Soccer Heads West to Face San Diego
9/1/2011 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Sept. 1, 2011
| Match #5 | Alabama (2-1-1) at San Diego (3-1-0) | |
| Date | Friday, Sept. 2 | 5:00 PT |
| Location | San Diego, Calif. | Torero Stadium (6,000) |
| Tickets | General Admission $5 |
| Television | None |
| Radio | None |
| Live Stats | |
| Streaming Video | Torero All Access |
| Game Notes | Alabama Notes  | Opponent Notes |
| All-Time Series | Alabama Leads: 1-0 |
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.- The Alabama soccer team will face its first true road trip of the season as it will travel to West Coast Conference foe San Diego on Friday, Sept. 2, to face the Toreros at 5 p.m. PT., at Torero Stadium. USD enters the match with a 3-1 record, having split a pair of games last weekend. The Crimson Tide will look to rebound from a tough weekend, as they left with a loss and a tie to bring its record to 2-1-1. The Tide will then travel down the road to face their second Mountain West Conference foe of the season in No. 22 San Diego State, on Sunday, Sept. 4, with kickoff slated for 1 p.m. PT., at the SDSU Sports Deck.
LAST TIME OUT
Alabama earned a key point against 2010 NCAA tournament participant New Mexico on Sunday. The two played to a double-overtime scoreless draw as UA senior keeper Justine Bernier earned the 110-minute shutout for her first on the season. The Crimson Tide was able to create its chances, especially from the play of freshman Pia Rijsdijk. The Netherlands native was on the passing end of some creative chances throughout the match. Bernier finished the afternoon fixture with a season-high eight saves while Rijsdijk fired off two shots. Sophomore Molly Atherton paced the Tide with five shots.
WHO TO WATCH
Goalkeeper Justine Bernier will be key this weekend if the Tide hope to get back to its winning ways. Through four matches this season, she has a 0.76 goals against average, with 19 saves and one shutout. Bernier was crucial in keeping New Mexico off the scoreboard on Sunday, and kept the Crimson Tide in the game against Memphis. Bernier will be helped by a veteran defense that has featured the same four starters all season long.
SCOUTING SAN DIEGO
The Toreros enter the weekend 3-1 after splitting games at the USD Tournament. They opened with a 4-0 decision over Pacific on Friday evening, and then lost their Sunday match against Kansas, 2-1. The Toreros are led by senior forward Stephanie Ochs, who leads the team with four goals and nine points on the season. Two of her goals have come on penalty kicks. San Diego finished the 2010 season with an 11-8-2 overall record and a 4-3-0 mark in WCC play .They earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, where they lost in the first round to Wake Forest. The Toreros bring back 18 letter-winners from last season, with two preseason All-WCC selections in seniors Natalie Garcia and Ochs. Ochs returns after leading the team in scoring last season with eight goals and seven assists, while Garcia played for Mexico in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. In goal, Courtney Parsons returns, after the net-minder posted five shutouts and a 0.81 goals against average in 21 matches last season. Ada Greenwood enters his ninth season as head coach at San Diego, posting a record of 82-62-16.
SERIES HISTORY
The two teams will be meeting for the second time, but for the first time since 1997 as the Tide won that match 1-0 in Los Angeles.
SEC NOTES
The Crimson Tide lead the Southeastern Conference with 71 shots through four games, 14 more than the next closest team. They are tied for second in the league with nine goals through four games. Individually, sophomore Molly Atherton is second in the league in shots, having taken 14 in four games. Freshman forward Laura Lee Smith is tied for third in goals with three. Junior Lindsey Sillers and sophomore Kendall Khanna are tied for first overall with two assists apiece.
TOUGH STRETCH
Alabama is in the midst of one of its toughest stretches on the schedule in 2011. In the last two matches, both opponents made the field of 64 in 2010 while the upcoming fixture against the University of San Diego, features a team that was ranked earlier this season and also made the NCAA tournament. San Diego State currently is ranked in the top 25 on the strength of upsetting then No. 4 ranked Portland.
FRESHMAN CONTRIBUTIONS
In the first four matches of the 2011 season, freshmen have been making a difference for the Crimson Tide. The team is led in scoring by two freshmen, as Laura Lee Smith has tallied six points on three goals while Theresa Diederich has recorded four points on two goals. Two other freshmen have already gotten on the score sheet as well. Newcomer Kara Fasano has three points on a goal and an assist while Holland native Pia Rijsdijk has handed out an assist.
NEXT WEEK
Alabama returns home from its farthest road trip of the season to play four straight matches in Tuscaloosa. Next week the Tide will host in-state opponent UAB on Friday, Sept. 9. The match against the Blazers will mark the only fixture on the weekend as Alabama doesn't return to the pitch until a Sunday, Sept. 18 match against Morehead State.
