(Game Notes - PDF)

Dixie State (3-1-1/1-0-1 PacWest) looks to remain unbeaten in PacWest Conference play this weekend as the Storm travels to the Bay Area for a pair of key league matches. DSU opens the trip on Friday, Oct. 2, with a match at Dominican University (0-7-0/0-2-0 PacWest) in San Rafael at 1:30 p.m. (PT), and will close the trip on Sunday, Oct. 4, at Holy Names (2-4-0/0-2-0 PacWest) in Oakland at 1:30 p.m. (PT). Live stats information for both matches can be found at www.dixieathletics.com.

DIXIE STATE VS. THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS: Dixie State enters Thursday's match at Dominican with an even 3-3-2 record vs. the Penguins, including a pair of draws in the previous two meetings between the two teams. The last time the Storm and Penguins met on the pitch in San Rafael in 2013, both teams came away with a point in a 1-1 double-overtime draw. DSU will look to break through in the win column Sunday at Holy Names as the Hawks have won the first three matches against the Storm, including a 3-0 triumph last season in St. George and a 3-1 result the last time the two teams hooked up in Oakland.

COACHING STAFF: Head Coach Josh Pittman (3-1-1 at DSU/East Stroudsburg, 1999) is in his first season at the helm of the Storm men's soccer program. Prior to his arrival to St. George, Pittman spent seven seasons as head coach at Colorado Mesa, where he led the Mavericks to the 2013 RMAC tournament title and league tournament appearances (2010, 2012-13). He also served on the coaching staffs at Metro State and Adams State, and spent a year with the MLS Colorado Rapids as a development academy coach. Pittman is joined on the DSU sideline by first-year assistant Joe Hickman.

STORM PICKED FOURTH IN PACWEST: Dixie State was picked to finish 12th in the Pacific West Conference preseason coaches' poll. Azusa Pacific was tabbed as the favorite and repeat as PacWest champions. The Cougars received 12 of the possible 14 first-place votes, while Fresno Pacific and Notre Dame de Namur also received a first-place vote. FPU claimed the second spot, followed closely by California Baptist and NDNU. BYU-Hawai'i and Point Loma rounded out the top-half of the poll.

TRELLA NAMED PACWEST DEFENDER OF THE WEEK: Dixie State junior goalkeeper Bradley Trella (Chandler, Ariz./Chandler HS) was named PacWest Men's Soccer Defender of the Week for his efforts last week in the Storm's two home conference matches. Trella (6-2; Chandler, Ariz./Chandler HS/Yavapai CC) combined to go 1-0-1 with a 0.45 GAA and 11 saves in goal vs. Azusa Pacific and Point Loma. Against APU, he surrendered one goal in 110 minutes in DSU's 1-1 double-overtime draw. He finished with six saves, including three highlight reel stops in the second half, to preserve to tie in regulation. Trella then went on to record a shutout win in the Storm's 1-0 result vs. PLNU and stopped all five shots on goal he faced. For the year Trella is 3-1-1 with two shutout victories to go with 22 saves and an 0.77 GAA.

QUICK KICKS: Dixie State is off to its best start in program history this season as the Storm has played to a 3-1-1 overall record through five matches ... the previous mark was set in 2009 when DSU opened that season 2-2-1 ... DSU's three wins have already eclipsed last year's total of two ... the program record for wins in a season is seven, which happened twice in 2010 and 2011 ... sophomore forward Frankie Mallek (Yuma, Ariz./Kofa HS) tallied Dixie State's 400th-point in school history with his goal vs. APU last Thursday ... senior MF Santiago Alejandro (Oakley, Calif./Alhambra HS) assisted on the Mallek goal and with that dime moved into a tie for third-place on the Storm's career assist list with six ... junior defender Jason Arollo (Glendale, Ariz./Apollo HS) notched his second game-winning goal of the year vs. Point Loma last Saturday ... Arollo's goal came on a header set up by a strong throw in by senior Bryan Baugh (Henderson, Nev./Green Valley HS), who recorded his third such assist of the year on the play ... Baugh now stands alone in second place on DSU's career assists list with eight and he needs just three more to pass former DSU player Tyler Albretsen (10) to become DSU's all-time assists leader ... DSU is averaging 11 shots per game through its first five matches, including 4.4 shots on goal.

ABOUT THIS WEEK'S OPPONENTS: Dominican enters play this week at 0-7-0/0-2-0 (pending the outcome of a match Tuesday vs. Holy Names), though four of the Penguins' seven setbacks were one-goal decisions ... coming into the week the Penguins have scored just three goals on the year, two of which have come off the boot of junior defender Roberto Macias in Dominican's last two matches.

Holy Names begins the week with a 2-5-0/1-1-0 record (pending the outcome of a match Tuesday at Dominican) as the Hawks have split their previous two home matches, including a 2-1 win vs. California Baptist and a 2-1 loss to Concordia ... senior midfielder Ignacio Alvarez (2G) and junior forward Toby Tomassi (2G) have accounted for four of the Hawks' six goals through the club's first seven matches.

UP NEXT: Dixie State returns home to welcome a pair of Island visitors to Hansen Stadium next week. DSU opens the homestand vs. BYU-Hawai'i on Thursday, Oct. 8, followed by a match against Hawai'i Hilo on Saturday, Oct. 10. Both matches will kick off at 7 p.m.