SAN DIEGO – San Diego State women's soccer concludes Mountain West regular season play on Thursday when they host New Mexico at the SDSU Sports Deck at 7 p.m. PT. SDSU is currently tied atop the Mountain West standings with Boise State on 25 points, while New Mexico heads into the match in eighth on 10 points.
Aztecs Notes
- SDSU enters the weekend 13-3-2, good for a .778 winning percentage. The Aztecs' 13 wins heading into Thursday are their most in a season since 2015 when SDSU went 15-4-1 overall and earned the MW regular season crown.
- San Diego State's 13 wins are tied for the second most in the nation, and the Aztecs are one of 15 teams who have won 13 games or more. SDSU is also 11-1-1 over their last 13 games.
- The Aztecs have clinched either the No. 1 seed or No. 2 seed in the conference tournament heading into the final matchday. If the Aztecs win they will be the one seed in the tournament and will clinch at least a share of the Mountain West regular season title. If SDSU draws the Aztecs could still earn the one seed and a share of the conference regular season title if Boise State and Utah State draw in their match against each other. If Utah State beats Boise State on Thursday and the Aztecs also win then SDSU will be earn sole possession of the MW regular season title.
- Last time out the Aztecs took full points with two wins over Wyoming at home 5-1, and at Colorado State 3-2. Olivia Sekimoto starred in SDSU's win over Wyoming, leading the Aztecs with two goals and an assist in the win. As for Sunday, the Aztecs earn the win in the last few minutes when Denise Castro scored her ninth goal of the campaign in the 86th minute to earn all three points for SDSU. Castro's nine goals to date are the most she has scored in a single season at San Diego State (she scored 8 in 2021, 7 in 2022)
- Two weeks ago the Aztecs split a pair in the Silver State. SDSU took care of business in Las Vegas, beating UNLV 2-0 on Thursday before falling 3-2 to Nevada in Reno on Sunday. Denise Castro and Kali Trevithick provided the goals in the win over UNLV. As for Sunday, SDSU fell behind 3-0 before late goals from Trinity Coker and Kiera Utush sparked the Aztecs in the final third, but time ran out before the Aztecs could complete the comeback.
- To begin October San Diego State took maximum points from the weekend over top of the table rivals Boise State and Utah State. SDSU took down Boise State 1-0 on Thursday, courtesy of an Alexys Ocampo goal. The Aztecs then extended their winning streak to four matches with a 2-1 win over Utah State on Sunday. After going down a goal SDSU rallied and scored two goals courtesy of Emma Gaines-Ramos and Denise Castro in the final half hour of play to earn the win.
- After sweeping the week, the Aztecs earned multiple accolades both on the conference level and national level. Forward Denise Castro earned MW offensive player of the week while keeper Alexa Madueno earned both MW defensive player of the week and College Soccer News' National Team of the Week honors.
- SDSU swept their opening home conference weekend, dispatching Air Force 1-0, before beating Colorado College 3-1. Alyza Eckhardt scored her first career goal in the win over Air Force, which was also head coach Mike Friesen's 100th career Mountain West win. Additionally, the Aztecs tallied 32 shots in their 3-1 triumph over Colorado College. Those 32 shots were the most in a single match for SDSU since the Aztecs had 38 shots in a win over Nevada back on October 9, 2016.
- The Aztecs opened Mountain West play with a win and a draw on the road. SDSU took down Fresno State 5-1, before drawing three days later at reigning Mountain West Tournament champions San Jose State, 2-2. SDSU's five goals against Fresno State were the most the Aztecs had scored in a conference match since SDSU scored six goals in a 6-1 win over San Jose State in March of 2021. Jenna West scored her first career goal in the win over Fresno State. With two goals and two assists on the weekend, Denise Castro earned MW offensive player of the week.
- To conclude non-conference play, the Aztecs took down USD 4-0 at Snapdragon Stadium in front of a crowd over 2,533. The Aztecs scored a trio of goals in the first half, including Emma Gaines-Ramos' first of the season to open the scoring, while Denise Castro provided a goal in each half to help the Aztecs to the win. Kiera Utush also tallied her first assist of the season in the win.
