SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State women’s soccer team (9-3-3, 3-1-2 Pac-12) cruised to a 4-1 win over Fresno State (1-14-3, 0-6-1 Pac-12) on Sunday on the SDSU Sports Deck due to a hat trick by Aztec freshman KK Chowana-Bandhu.
After Naima Castro’s shot in the second minute was saved, Fresno State took an early lead when Kayla Robinson scored with an assist from Aniston Renovato in the fifth minute. The goal was the Bulldogs’ first since their Pac-12 opener on October 1 and marked Fresno State’s first ever lead in a Pac-12 conference match. For a while, the Bulldogs were able to keep the Aztecs at bay and maintain the lead. Goalkeeper Jessica Reiss saved shots by Alexyz Nakamoto (15th minute), Kenny Moore (19th minute) and Katie Senn (24th minute). The Aztecs were given a trio of yellow cards in the first half. Victoria Miller was given one in the 20th minute, Mike Friesen received one in the 22nd minute and Moore was issued one in the 31st. Kailey Carlen made a save of her own on a shot by Tatiana Saunders in the 28th minute.
In the 30th minute, Chowana-Bandhu broke through for SDSU. She beat a pair of defenders and placed the ball just out of the reach of Reiss into the right corner of the goal to tie the match. Seven minutes later, she struck again. Emma Fuller threw the ball in to Senn. Senn made a high pass to Chowana-Bandhu in front of the goal. The Oak Park native went up and headed the ball in to put the Aztecs in front 2-1 heading into halftime.
San Diego State did not take its foot off the gas as the second half began. Just 92 seconds after intermission, she fired from the top left corner of the box across to the top right corner of the net for her third goal of the day, doubling her career total. Charlie Gerson and Mia Hambro Svendsen got her the ball and were credited with assists. SDSU was not done. 78 seconds later, Fuller passed to Senn, who made a nice cross to Castro, who reached up with her leg and flicked the ball into the net to give the Aztecs a three-goal advantage.
In the 49th minute, Fresno State’s Saunders was given a yellow card. Alannah Gonzales and Eva Wees entered the match for the Aztecs and put shots on target in the 58th and 59th minutes, respectively. In the 62nd minute, Hambro Svendsen headed a Senn free kick into the net for what appeared to be the Aztecs’ fifth goal. Before the teams could resume the match, Fresno State challenged and the goal was overturned for offsides. Hambro Svendsen had another quality shot a minute later, but it was saved. In the 68th minute, Carlen dove and fully extended to bat away what would have otherwise been a goal by Mariona Sene Corominas. She also saved a shot by Miley Blough a few minutes later to keep the lead at 4-1 and SDSU prevented the Bulldogs from getting any more shots on target and held on for a 4-1 victory.
The Aztecs finished the match with more shots (28-12), shots on goal (12-4), corner kicks (8-5), fouls (13-12) and time of possession (61%-39%). The Bulldogs had more saves (8-3).
THE NOTE I
KK Chowana-Bandhu became the first Aztec freshman with a hat trick since Kim Castellanos did so twice in 2000, against New Mexico on October 20 and UNLV on October 22.
THE NOTE II
San Diego State has now had hat tricks in multiple home matches in a season twice in program history, coming in 2026 and 2000. Both times, the hat tricks came in consecutive home matches.
STAT OF THE DAY
With San Diego State’s win and Utah State’s loss, the Aztecs are two points back of Utah State and Boise State for first place in the Pac-12. All three teams have two matches remaining and SDSU will play the Aggies in Logan on November 5.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs round out their home slate with senior night against Gonzaga on Friday, October 30, at 7 p.m. The team will honor seniors Karoline Lundstrom, Rory Schank, Katie Senn and Eva Wees prior to the match. All home matches on the SDSU Sports Deck have free admission, and all of the Aztecs’ Pac-12 matches are streamed on the Pac-12 YouTube channel.