SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State men’s soccer team plays at UC Irvine Saturday at 6 p.m. for their final non-conference match of the season.
Aztec Tidbits
- The Aztecs are coming off a 3-3 draw vs. UC Davis last Saturday. Robbie Matei and Terence Okoeguale each had a goal and an assist while Austin Brummett scored as well.
- SDSU scored their first goal just 16 seconds into the match which is believed to be the quickest goal in a game in school history.
- The match vs. the Aggies was played at Snapdragon Stadium and 3,802 fans were in attendance, a program record. All three of SDSU’s games at Snapdragon Stadium have resulted in new school records for attendance.
- San Diego State has lost just three non-conference matches over their last 22 chances (14-3-5).
- SDSU is 18-2-2 in non-conference home matches under head coach Ryan Hopkins (5th season).
- The Aztecs are 21-11-5 at home since the beginning of the 2021 season.
- SDSU has shut out their opponents in seven of their last 11 home non-conference matches.
- The Aztecs lead the WAC in assists (15), assists per game (1.88), points per game (5.13) and corner kicks per game (5.5).
- San Diego State is second in the WAC in goals (13).
- 12 different Aztecs have recorded a point this season and eight have at least two points.
- The Aztecs have used a different starting lineup in each of their last seven matches.
- The Aztecs are ranked No. 6 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.
- 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
- Forward Robbie Matei, a transfer from American University, was named the WAC Offensive Player of the Week after scoring a goal and dishing out an assist vs. UC Davis last Saturday. He was a Patriot League Second Team selection in each of the last two seasons. He is tied for second on the team with three goals.
- Rommee Jaridly, a Pac-12 honorable mention selection a year ago, leads the WAC with four assists. Last year he was second on the team with 13 points (4 goals and 5 assists).
- Austin Brummett, who was named to the Preseason All-WAC Team, is second in the WAC in shots on goal per game (1.50) and shot accuracy (55%).
- Brummett’s four goals are tied for third in the WAC.
- Terence Okoeguale’s team-high nine points (3 goals and 3 assists) are tied for the third most in the WAC.
- Goalkeeper Djibril Doumbia made his fourth start of the season vs. UC Davis Saturday. 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 leads 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.
- 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.
- Four other Aztecs have played at least 600 minutes this year (75/match): Beto Apolinar, Tristan Viviani, Jaridly and Brummett.
- 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 (83 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 Irvine)
The Anteaters are 2-4-1 on the year and 2-1-1 at home… Four of their seven matches have been against opponents SDSU has played as well. SDSU’s record vs. those opponents is 1-3-0, while UC Irvine’s is 1-2-1… UC Irvine won the Big West last year and was the preseason favorite to win it again this year… They had three players on the preseason All-Big West Team: Francesco Montanile, Luke Pruter and Mathias Winum… Agaton Pourshahidi leads the team in points (11) and goals (5)… Goalkeeper Alex Shields has a goals allowed average of 2.0… Head coach Yossi Raz (7th season) led UCI to the NCAA Tournament last year… The Aztecs are 13-7-5 all-time vs. UC Irvine. They last played in 2018, a 2-0 Aztec win in extra time.
Coach Hopkins’ Take on UC Irvine
“It will be a close contest and we need a complete performance to get a result.”