- San Diego State beat cross town foe UC San Diego 3-2 two weeks ago in the first of two local derbys. The Aztecs were led by Kali Trevithick who tallied a career-high five points in the win (2G, 1A). She opened the scoring with a goal from open play and then iced the game with a stunning free kick goal in the 76th minute to secure the win for the Aztecs. Trinity Coker also scored her first goal of the season in the win.
- SDSU split a pair in the Pacific Northwest to end the month of August. After dropping a back-and-forth contest with No. 17 Washington State 2-1, the Aztecs responded with a 2-0 win over Eastern Washington to conclude the trip.
- Dori Savage scored her fourth and fifth goals of the season to lead the Aztecs to a win over Eastern Washington on Sunday. Freshman Emma Fuller assisted on the first goal Savage scored, it was the first assist of her career. The win over Eastern Washington was head coach Mike Friesen's 175th in charge of the program.
- Back in mid-August the Aztecs earned an impressive 1-1 draw against one of the best teams on the west coast in Pepperdine in the final seconds on Thursday, before falling to Long Beach State on Sunday 3-0.
- In the match against Pepperdine (Aug. 24), the Aztecs fell behind during the midway point of the second half before Dori Savage leveled the match at the 89:15 mark. The goal was the Aztecs first 90th minute goal since Denise Castro scored in the 90th minute to beat Nebraska in the 2022 season opener.
- San Diego State opened the 2023 regular season with two wins to begin the season. SDSU took down Sacred Heart 2-0 in the season opener (Aug. 17), before earning a comeback win over UTEP on Sunday morning 2-1 (Aug. 20).
- San Diego State also earned a win in tough conditions over UTEP to close out their opening weekend. The Aztecs took down UTEP, with rain coming down and strong winds throughout the morning, courtesy of a Dori Savage brace. The two goals were the first of Savage's collegiate career.
21 Savage
- Dori Savage (Chula Vista, Calif.) has quickly made a name for herself coming off the bench for the Aztecs. The local product has scored six times off the bench, and has the second most goals of any Aztec in 2023. She has two braces on the year: the first came against UTEP, while the second came at Eastern Washington. Savage also added a goal in the 90th minute in the Aztecs 1-1 draw with Pepperdine.
That's a First
- Jenna West tallied her first career goal as the Aztecs beat Fresno State 5-1 to open conference play. The Clayton, California native now has one goal and one assist over five appearances (two starts) this season.
- Kali Trevithick notched her first two goals as an Aztec in the 3-2 win over UC San Diego on September 7. She also tallied an assist on the night to set a new career-high in total points with five. The Anchorage, Alaska natives previous high was four points (2G) while she was at UCLA.
- Dori Savage scored two goals against UTEP on August 20. Those two goals were the first brace of her collegiate career, as well as the first two goals overall of her career. Savage has appeared in 15 total matches for the Aztecs over the course of the 2022 and 2023 seasons and has scored five goals. All five of those goals have come in the 2023 season where she has played just 256 minutes.
- Four Aztecs made their collegiate or San Diego State debut in the 2-0 win over Sacred Heart to open the season. Boston Girman and Lily Boudet made their first collegiate appearances, while Kali Trevithick and Bekah Brooks made their SDSU debuts. Additionally, Emma Fuller and Sofia Bacsafra both earned their first career minutes in the win at Eastern Washington (9/3), Fuller also earned her first career assist in the 2-0 win over the Eagles.
- Olivia Sekimoto scored the first goal of the season in the Aztecs win over Sacred Heart. It was the second goal of her career (first was 8/21/22 vs. Idaho).
- Emma Gaines-Ramos scored her first goal of the season in the Aztecs 4-0 win over USD at Snapdragon Stadium, and also added an assist later in the match. The junior now has 13 career goals to go along with 17 career assists.
- Jenna West, Alyza Eckhardt, and Alexys Ocampo all dished out their first career assists in the Aztecs opening weekend (West against Sacred Heart, Eckhardt, Ocampo against UTEP). Emma Fuller also earned the first assist of her career in the win at Eastern Washington (9/3).
