SAN DIEGO – The Aztec men's soccer team (6-3-4, 0-3-2 Pac-12) returns to the Sports Deck this week to host Oregon State (6-5-3, 3-1-3) Thursday at 4:30 and Washington (5-5-5, 2-3-2) Sunday at 3 p.m.
Aztec Tidbits
- These will be SDSU's first matches at the Sports Deck since Oct. 1. The Aztecs had a school record eight straight home games from Aug. 28 to Oct. 1.
- The Aztecs are 6-1-2 at home this year and 6-1-1 on the Sports Deck.
- SDSU is coming off a 2-1 loss at UCLA. The Aztecs scored first, but then allowed two second half goals.
- The Aztecs are top 10 in the nation in five statistical categories including shutout percentage (2nd, 0.615), assists per game (5th, 2.77) and goal differential (10th, +20).
- SDSU is allowing just 3.5 shots on goal per game.
- The Aztecs played Oregon State to a 2-2 draw earlier this month with Noah Cretier heading in the equalizer in the 90th minute. It was Cretier's first career goal.
- It's the second year in a row that the Aztecs have earned a draw at Oregon State. Prior to last season, SDSU hadn't won or tied at OSU since 2013.
- SDSU is 18-8-3 at home over the last three years.
- The Aztecs didn't allow a goal for the first 650 minutes of the season and were the last team in the nation that hadn't conceded a goal.
- The Aztecs played No. 6 Stanford to a 0-0 draw Oct. 1st. This was the second time in the last two years that SDSU has played the Cardinal to a 0-0 draw while Stanford was ranked in the top 10.
- SDSU was the first team to shutout Stanford since Washington did it Oct. 6, 2022, a span of 18 matches. Stanford has been shutout just three times in its last 24 matches with two of those coming against SDSU.
- The Aztecs finished their non-conference schedule undefeated (6-0-2). It's the second time in the last three years the Aztecs have gone undefeated in non-conference play.
- SDSU is undefeated (10-0-3) in their last 13 non-conference matches.
- Under head coach Ryan Hopkins (4th season), the Aztecs are 15-1-1 in non-conference home matches.
- 16 different Aztecs have started a match this season. Of that group, nine were making their first career start for SDSU.
- 16 of the 18 field players who have appeared in a match this season have recorded a point.
- This is the second time in the last three years that SDSU allowed two goals or less through their first nine matches.
- This is the second time in the last three years that the Aztecs won each of their first six home games.
- All six Pac-12 teams are inside the top 50 in RPI.
- The Aztecs have 10 newcomers in 2023 with six transfers and four freshmen. Top Drawer Soccer ranked SDSU as having the 14th best incoming class in the country. SDSU was rated as the best incoming class in the nation a year ago.
- Of the six transfers new to SDSU in 2023, four are fifth-year seniors, one is a fourth-year senior and the other is a junior. In total, the Aztecs have 10 players in their fourth or fifth year of college.
- The Aztecs also have eight players who are true or redshirt freshmen and four of them already have made a start this season.
- SDSU had 15 players playing in the USL League Two over the summer. Nine of them played for clubs that made the playoffs including Christian Engmann, a transfer from Saint Mary's, who won the championship with Ballard FC.
- Following last season five Aztecs signed professional contracts, believed to be the most in program history. CJ Fodrey, the Top Drawer National Freshman of the Year, became the highest selection in the MLS SuperDraft in school history when Austin FC drafted him No. 13 overall. Blake Bowen (Seattle Sounders), Jacob Castro (Seattle Sounders), Kyle Colonna (New Mexico United) and Elias Katsaros (Tacoma Defiance) also moved to the professional ranks.
Player Notes
- Defender Reid Sproat (Auburn, Ind.) was ranked as the 14th best player in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer.
- Sophomore goalkeeper Logan Erb (Houston, Texas) is tied for 15th in the nation and leads the Pac-12 with six shutouts. He also leads the Pac-12 in save percentage (0.775). Erb was recently named the 89th best player in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer.
- Erb didn't allow a goal for the first 572 minutes to start his college career.
- Alexander Levengood (Richmond, Va.) has a Pac-12 high seven assists. His 0.58 assists per game is 22nd in the nation.
- Levengood's seven assists are the most by an Aztec since Abraham Villon had seven in 2013.
- Austin Brummett (Bow, N.H.) is third in the Pac-12 with seven goals and fourth with 17 points. In September, he had a stretch where he recorded a point in six straight matches.
- Rommee Jaridly (Chino Hills, Calif.) is second on the team with 12 points (4 goals and 4 assists). In September, Jairdly had a five-match stretch of recording at least one point.
- Terence Okoeguale (Cologne, Germany) is third on the team in points with 10 points. Okoeguale, an Akron transfer, has scored five goals.
- This is the first time since 2012 the Aztecs have four players with at least 10 points: Brummett (17), Jaridly (12), Levengood (11) and Okoeguale (10).
- Jules Anderson (Ocean, N.J.) is second on the team with five assists.
- Jaridly and Seth Clark (Christchurch, New Zealand) each have four assists.
- Defender Reid Fisher (Huntington Beach, Calif.) was named the 29th best freshman in the country by Top Drawer Soccer.
- Sproat and Fisher have played every minute against DI competition. Those two plus Noah Crétier (Nice, France) Beto Apolinar (Los Angeles) are averaging at least 80 minutes per game.
- Tristan Viviani (Redwood City, Calif.) and Austin Brummett have won Pac-12 Player of the Week awards this season. This is the first time since 2016, when SDSU last made the NCAA tournament, that they have won two Pac-12 Players of the Week.
- Fifth-year senior midfielder Henry Smith-Hastie (Los Angeles) was tabbed team captain for the 2023 campaign.
Opponent Notebook (Oregon State)
The Beavers are 6-5-3 and 3-1-3 in the Pac-12… They are 3-2-1 on the road… Last week they fell to Stanford 4-0 and then beat Cal 1-0… They are 25th in the nation in assists per game (2.07)… They are second in the Pac-12 in shots per game (14.6) and shots on goal per game (5.5)… Logan Farrington leads the Pac-12 in points (14) and goals (10)… Fran Cortijo is 21st in the nation with 0.55 assists per game… Head coach Greg Dalby is in his first year at OSU. He came from Penn State where he spent five years as an assistant… The Aztecs are 12-23-5 against OSU all-time… They are 1-1-1 over the last two seasons.
Opponent Notebook (Washington)
The Huskies are 5-5-5 overall and 2-3-2 in Pac-12 play… They are 2-1-3 on the road… Last week they lost to Cal 2-1 and tied No. 14 Stanford 1-1… They have scored 20 goals and allowed 20 goals… Bryan Ilihoan leads the team in points (10) and goals (4)… Goalkeeper Sam Fowler has a goals allowed average of 1.36… Head coach Jamie Clark (13th season) has a career record of 165-57-28 and has led the Huskies to 10 NCAA Tournaments… The Aztecs are 7-27-8 all-time vs. UW… SDSU lost at Washington 3-1 earlier this month… SDSU head coach Ryan Hopkins got his first career win vs. UW when the Huskies were ranked No. 4 (March 28, 2021).
Aztecs Host Oregon State Thursday Night
