Aug. 16, 2016
Join the San José State women's soccer team this Friday, August 19, at 4:00 p.m. (PT) for the 2016 regular season opener versus UC Riverside. If you can't make it out to the SJSU football practice field for Friday's match, the Spartans are home again on Sunday at noon against Sacramento State. Both matches will be live on the Mountain West Network, but fans are encouraged to come out and watch the Spartans begin their Mountain West title defense.
MATCHES #1-2
San José State (0-0) vs. UC Riverside (0-0)
Friday, August 19, 2016, 4:00 p.m. (PT)
SJSU Football Practice Field
San Jose, Calif.
Live Streaming
San José State (0-0) vs. Sacramento State (0-0)
Sunday, August 21, 2016, 12:00 p.m. (PT)
SJSU Football Practice Field
San Jose, Calif.
Live Streaming
TEMPORARY HOME FOR WOMEN'S SOCCERSan José State will host its 2016 home matches at the football practice facility located on Stadium Way next to the Koret Athletic Performance Center. Fans attending home matches should plan to park in the lot on the west side of Seventh Street. There are no bleachers or seats provided, so plan to bring your own lawn chair or blanket and follow on-site directions for seating areas. There is no admission charge for home matches in 2016.series history with uc riversideThe Highlanders control the all-time series 6-2-0 against the Spartans dating back to 2002. San José State's last win came in 2010 by a score of 3-0 at home. The two teams most recently met in 2013 when UC Riverside handed San José State a 2-1 overtime loss.SERIES HISTORY WITH SACRAMENTO STATEThe Spartans trail the Hornets 8-9-3 in the all-time series dating back to SJSU's first year of soccer in 1995. San José State has come away with a win in two straight matches versus Sacramento State, including last year's 2-1 win on the road.FRANKLIN'S GAME-WINNER GIVES SPARTANS EDGE OVER HORNETSDarriell Franklin (So., F, La Habra, Calif.) had the game-winning goal in the 55th minute to defeat Sacramento State last season on August 30. It was a sign of things to come for Franklin, who ended the year with an SJSU freshman record five game-winners.SPARTANS PICKED SECOND IN PRESEASON POLLSan José State was predicted to finish second in the Mountain West by the conference's preseason coaches' poll. The Spartans received three first-place votes, while San Diego State received nine and is the preseason favorite. SJSU was predicted to finish seventh in the same poll prior to last season before eventually winning the Mountain West Tournament.2016 IS A FRESH STARTReigning Mountain West coach of the year Lauren Hanson was clear at the start of practice that last year's run provided great experience, but 2016 is a new season. "You'd hope that the team will carry some momentum in from last year," Hanson said. "But I told them that this is a new season and a new team with new players. Let's learn from what we did last year and carry that over, but at the same time it's a fresh start."SJSU TAKES CARE OF UC DAVIS IN EXHIBITIONSan José State defeated UC Davis, 2-1, in the only exhibition match leading up to the 2016 regular season. Yaritza Arista (Jr., MF, Livingston, Calif.) and Courtney Elterman (So., MF, Templeton, Calif.) were the goal scorers for the Spartans.#PROVEITSpartan fans will see #proveit attached to social media posts, flyers and programs throughout the women's soccer season. The team-generated hashtag represents the goal to prove that SJSU can be a consistent MW championship contender. Join forces with the team on Twitter (@SJSUSoccer) and Instagram (@SJSUWomensSoccer) as it goes for another MW championship in 2016.SPARTANS HAVE A LARGE VETERAN GROUPThere are eight seniors on the roster in 2016 and a total of 15 upper classmen. Defender Carley McBeath (Sr., D, Northridge, Calif.) becomes the Spartans' most experienced player with 58 matches and 49 starts in her career. McBeath along with fellow four-year Spartan Alexis Venegas (Sr., MF, Van Nuys, Calif.) are both team captains in 2016. Another senior Hayden Kelley (Sr., D, Murrieta, Calif.) and junior Claire Berkley (Jr., D, Pleasanton, Calif.) will also guide the team as captains.TOP-TWO SCORERS BACK FOR SJSUThe Spartans are happy to have their two All-Mountain West forwards Darriell Franklin (9 goals) and Dorthe Hoppius (Jr., F, Dorsten, Germany)(8 goals) back in 2016. Franklin had an outstanding freshman season where she led the team with 20 points and five game-winning goals. Franklin's clutch-factor shined brightest when she hit the final penalty kick in the MW Tournament to secure the team's berth to the NCAA Tournament. Hoppius finished last season with 19 points, had the program's first hat trick in five years and had three game-winning goals in conference play.