Best In The Mountain West
- The Aztecs are ranked in the top three in the Mountain West as a team in multiple categories. San Diego State leads the conference in points (116), goals (41), goals per game (2.28), assists (34), and assists per game (1.89). The Aztecs currently sit second in goals allowed (20), and third in total saves (95).
Player Notes
- Thirteen different Aztecs have either scored goals or tallied assists in 2023. Carlin Blake, Denise Castro, Trinity Coker, Alyza Eckhardt, Alexys Ocampo, Emma Gaines-Ramos, Dori Savage, Olivia Sekimoto, Kali Trevithick, Kiera Utush, and Jenna West have all found the back of the net. Additionally Castro, Blake, Eckhardt, Emma Fuller, Gaines-Ramos, Ocampo, Katie Senn, Trevithick, Utush, and West have all have dished out assists.
- Castro is tied for second in the conference in total points with 24. She is tied for second in goals scored with nine, and is also tied for second in the conference in assists with six. Over her three years on The Mesa Castro has scored 24 goals putting her seventh all-time in career goals at SDSU. Her 59 total points (24G, 11A) also put her ninth all-time in total points at San Diego State.
- The Aztecs have multiple players amongst the best statistically in the Mountain West. Emma Gaines-Ramos is tied for sixth in the conference in total points with 15, while Kali Trevithick is tied for eighth on 14 points and Dori Savage is tied for 10th with 13 points.
- In the assists category San Diego State has three players listed amongst the top 10 in the conference. Alexys Ocampo has tallied six assists and is currently tied for second in the conference in the category, along with Castro who also has with six assists. Emma Gaines-Ramos is tied for fifth with five, and Kali Trevithick rounds out the Aztecs in a tie for 10th with four assists.
Climbing the Ranks
- Keeper Alexa Madueno, a three-year starter to date on The Mesa, continues to climb the ranks of the SDSU record book. After making 90 stops in goal so far this season, Madueno has climbed to second all-time in saves with 297 career saves. Additionally with the shutout wins over Sacred Heart, Air Force, Boise State, and UNLV, as well as two combined shutouts in the wins over Eastern Washington and USD, Madueno continues her climb up the career shutouts board and now sits fourth all-time with 21. Madueno is also eighth in the record book in career goals against average at 1.30.
Team Notes
- Head Coach Mike Friesen continues his 17th campaign leading the Mountain West's most successful women's soccer program. Friesen has guided his squad to ten Mountain West championships (five tournament and five regular season), and five NCAA Tournament appearances, both the most among any current league head coach. Now in his 17th season of conference play, Friesen has an 106-35-20 record. His 106 league victories are the most by any head coach in Mountain West history (the inaugural season of the MW was in 1999).
- Friesen's 185 victories (185-114-45) since the start of the 2007 season, the year he took control of the program, are the most by any current coach in the Mountain West and rank second in league history (Jennifer Rockwood, BYU, 190 victories). Colorado College's Geoff Bennett's 150 victories in the last 16 seasons ranks second among current MW head coaches.
- San Diego State is picked to finish in second place in the MW coaches' preseason poll. This marks the 13th time in 14 seasons the Aztecs have been picked to finish in either first or second place. The only time SDSU was lower than second place in the preseason poll in the last 13 years was in 2019, a year in which the Aztecs were predicted to finish fourth. That team went 10-9-1, shared the Mountain West regular-season title at 8-2-0, and reached the championship game of the league tournament.
- The Aztecs have won nine of the last 20 MW trophies (regular season and tournament), all of which have come under the direction of head coach Mike Friesen. In total, the 17th-year head coach has guided San Diego State to 11 conference titles.
- San Diego State has earned 11 Mountain West titles since the conference's inception in 1999. SDSU was the regular season champions in 1999, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2019. The program was the tournament champion in 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2017, and its five tournament titles are the most among any current member of the Mountain West and the second best in the league's history (BYU, 7).