SAN JOSE, Calif. - With the race to the Mountain West Tournament entering a full sprint, the San Jose State women's soccer team is looking to pick up a few points to give them a boost in the standings with just five regular-season matches remaining. The Spartans will host UNLV (1-5-0, 4-10-0 overall) on Thursday and Nevada (2-6-0, 3-10-0 overall) on Sunday at the Spartan Soccer Complex. Kickoff against the Rebels is slated for 7:00 p.m. PT while Nevada's first kick will be at 11:00 a.m. PT.
Full game notes are attached.
BLEED BLUE AND GOLD (THURSDAY)
» Thursday's match is designated Bleed Blue and Gold. Fans who wear blue and gold will receiver discounted admission, and the first 50 fans in the stands will receive a free Spartan water bottle courtesy of Spartan Athletics. SJSU students can also check-in at the game for a chance to win a $50 gift card.
THINK PINK, ALUMNI DAY (SUNDAY)
» Sunday's game is the second Think Pink promotional day in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness. The first 50 fans in attendance will receive a free pink SJSU T-shirt. For the students, check-in at the game for a chance to win a $50 gift card from Barnes & Noble.
LAST TIME OUT
» The Spartans picked up a point on the road playing in high-altitude country. In Laramie, SJSU and Wyoming played to a scoreless draw. The Spartans then fell 2-1 to Colorado State in Fort Collins.
THE RACE IS ON
» With just five games remaining in the regular season, the race to the MW Championship Tournament is in full swing. While the Spartans are currently tied for eighth in the standings with seven points, a couple wins will help them shoot ahead of the crowded pack and lock down a spot in the tournament.
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED
» With the Spartans' win over Utah State, Lauren Hanson tied Philippe Blin for the most wins in program history with 53. She now needs just one more to own the record outright.
» Hanson picked up the 50th win of her career against LMU. In doing so, she became just the second head coach in SJSU history to reach the 50-win plateau and is the third-fastest among current MW women's soccer coaches to reach the mark.
SHUTTING OUT THE OPPOSITION
» SJSU's stellar 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 they have tallied six shutouts.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT - UNLV
» UNLV checks in to Thursday's match with a 1-5 mark in league play and sit at 4-10 overall. Despite the record, the Rebels have been competitive in all their MW matches with four decided by just one goal. In their last outing, they picked up their first win of the season with a 2-0 final over Colorado College. Freshman midfielder Lourdes Bosch has come on as the team's top offensive weapon and is leading the squad with six points and three goals.
SERIES HISTORY - UNLV
» While UNLV holds the 4-3 lead in the overall series, all three of the Spartans' wins have come in the last three seasons. Last year, SJSU was a 1-0 victor in Vegas.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT - NEVADA
» Similar to their cross-state rival, Nevada has struggled to find wins this season and sit at 3-10 overall and 2-6 in conference play. They picked up their first MW win against Utah State (1-0) and defeated Air Force 2-1 in overtime in their last match out. Freshman Gabby Brown has provided a much-needed spark to the Wolfpack's offense as she has dominated the shot chart with 61 attempts. She has a team-high three goals and seven points on the year. Nevada will face Fresno State on Thursday before making their way over to the South Bay.
SERIES HISTORY - NEVADA
» The Spartans have a commanding 14-5-1 lead in the series over the Wolfpack, including wins in the last four meetings. Last season in Reno, SJSU held off Nevada to win 2-1.
AMAZING AMARIKWA
» Senior defender Kristen Amarikwa is without question one of the top leaders on the Spartans' roster. She is also considered one of the best players in the nation, checking in as No. 66 in Top Drawer Soccer's preseason top 100. She was also the lone Mountain West candidate on the 30-member list for the Senior CLASS Award.
WEINMAN PROVIDES A SPARK
» Freshman midfielder Sabrina Weinman has wasted no time making a name for herself at the collegiate level. Through the team's first 14 games, the Bakersfield product is the team leader with three goals, including the game-winner against Utah State, while making six starts. She also leads the way with seven points.
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.