Aztecs Head to Omaha for a Pair

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San Diego State (0-2-0) at Omaha (1-1-0)
Friday, September 2 | 5 p.m. PT (7 p.m. CT) | Caniglia Field | Omaha, Neb.
Live Stream: Omaha Live Stream

San Diego State (0-2-0) at Creighton (2-0-0)
Monday, September 5 | 4:30 p.m. PT (6:30 p.m. CT) | Morrison Stadium | Omaha, Neb.
Live Stream: FloSports

Aztec Storylines
- The Aztecs head to Omaha, Neb. for a pair of matches this weekend. SDSU faces Omaha Friday evening at 5 p.m. PT (7 p.m. CT) and then plays at Creighton Monday at 4:30 p.m. PT (6:30 p.m. CT).
- SDSU lost their first two matches of the season, falling 2-1 at CSUN and then losing 2-1 to Loyola Marymount at home on Sunday.
- This weekend's games will be the Aztecs first contest in the central time zone since 2017 (UT Rio Grande Valley).
- SDSU returns seven starters from last year's team that was ranked as high as No. 13 in the nation and posted their best record since the 2016 season.
- The Aztecs have 15 newcomers (11 freshmen and four transfers) and had their 2022 recruiting class tabbed No. 1 in the nation by Top Drawer Soccer.
- The captains for the 2022 season are senior defender Kyle Colonna, junior goalkeeper Jacob Castro and junior midfielder Iñigo Villaldea.
- The Aztecs will play Washington, currently No. 8 in the nation, in the brand-new Snapdragon Stadium Sept. 29.
 
Streaks Snapped
- The Aztecs were undefeated in their last nine non-conference matches. Prior to last week, their last non-conference defeat was Oct. 18, 2019 to No. 21 Marshall.
- SDSU had won seven in a row when scoring first and was 5-0-0 when leading at the half last season.
- The Aztecs were 7-0-1 last year when leading in a game, including finishing the year on a six game win streak.
 
Player Notes
- Rommee Jaridly (Chino Hills, Calif.) scored his first collegiate goal against Loyola Marymount Sunday. It was just his second career appearance with the Aztecs after redshirting last season as a freshman.
- All three of the Aztecs' assists from last weekend came from newcomers: freshmen CJ Fodrey and Javi Camargo and Georgetown transfer Joe Daluz.
- Goalkeeper Jacob Castro (Spanaway, Wash.) was an All-Pac-12 First Team selection last season, the first Aztec goalkeeper to earn first team honors since 2006. He recorded seven shutouts last season, including five straight in non-conference play.
- Iñigo Villaldea (Gijón, Spain), who was also an All-Pac-12 First Team pick last year, was named a "Midfielder to Watch" by the United Soccer Coaches. He was one of just three Pac-12 players to be recognized.
- 2021 was the first season that the Aztecs had two players named to the All-Pac-12 First Team.
- Senior midfielder Blake Bowen (San Clemente, Calif.) has been an All-Pac-12 honorable mention selection in each of the past two seasons. He scored three game-winning goals last year, including two that occurred in the final seconds of regulation.
- Freshman forward CJ Fodrey (San Diego, Calif.) was named to Top Drawer Soccer's Preseason Freshman Best XI, one of three forwards in the nation selected.
- The Aztec back line is anchored by fifth year senior Kyle Colonna and junior Elias Katsaros. Colonna is one of SDSU's co-captains and a three-year starter while Katsaros has started all 26 matches of his collegiate career.
 
2021 Season Highlights
- SDSU went undefeated in non-conference play (6-0-2) for the first time since 2005.
- The Aztecs started a perfect 7-0-0 at home, the first time they've won their first seven home contests in a season since 1991. They finished the year 7-3-0, their best home winning percentage since 2011.
- SDSU were undefeated through their first eight matches (6-0-2) and recorded a shutout in seven of those contests.
- The Aztecs didn't trail for the first 865 minutes of the year and only trailed in regulation in four of their 17 matches.
- SDSU improved their win total by seven from 2020 to 2021 and boosted their RPI by over 80 spots.
- The Aztecs held their opponent scoreless in the first half in 13 of their 17 matches last season.
- SDSU was ranked or receiving votes for nearly the entire season and rose to as high as No. 13 in the nation, their highest ranking in five years.
- The Aztecs went to extra time five times last year (1-2-2). Matches will end in a draw if tied after 90 minutes in 2022.
 
Coach Hopkins' Take on Omaha
"Omaha is a program under new leadership, and you can tell they are very well coached. They have great patterns of play, and it will be a good test for our group that continues to get closer to full strength.
 
Opponent Notebook (Omaha)
The Mavericks went 1-1-0 in the first week of the season, losing to Rutgers 4-2 and then beating Oakland 3-1… They went 6-10-1 last year and 4-2-0 in the Summit League… Their soccer program started in 2011… They return 11 letterwinners and four starters from last year… Kenji Mboma Dem is the leading returned in points, goals and assists. He was an All-Summit League First Team Selection… Goalkeeper Nathanael Sallah started 11 matches last year and had four shutouts with a goals allowed average of 0.83… Head coach Donovan Dowling is in his first season as Omaha's head coach. He came from Louisville where he was an assistant coach for the past four years… This is the second all-time meeting with Omaha. The Aztecs are 1-0-1. They played to a 0-0 draw in San Diego in 2019.
 
Coach Hopkins' Take on Creighton
"Creighton is flying high and smashing goals in from all over the field. We have to relish the hostile crowd and the top 10 type of atmosphere. This game will be great prep for Pac-12 play and I couldn't be more excited to throw our team in the deep end and see how we swim."
 
Opponent Notebook (Creighton)
The Blue Jays got off to a fast start, scoring six goals against Oakland (6-0) and Rutgers (6-1) in the first week of the season… They also won all three of their preseason friendlies, scoring 3.7 goals per game… They went 9-8-2 last year and 5-4-1 in the Big East and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament… They return 23 letterwinners and eight starters from last year's squad… Duncan McGuire scored five goals in the Blue Jays' first two matches and Giorgio Probo dished out four assist… Charles Auguste and Callum Watson were both All-Big East selections last year… Goalkeeper Paul Kruse was the preseason Big East Preseason Goalkeeper of the Year… Creighton has made the NCAA Tournament 25 times, including a 24-year stretch from 1992 to 2016 where they made it 23 times… Head coach Johnny Torres (4th year) was a standout at Creighton, winning the Hermann Trophy in 1997. He was an assistant for at Creighton for 12 years before being promoted to head coach… The Aztecs are 0-1-1 all-time against Creighton. They lost 5-3 in extra time in 1993 and then tied 2-2 in the 2007 season opener.