Aug. 26, 2015
San Jose, Calif. - Following a 1-1-0 record in a pair of exhibition matches to start the year, the San José State men's soccer team begins its quest for the 2015 Western Athletic Conference championship on Friday evening at Loyola Marymount University.
GAME ONE
San José State at Loyola Marymount
Friday, August 28, 7:00 p.m.
Sullivan Field, Los Angeles, Calif.
Live Stats and Streaming Video available at www.sjsuspartans.com
ABOUT THE SPARTANS
In 2014, San José State was 6-11-2 overall, 4-4-2 in league play, under first-year head coach Simon Tobin (311-200-56) and returns 89 percent of its scoring from last season. The offense is led by a pair of lethal strikers; junior Rory Knibbs (9G, 2A) and sophomore Greg Harte (9G, 1A). Junior midfielder Jonathan Colunga (1G, 8A) led the Western Athletic Conference in assists and is back to set up the scoring for the Spartans. Both Colunga and Knibbs were All-WAC honorees in 2014 and received 2015 Preseason All-WAC recognition two weeks ago. The Spartans have been selected to finish in fifth place in the league by a vote of the conference's head coaches.
SCOUTING THE LIONS
The 2014 edition of the Loyola Marymount soccer program posted a 9-4-6 overall record. With a 3-1-3 league mark, the team finished in fourth place in the West Coast Conference. The Lions hallmark, under 18th-year head coach Paul Krumpe (145-134-37), is defense. The team returns both keepers (seniors Paul Blanchette and Vince Paldino) from last year. The duo combined to surrendered just 14 goals in 19 matches. Two of the team's top scorers from last year are gone, Sebastian DeRada (6G, 5A) and Craig Nitti (5G, 1A), but Adrien Perez (5G, 7A) returns and leads the Lions attack.
HISTORY OF THIS SERIES
The Spartans hold a 9-3-1 record in the overall series, which began in 1983. In games contested on the Lions' Los Angeles campus, the Spartans are 4-2-1. The last time the two met at LMU, in the 2011 season, the Spartans earned a 2-1 overtime victory. Steven Sanchez tallied the game-winner in the 98th minute.