Aztecs Hosting UCLA Wednesday Evening
Notes (PDF) | Aztec Digital Network | Live Stats
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UCLA (1-5-1, 0-4-1) at San Diego State (0-4-1, 0-4-1)
Wednesday, March 24 | 6 p.m. PT | SDSU Sports Deck | San Diego, Calif.
Media Coverage: Aztec Digital Network | Live Stats
Aztec Storylines
• Both UCLA and SDSU went 0-4-1 in their first pass through the Pac-12 schedule.
• The Aztecs and Bruins tied 1-1 in SDSU's season opener. The Aztecs held a 15-8 advantage in shots, including an 8-1 edge in the first half, and only allowed two UCLA shots on goal. UCLA struck first, scoring in the 73rd minute, and then SDSU's Blake Bowen tied it up five minutes later after redirecting a free kick.
• Three of SDSU's last four matches have come against teams ranked in the top eight in the country.
• SDSU has started at least eight underclassmen in every match and started 10 at No. 4 Oregon State last Saturday.
• Before the Aztecs' loss at No. 4 Oregon State last Saturday, all four of their matches had been decided in extra time or in the final 10 minutes of the match.
• Blake Bowen leads SDSU in points (6), goals (3), shots (8) and shots on goal (4).
• Four freshmen lead the Aztecs in minutes (Katsaros, Hankins, Kadono, and Ochoa).
• The Aztecs will host Washington on Sunday, their first time playing two matches in a week.
• Ryan Hopkins is in his first year as the Aztecs' head coach. He comes to SDSU from Virginia (2018-19) whereas an assistant he helped lead the Cavaliers to the 2019 NCAA Championship match. Hopkins has also made stops as an assistant at Denver (2013-17), Wisconsin (2012), Cal Poly (2009-11) and Concordia (2004-08), his alma mater.
• The Aztecs have 13 newcomers (all freshmen), and their recruiting class was ranked in the top 10 nationally by Top Drawer Soccer.
• Andre Ochoa was named to Top Drawer Soccer's Freshman Best XI preseason team. Ochoa was one of just four freshmen midfielders chosen and the only Pac-12 freshman named.
• The Aztecs posted a 3.26 team GPA in the 2020 fall semester, best among SDSU's men's programs.
Notes from the Oregon State Match (L 0-5, March 20)
• The Aztecs fell at No. 4 Oregon State 5-0 last Saturday.
• This was the first time SDSU had been shut out or lost by more than one goal this season.
• This was also the first time the Aztecs trailed at halftime.
• Freshmen Fritz Öestreicher and John Foltyn earned their first career start.
• The Aztecs' starting XI featured 10 underclassmen and six freshmen. Tristan Weber (Jr.) was the lone upperclassman.
• Freshmen Kevin Peraza and Aiden Hanes (goalkeeper) made their collegiate debut, coming off the bench in the second half.
Opponent Notebook (UCLA)
Coach Hopkins' Take: "UCLA has our full attention. We will need to put in a full performance against them to get a result. They have been playing really well and you will see contrasting styles of play between our heavy metal pressing and their more orchestra type possession play."
UCLA is 1-5-1 on the year and 0-4-1 in the Pac-12… Since tying SDSU 1-1 on Feb. 20, they are 0-4-0 and have been outscored 10-1… The Bruins have five goals in their six matches, but three came in their season opening 3-0 win vs. San Francisco… No Bruin has more than one goal… Goalkeeper Justin Garces has played every minute and has a goals allowed average of 1.66 and a save percentage of .647… The Bruins commit a Pac-12 low 9.57 fouls per game… UCLA is last in the conference with 2.86 shots on goal per game… Head coach Ryan Jorden is in his second season at UCLA. He was most recently at Pacific where he restarted a dormant program in 2013 and turned the Tigers into perennial national contenders… The Aztecs are 7-44-14 all-time against UCLA and 4-19-8 since joining the Pac-12 in 2005.