FRESNO, Calif. -- In search of their first win of the season, Fresno State will host UC Santa Barbara on Thursday Aug. 28 at Bulldog Soccer Stadium. The Bulldogs will then kickoff a four-game road trip on Sunday Aug. 31 when they travel up north to face Sacramento State at Hornet Field.
Fresno State's four-game road trip will also feature a stop in Bakersfield where the Bulldogs will face CSU Bakersfield before traveling to Texas for a pair of matches against Texas Southern and Texas A&M- Corpus Christi.
Kickoff for Thursday's contest is set for 7p.m. PT while Sunday's match will begin at 11a.m. PT
UC Santa Barbara (1-1-1, Big West) at Fresno State (0-0-2, MW)
Aug 28, 2025 • 7p.m. PT • Fresno, Calif. (Bulldog Soccer Stadium)
Coverage
Watch: Mountain West Network
Live Stats: Gobulldogs.com/livestats
X(Twitter): @FresnoStateWSOC
TICKETS
Sacramento State (1-1-0, Big Sky) at Fresno State (0-0-2, MW)
Aug 31, 2025 • 11a.m. PT • Sacramento, Calif. (Hornet Field)
Coverage
Watch:ESPN+
Live Stats:Gobulldogs.com/livestats
X(Twitter): @FresnoStateWSOC
THE BONES
Fresno State sits at 0-0-2 on the season following their draw against Cal Poly in their home opener (0-0)
This is the first time in program history that Fresno State has started a season with an 0-0-2 record
Senior Shivani Battaglia recorded her fourth shutout as a Bulldog
Fresno State has outshot their opponents 18-11 in the second half
Alexis Campbell leads the Bulldogs in goals, points, and shots on goal (1g,.2p,3sog)
Battaglia ranks first in the MW in saves with 11
Sophomore Hayden Crotty-Romero leads the team with six shots
Crotty-Romero is averaging 3 shots per game which ranks fourth in the MW
Thursday's game theme is "Back to School Night"
Sunday's match at Sacramento State will kickoff the Bulldog's longest road trip of the season
Fresno State has a two-game week for the first time this season
Holding it Down Defensively
With two games in the books, Fresno State has minimized their opponents scoring chances thanks to their strong defensive play. Their aggressive style of play has worn out opponents especially in the second half of play, allowing the Bulldogs to generate more scoring chances in the later stages of the matches.
Fresno State has outshot their opponents 18-11 in the second half
This is the fourth time in program history where the Bulldogs have held their first two opponents combined to one goal or less
Between the Pipes
One of the bright spots for the Bulldogs to start this season has been goalie Shivani Battaglia's performance in net.The senior from Perth, Australia finished last year's campaign with a 6-5-2 record while posting three shutouts in nine starts. In the first two games of the season, Battaglia has held opponents to one goal while recording a shutout against Cal Poly. Her seven saves against the Mustangs were the second most that Battaglia has recorded in a start as a Bulldog after tallying eight last season at Colorado State on Oct. 27.
Battaglia ranks first in the MW in saves with 11
Battaglia's 5.50 saves per game has her tied for first in the MW
The netminder has stopped 16 of 17 shots to begin the season
Playing it Close
Fresno State's performance has closely mirrored their opponents when looking into their offensive and defensive numbers after earning draws in the first two matches of the season.
Fresno State has both scored and allowed one goal on the season
The Bulldogs have registered 30 shots while holding their opponents to 30 shots as well
Fresno State also leads their opponents by a narrow margin in shots on goals (14-13)
Series History- UC Santa Barbara
Fresno State is 3-7-3 against UC Santa Barbara all-time
Fresno State drew against UCSB in their previous matchup last season (Aug. 25, 0-0)
The Bulldogs are looking for their first win vs. the Gauchos at home since 2021 (Sept 9, 5-0)
Fresno State with face UCSB for the ninth time in 10 years
Fresno State holds a 2-3-2 record against UCSB at home
Series History- Sacramento State
Fresno State is 6-6-3 all-time against Sacramento State
The Bulldogs are 1-4-1 on the road against the Hornets
Fresno State's loan win at Hornet Field came in 2015 (Sept.13, 1-0)
Both teams have held each other scoreless in their previous two contests