU only has two matches outside of California (at Washington and Oregon State).
 
Notes from the CSUN Match (W, 2-0, Aug. 26)
- This was SDSU's first shutout in a season opener since 2013 when they beat No. 16 San Diego 5-0.
- The Aztecs were outshot 9-7 and 6-5 in the second half but only allowed two shots on goal.
- SDSU's five shots on goal all came from different players.
- Goalkeeper Jason Castro, a transfer from Washington, collected a shutout in his first appearance as an Aztec.
- Defender Kyle Colonna, Elias Katsaros and Tadej Pirtovšek played all 90 minutes.
- The Aztecs have only trailed at halftime in three of their 11 matches under second year head coach Ryan Hopkins.
- Four of the Aztec starters were making their SDSU debut: Alex Hjælmof, Tadej Pirtovšek, Donovan Roux and goalkeeper Jacob Castro.
- SDSU used just three subs: So Nishikawa, Henry Smith-Hastie and Austin Wehner.
- The match featured 33 fouls and six cautions (two for SDSU).
 
Coach Hopkins' Take on LMU
"LMU has our full attention as the reigning WCC champion and a nationally ranked squad. They are organized, stout defensively, dynamic in attack and have one of the best midfielders on the West Coast in Noel Caliskan. It will be a good early season NCAA Tournament atmosphere and I'm looking forward to our boys competing and rising to the challenge."
 
Opponent Notebook (LMU)
LMU went 6-0-3 last year and won the WCC with a 5-0-2 record… They lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on PKs to Marquette… They are ranked No. 17 in the preseason United Soccer Coaches and were picked to win the WCC by the league's coaches… They won at Oral Robert 3-1 Thursday evening in their season opener behind two second half goals… Midfielder Noel Caliskan, a preseason All-American, had a goal and an assist… Caliskan and goalkeeper Jacob Jackson were named to the preseason All-WCC team… Jackson is the reigning WCC Goalkeeper of the Year and ranked second in the NCAA in goals allowed average last year… Head coach Paul Krumpe is entering his 24^th season at LMU and has led the Lions to three WCC championships and two straight trips to the NCAA tournament… The Aztecs are 12-7-1 all-time against LMU, but haven't faced the Lions since 2010.