LAS CRUCES, N.M. – After going 1-0-1 last week to open Western Athletic Conference play, the New Mexico State women's soccer team enters this week just 1-of-3 teams to remain undefeated in league play as it entertains WAC leader Seattle U on Friday, Oct. 14, at 3 p.m. (MT) followed by Utah Valley on Sunday, Oct. 16, at 11 a.m.
   
GAMEDAY PROMOTIONS
Friday's match-up against Seattle U, last year's regular-season champions, will also serve as the pink game for NM State. The Aggies will be donning their PINK jerseys in support of breast cancer awareness month. First 250 fans get a free PINK NM State Aggies shirt.
 
Sunday's game is Junior Aggie Day. If you haven't already, there is plenty of time to sign your child (must be 12 or younger) up for the Junior Aggie Club by clicking here. The next JAC event will be the football game on Saturday, Oct. 22, against Georgia Southern for the Tough Enough to Wear Pink game sponsored by Ag Day.
 
QUICK HITS

• With a 2-1 victory over Chicago State last week to open WAC play, the Aggies are now 3-4-1 all-time in conference opening matches and 3-0-1 all-time when playing those matches at home.
• Freshman Raeann Garcia picked up his first collegiate victory against the Cougars after checking into the game at the start of the second half.
• New Mexico State is now 3-0 this season when it scores first after Aileen Galicia knocked in the first goal of the game in the 72nd minute.
• Dominique Rivera, a staple on the Aggie defense, recorded her second-career assist and first since Sept. 6 of last season when she served a corner kick into the box that was headed in by fellow Puerto Rican National Team member, Tuti Tirado.
• The win on Friday over Chicago State also put the Aggies at 3-2 on the year at home.

 
MARTIN TABBED DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

• Ashley Martin was named the WAC Defensive Player of the Week this past Monday after guiding the Aggies to a 1-0-1 mark in the opening weekend of conference play.
• She is the second Aggie to earn player of the week honors this season with Aileen Galicia earning it on Sept. 12.
• The Rio Rancho, N.M., product opened up with a clean 45 minutes of play against Chicago State to go with her two saves.
• Despite being outshot 34-6 on Sunday at UMKC, Martin was able to keep the Aggies within striking distance all game before finishing with 11 saves – including four in the first overtime period.
• With her 11 saves on Sunday, Martin moved into second all-time in career-saves at NM State with 140. She surpassed Mikaela Bitner (133, 2009-13) over the weekend and is now two saves shy of becoming the all-time saves leader as a sophomore.

 
SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS

• New Mexico State trails the all-time series against Seattle U, 6-0, and 0-2 when playing SU at home.
• Oct. 24, 2013, was the last time the Aggies and Redhawks were in a close match-up as SU escaped Las Cruces with a 2-1 victory in double overtime.
• Seattle U enters the contest 7-5-1 on the year and sits atop the WAC at 2-0.
• The Redhawk's defense has been the backbone of their season, giving up just 11 goals on the year with opponents shooting a dismal .087 clip.
• SU's Ashley Routh has logged over 1,000 minutes of action in the cage and holds a 0.86 goals against average with four shutouts on the year.
• Offensively, Brie Hooks sits atop the list for Seattle U with six goals (12 points), four of which being game-winning goals.
• Ayana Robles is second on the team with five points (1g, 3a) and leads the squad with three assists while Karli White rounds out the top three for SU with four points (1g, 2a).

 
EYEING THE WOLVERINES

• Utah Valley is set to play UT Rio Grande Valley on Friday before heading back west to battle NM State.
• The Wolverines sit at 6-6-1 on the year and 0-2 in WAC play. UVU opened conference action with a tightly contested 1-0 loss to CSU Bakersfield before falling to Grand Canyon 2-1 in double overtime on the road. UVU previously beat GCU 2-1 in overtime two weeks prior in a non-conference showdown at home.
• Alexis Peterson is the lone Wolverine to have double-digit points, checking in with 10 (5g). Peterson is also rocking a deadly .455 shooting-percentage and .818 shots on goal percentage.
• Abby Jameson is second on the team in points with six (2g, 2a) while Taylor Kirk, Sydney Fitzpatrick and Breanna DeWaal are tied for third at five points apiece.
• Fitzpatrick and Kirk each have two goals with one assists while DeWaal paces the team with three assists to go with her one goal.
• Like Seattle U, Utah Valley has held opponents to a very low .097 shooting percentage.
• In goal, Brooklyn Nielsen has just six goals through 13 matches with a 0.67 goals against average and .864 saves percentage.

 
PUERTO RICAN CONNECTION

• Dominique Rivera and Tuti Tirado, whom both played for the Puerto Rican Junior National Team last season connected in the 89th minute of the game against Chicago State to give the Aggies the 2-1 victory last Friday.
• Rivera booted the corner kick nearside of the bench and Tirado, who stands at 5-foot-0, was able to find the ball and headed it in for the game-winner.
• It was fitting that the two combined for the game-winner as they were both featured in the monthly Aggie Profiles show that was set to air an hour after the end of the match.

 
LOOKING AHEAD

• Conference play continues for NM State the following week as they hit the road out west.
• First up for the Aggies will be Grand Canyon on Friday, Oct. 21, followed by CSU Bakersfield on Sunday, Oct. 23. Friday's contest against GCU is slated to start at 5 p.m. (MT) while Sunday's match is schedule for a 2 p.m. kick off.