SAN JOSE, Calif. - San Jose State women's soccer has two nonconference opponents on the docket for this week. First up is a short drive to Sacramento to take on Sacramento State on Thursday, Sept. 12 at 4:00 p.m. The Spartans then return to their home pitch to take on Pac-12 foe Arizona on Sunday with kickoff slated for noon.
LACE UP 4 CANCER AWARENESS
Sunday's match is the next of a month-long campaign of the women's soccer program promoting Pediatric Cancer Awareness. The Spartans will wear yellow shoe laces in their running shoes prior to the game before changing into their cleats and will continue to do so for the entire month of September.
BIG WIN IN FRONT OF THE HOME CROWD
» The Spartans nabbed their first win at home when they defeated Utah Valley, 1-0, in overtime last Friday night. Jamilecxth Becerra scored the game-winner with a well-placed header.
A DOMINATING PERFORMANCE
» In SJSU's 1-0 win over the Wolverines, the Spartan back line made life easy for goalkeeper Ariana Romero. They allowed just one shot attempt, which missed its mark. By the end of the night, the Spartans had outshot Utah Valley 12-1.
ROMERO SHUTOUT TRACKER: 4
» Sophomore goalkeeper Ariana Romero has proven to be a worthy successor in the goal despite being tasked with replacing one of the best keepers in school history in Paige Simoneau. In five games, the transfer from Seattle U has posted four clean sheets, which leads the MW and ranks 16th nationally.
SHUTTING OUT THE OPPOSITION
» SJSU's vaunted defense prided themselves in pitching shutouts in 2018. They compiled a school-record 11 of them, which ranked fourth in the nation heading into the NCAA Tournament. So far in 2019 the trend has continued as the young season has already seen four shutouts.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT - SACRAMENTO STATE
» Sacramento State sits at 3-1-2 entering Thursday's match. They are currently 2-0-1 in the month of September and defeated Nevada 1-0 in the Hawai'i Invitational.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT - ARIZONA
» The University of Arizona Wildcats enter the week at a perfect 4-0 on the season. Arizona has shutout their opponents in each of their four matches this season and is
outscoring them 15-0. In last week's Wildcat Invitational in Tuscon, the Wildcats took down Oklahoma 2-0 and UC Irvine 4-0. They will take on Santa Clara on Friday prior to Sunday's match with the Spartans.
SERIES HISTORY - SACRAMENTO STATE
» San Jose State and Sacramento State have met 21 times beginning on Oct. 25, 1995 when the Spartans won 3-1 on the road. Since then, the series sits at a 9-9-3 tie, but SJSU has claimed the last three games, most recently a 1-0 shutout in double overtime on Aug. 21, 2016 in San Jose.
SERIES HISTORY - ARIZONA
» Sunday's match will be the second meeting between the Wildcats and Spartans. The first came on Sept. 12, 1997 in a 2-0 win by SJSU.
HANSON PICKS UP WIN NO. 50
» The Spartans' win over LMU was the 50th of head coach Lauren Hanson's career with SJSU. She is just the second coach in SJSU history to accumulate 50 wins and now needs just four more to become the school's all-time winningest head coach. Hanson has compiled a record of 51-37-17 and is the third-fastest among current active women's soccer head coaches in the Mountain West to reach the 50-win mark.
CHAMPIONSHIP PEDIGREE
» The SJSU women's soccer coaching staff has a lot of experience when it comes to playing for and winning championships. The trio of Hanson, Tina Estrada and Adrianne Fass have combined for 16 combined trips to the NCAA Tournament as players and coaches as well as three College Cup Championships.
CALI CONNECTIONS
» With the ever-expanding world of recruiting, it is not uncommon to see coaches go after players from other stats, even other countries, but the Spartans are unique in the distinction that they have a roster entirely made up of California natives.