SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State men’s soccer team hosts Sacramento State Friday evening at 7 p.m. on the SDSU Sports Deck. All SDSU’s home matches will be streamed on WAC International TV. The streams are free but require you to create an account.
Aztec Tidbits
- The Aztecs are coming off a 1-0 loss to Vermont, who was ranked No. 17 by Top Drawer Soccer, Monday evening. SDSU did outshoot the Catamounts 8-4 in the second half, but only had one shot on goal.
- The loss was SDSU’s first non-conference home loss in over two years, spanning a stretch of 19 matches where they went 17-1-1.
- The Aztecs have outshot their opponents 55-38 and hold a 29-9 advantage in corner kicks. Their 7.3 corner kicks per game is the 18th most in the nation and they have attempted more corner kicks than their opponent in every game.
- Through four matches, SDSU already has had nine players record a point and 15 different players have made at least one start.
- The Aztecs are ranked No. 6 in the United Soccer Coaches Far West Region.
- SDSU is 17-2-1 in non-conference home matches under head coach Ryan Hopkins (5th season).
- The Aztecs are 20-11-4 at home since the beginning of the 2021 season.
- SDSU’s first five matches are in San Diego with four being on the Sports Deck and one at the University of San Diego. Following that, six of their next seven matches will be 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.
- 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).
- 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 snapped a stretch of 14 non-conference matches without a loss (11-0-3).
Player Notes
- Austin Brummett. who was named to the Preseason All-WAC Team, is tied for the team lead in points (4) and goals (2) and has a team-high 13 shots and six shots on goal.
- Forward Robbie Matei, a transfer from American University, is tied with Brummett for the team lead in points (4) and goals (2). He scored two goals in the season opener vs. UC Riverside, his first time in his 59 career matches that he scored two goals in a game. He was a Patriot League Second Team selection in each of the last two seasons.
- Goalkeeper Eddy Vargas, a transfer from Vermont who is in his sixth year of college, has started the last two matches and has a goals allowed average of 1.2 and a save percentage of 72.7 have each
- Long Island transfer André Puente made his debut vs. Vermont Monday. He 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.
- Freshman Cianole Nguepissi also made his SDSU debut Monday, earning the start and playing 64 minutes as a defensive midfielder.
- 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.
- Seven players have started every match for SDSU: Brummett, Matei, Fisher, Rommee Jaridly, Ulises Esquivel, Beto Apolinar and Tristan Viviani.
- Fisher is the only Aztec to play every minute this season.
- Apolinar has started in three different positions in the last three matches: defensive midfield, center back and center midfielder.
- 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).
- Rommee Jaridly, a Pac-12 honorable mention selection a year ago, was second on the team with 13 points (4 goals and 5 assists) last season. He has dished out two assists in SDSU’s first three matches.
- Jules Anderson tied for second on the team with five assists last season.
- 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. He scored in his Aztec debut Thursday vs. UC Riverside.
- 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 (Sacramento State)
The Hornets are 0-3-0 on the year with losses to Utah Valley, Cal and San Jose State… They were picked tied for ninth in the Big West Preseason Coaches poll… They went 4-10-4 last year and 1-4-4 in conference… They have been outscored 6-2 and outshot 36-24… Goalkeeper Mac Learned has a save percentage of 68.4%... The Hornets are coached by Michael Linenberger who is in his 35th year as head coach. SDSU is 4-2-3 all-time vs. the Hornets and this will be their first time playing in 20 years.
Coach Hopkins’ Take on Sacramento State
“We need a response after losing our first non-conference home game in over two years. I expect us to be focused and ready to play up to our standards.