SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State men’s soccer team returns to San Diego Saturday when they host UC Davis for their annual match at Snapdragon Stadium at 7 p.m. Tickets are as low as $10 and parking is free.
Aztec Tidbits
- This will be the Aztecs’ third time playing at Snapdragon Stadium and they have set attendance records for the program in each of their first two matches. They had 2,769 fans attend their match vs. Washington in 2022 and 3,632 in attendance last year against San Diego.
- San Diego State is coming off a 4-1 loss at Oregon State, who played in the College Cup a year ago Sunday. This was just their third non-conference loss over the last 21 matches (14-3-4)
- SDSU is 18-2-1 in non-conference home matches under head coach Ryan Hopkins (5th season).
- The Aztecs are 21-11-4 at home since the beginning of the 2021 season.
- SDSU has shut out their opponents in seven of their last 10 home non-conference matches.
- 11 different Aztecs have recorded a point this season and eight have at least two points.
- In each of their last three matches, at least 17 players played for at least 20 minutes.
- The Aztecs have used a different starting lineup in each of their last six matches.
- The Aztecs are ranked No. 9 in the United Soccer Coaches Far West Region.
- After playing their first five matches in San Diego (and four at home), six of SDSU’s next seven matches are on the road. Saturday’s match vs. UC Davis is their only game in a six-week span.
- The Aztecs will be competing in the WAC as an affiliate member this year following the demise of the Pac-12. SDSU, who played in the Pac-12 for the past 19 years, played in the WAC from 1996-98. The WAC has sent multiple teams to the NCAA tournament in five of the last seven years.
- The Aztecs were picked to finish third in the WAC Preseason Coaches poll, trailing Seattle and California Baptist.
- SDSU’s five goals against UC Riverside in their season opener tied for their most vs. a DI opponent in the Ryan Hopkins era (5th season).
- The Aztecs’ loss at San Diego Aug. 26 snapped a stretch of 14 non-conference matches without a loss (11-0-3).
- San Diego State has been in the national rankings in two of the last three seasons.
- Last season was the first since 2012 that SDSU had four players with at least 10 points. Three of those players return: Austin Brummett (17), Rommee Jaridly (13) and Terence Okoeguale (10).
Player Notes
- Austin Brummett, who was named to the Preseason All-WAC Team, leads the WAC in shots on goal per game (1.57) and is second in shots per game (2.86) and shot accuracy (55%).
- Terence Okoeguale is tied with Brummett for the team-lead with six points (2 goals and 2 assists).
- Brummett’s three goals are tied for fourth in the WAC.
- Rommee Jaridly, a Pac-12 honorable mention selection a year ago, is second in the WAC with three assists. Last year he was second on the team with 13 points (4 goals and 5 assists).
- Goalkeeper Djibirl Doumbia made his third start of the season at Oregon State Sunday. Doumbia is in his sixth year of college and was a three-year starter at Old Dominion.
- Goalkeeper Eddy Vargas, a transfer from Vermont who also is in his sixth year of college, has started four matches. His 0.93 goals allowed average is second in the WAC.
- Long Island transfer André Puente was named a “Defender to Watch” by the United Soccer Coaches, one of 16 players to be highlighted. Puente has been an All-NEC First Team selection each of the past three seasons and made the All-Northeast Region Team the past two years.
- Redshirt sophomore defender Reid Fisher was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and a Freshman All-American (College Soccer News) last season.
- Both Puente and Fisher were named top 100 players in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer.
- Fisher was tabbed the WAC Preseason Defender of the Year by the league’s coaches.
- Forward Robbie Matei, a transfer from American University, was a Patriot League Second Team selection in each of the last two seasons. He is tied for second on the team with two goals.
- Midfielder Daniel Pacella, one of two transfers from Vermont, made the America East Second Team twice and was the league’s Rookie of the Year in 2020-21.
- Three players have started every match for SDSU: Brummett, Fisher and Jaridly.
- Fisher is the only Aztec to play every minute this season.
- Beto Apolinar, the team captain, has started at three different positions this season: center back, defensive midfield and center midfield. He is second on the team in minutes played (82 per match).
- Ferran Florencio Catalá scored the game-winning goal vs. Sacramento State Sept. 6. It was the first career collegiate goal for the 24-year-old forward from Spain.
- The Aztecs return three of their top four leaders in points from a season ago, including Brummett, who had a team-high 17 points (7 goals and 3 assists).
- SDSU has 10 players in their fourth, fifth or sixth year of college.
- The Aztecs return nine letterwinners and six starters. 10 returners started at least one match last season.
- SDSU has 13 newcomers (seven transfers and six freshmen).
Opponent Notebook (UC Davis)
The Aggies are 4-2-1 on the year and 2-2-0 on the road… They are coming off a 1-0 loss at No. 1 Stanford Wednesday… Prior to that, they had won four in a row including a 2-1 win at Oregon State… Cason Goodman leads them with nine points… Goalkeeper Noah Schwengeler has a goals allowed average of 1.09… Head coach Dwayne Shaffer is in his 28th season with the Aggies. He is closing in on 250 career wins… The Aztecs are 2-2-0 all-time against UC Davis. They last played in 2021, a 1-0 SDSU win
Coach Hopkins’ Take on UC Davis
“UC Davis is off to a great start this year and will provide a stern challenge. They are athletic, seasoned and organized. We expect another big crowd at Snapdragon and look forward to watching these two teams lock horns.”