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By Josh Frojelin
San Diego State University’s women’s soccer program is brimming with confidence, even if the Lady Aztecs played only one regular season game.
“We’ve been winning,” redshirt sophomore and West Hills High School alumna Alexis Leath said. “We haven’t lost yet, and we have University of Washington this week (on Wednesday). I think we’re gonna do really well against them. I think we’ll do great the entire season.”
SDSU shut out UC-San Diego, 2-0, in its season opener on Aug. 12. The Lady Aztecs also won both their preseason games. It’s SDSU’s first season in the Pac-12, and the preseason coach’s poll ranked the team fourth. But they’re not worried.
“We have a lot of momentum,” sophomore goalkeeper Kailey Carlen said. “And we’re not complacent. We’re working very hard. I feel everyone’s on the field, pushing each other, and it’s a really good environment to be in.”
Carlen, from Chula Vista, was the only goalkeeper to play for SDSU last season. She was one of three Lady Aztecs named to the Pac-12 women’s soccer preseason impact list, and held a four-save shutout against UCSD.
“There’s a lot of stuff that we just need to tighten up, little details that’ll make us a better team, but I feel overall, right now, we’re in a good starting spot,” Carlen said.
Carlen played club soccer locally at Albion SC and Rebels SC with many of her current teammates. She thinks it leads to “a lot more chemistry on the team.”
“There’s a lot of pride that goes into it,” Carlen said. “Playing for the people that I know and making my hometown proud; I carry a lot more love for the game. And it makes me want to do my best each and every game.”
Carlen, who recorded her eighth career shutout in the win over UCSD, earned honors as the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week.
Carlen and Leath are two of six players on the roster from San Diego County. There’s also Eastlake High School-alum Eva Wees, Victory Christian Academy’s Maya Stinson, and Patrick Henry High School’s Naima Castro and Briahna Gieger.
“Since I was little, I’ve always been an Aztec fan,” Leath shared. “Being able to come here was a huge dream, of course. Also, being on a team with some players that I do know from club soccer and high school: it’s really fun.
“Being able to play with people from my club or high school just makes the game a lot easier,” Leath added. “Playing in front of my family means a lot as well.”
In the Pac-12 coaches poll, SDSU was ranked behind Utah State, Texas State and Boise State.
Last season, the Lady Aztecs went 9-4-7 overall and 4-2-4 in Mountain West Conference play. They lost to Boise State in the Mountain West tournament semifinals on penalty kicks.
Pac-12 play begins on Oct. 1, when SDSU will look for revenge against Boise State.
“The competition is going to be a lot harder than it was in the Mountain West, even though there are more Mountain West teams in the conference now,” Leath said. “But, I think our team will do really well, and I think we’ll be Pac-12 champions. We’ve been practicing every day, working really hard. I think we got it in us.”
The Lady Aztecs are scheduled to host the University of Washington on Wednesday in their first test of the season. The Lady Huskies entered the match ranked No. 10 nationally and are reigning Big Ten champions.
“We’re not going into it scared,” Carlen said. “We’re very prepared, and we’re just making sure that we’re all together… Stands should be packed. That’s what we’re thinking. I feel a lot of families are coming out to support us.”
SDSU also hosts Portland State University on Sunday at the SDSU Sports Deck (3 p.m. start) and the University of the Pacific on Aug. 27 (7:30 p.m. start)
All home games are streamed live on the Pac-12 YouTube channel.
Penalty Kick Sinks SDSU Women’s Soccer Against No. 10 Washington 1-0
The Lady Huskies scored the lone goal of the match on a penalty kick in the 67th minute
SDSU press release
The San Diego State University women’s soccer team (1-1) battled with No. 10 Washington (2-0) in its home opener on Wednesday night but came up on the short end of a 1-0 score.
For much of the first half, the teams locked each other down and mostly kept the ball near midfield. Kailey Carlen saved Washington’s lone shot on goal of the first half, taken by Andrea Levya at the 18-minute mark. Alexis Leath managed to get a shot on target in the 33rd minute but it was saved by Tanner Ijams. The teams headed into halftime each possessing the ball for half of the opening 45 minutes.
The offenses picked up in the second half. Carlen stopped a shot by Ryan Boehm just 4:02 after action resumed. In the 56th minute, Lily Boudet was issued a yellow card, one of five between the two teams in the second half. The Lady Aztecs keeper stopped another shot in the 61st minute, her third of the night.
In the 67th minute, Charlie Gerson was called for a controversial foul in the box, setting up a penalty kick for Washington’s Jadyn Holdenried. She converted into the bottom left corner of the net to give the Lady Huskies the lead. Before the Lady Aztecs could kick off and resume play, Holdenried was given a yellow card for taunting.
Karoline Lundstrom nearly had the equalizer for SDSU five minutes later, but Ijams made the stop. Three minutes afterwards, Carlen responded with a save of her own on a shot by Samiah Shell. Leyva picked up UW’s second yellow card in the 82nd minute. The Aztecs pressured Ijams hard in the ensuing few minutes, but the Washington keeper stopped two shots on goal from Victoria Miller and another one from Leath to maintain the advantage.
SDSU coach Mike Friesen was given a yellow card at 85:46, the last one of the match for either side, and the Huskies survived by a 1-0 score.
The Aztecs finished the match with more shots (11-10) and fouls (14-13) while the Lady Huskies had more corner kicks (4-3) and saves (5-4). Each team had five shots on goal and SDSU led in time of possession (52 percent to 48 percent).
THE NOTE
San Diego State held Washington to the Aztecs’ fewest goals allowed in a match against an opponent ranked in the top ten since a 3-0 shutout win over No. 10 Michigan on August 31, 2014.
UP NEXT
The Lady Aztecs will look to get back in the win column in another home match, this one against Portland State at 3 p.m. on Sunday, August 23. Early arriving fans will receive a free license plate frame. Admission is free and the match will be streamed on the Pac-12 YouTube channel.
