LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State women's soccer team is slated to play its 2016 opener on the road against I-10 rival, UTEP, at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 19, at University Field. All eyes will be on both squads with Friday's match serving as the first athletic event of 2016-17 for both schools.
 
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QUICK HITS

• The Aggies had six sophomores, three juniors, one freshman and one senior start in their exhibition match against Cochise College.
• Of those 11 starters, seven hailed from the Land of Enchantment – including two Las Cruces natives.
• NM State returns three of its top-four point scorers last season. Those three include Aileen Galicia (12), Holly Abdelkader (11) and Devin Hart (10).

 
BATTLE OF I-10 RESUMES

• This will be the third time NM State opens its season on the road at UTEP, and is 0-2 heading into Friday's contest.
• UTEP enter its 21st season as a varsity program with an all-time record of 226-149-28 and is 184-101-21 under head coach Kevin Cross, who enters his 16th year at the helm with the Miners.
• Under Cross' direction, the Miners have compiled a 12-2-1 mark when playing in season openers.
• The Miners return 12 letter winners from last year's squad that finished ninth in Conference USA (4-4-2) with an overall record of 11-7-2.
• UTEP return 7-of-10 point scorers from last year's team, but lost its top point scorer in Angela Cutaia who scored 31 points (12g, 7a).
• However, the Miners do return the rest of their double-digit point scorers in Aleah Davis (17) and Bri Thomas (10).
• Jeanna Mullen nearly reached double-figures in points, but finished with nine (3g, 3a).

 
LAST TIME OUT

• New Mexico State dominated its exhibition match this past Monday against Cochise College, 9-0.
• The offensive clinic was led by Audriana Chavez with seven points (3g, 1a) and Aileen Galicia with six points (3g).
• Sarina Stockton, Tuti Tirado and Kyleigh Cox also scored for the Aggies while Danielle Smith (2) Micaela Milavec, Valerie Maestas and Alexandria Otero each tallied assists.
• All 28 players saw action on the pitch while Raeann Garcia and Ashley Martin teamed up to record the shutout.
• The Aggies outshot the Apaches 51-0 and had a 9-0 edge in corner kicks as well.

 
AGGIES PICKED SIXTH IN PRESEASON POLL

• NM State was picked to finish sixth in the WAC Preseason Poll as voted on by the league's head coaches.
• The sixth-place pick is one slot below where the Aggies finished the regular season last year.
• Seattle U and Utah Valley finished in a tie with four first-place votes each for 46 total points, compared to NM State's 19.