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Sept. 2, 2003
San Diego - After sweeping through the SDSU Classic and beginning the year 2-0 for the first time since 1998, the San Diego State men's soccer team will visit crosstown rival Point Loma Nazarene on Thursday. The Aztecs will attempt to go 3-0 for the first time since 1992.
* The two schools will do battle for the first time since 1998. SDSU has yet to drop a match to the Sea Lions as the Aztecs lead the all-time series, 10-0-1, and are 2-0 at PLNU.
Recapping The Weekend's Matches
*SDSU opened the season in exciting fashion as they pulled out a 2-1 overtime victory over Oregon State. Ryan Curtis scored with six seconds left in the game to put the game into overtime, and Colin Jennings scored three minutes later to finish off the Beavers. OSU was a NCAA Tournament team last season.
* SDSU battled with Long Island in a scoreless first half but then scored twice in the second half to earn a 2-0 victory. The Aztecs' first goal came from Heath Creager who slipped past the LIU goalkeeper to put the goal away. The second goal of the game came in the 69th minute as Eric Wohl crossed to Creager for a header into the corner of the net.
Fechner Garners National Plaudits
* Junior defender Kenny Fechner was selected to College Soccer News National Team of the Week for his play in the SDSU Soccer Classic. Fechner assisted on three Aztec goals, including both scores in SDSU's win over Oregon State. He was also a key component to the Aztecs first shutout of the season in a 2-0 win over Long Island. Fechner was one of 11 players from around the country selected to the CSN Team of the Week and was also named SDSU Soccer Classic's most outstanding defender.
The assists were the first points for Fechner as an Aztec after two seasons at Yavapai College and a medical redshirt season a year ago.
Iron Man
* Senior captain Ryan Curtis anchors the SDSU Aztec defense, but was able to score SDSU's first goal of the season with six seconds remaining to push Oregon State into overtime. It was the fourth score of Curtis' career, with the goal matching one from each of his previous three seasons.
Curtis is the iron man for the Aztecs as has played in every game since arriving on The Mesa in 2000. The central defender has played in 60 straight games and started in 57 of them.
Kreager's Offenses
* Heath Creager scored both of the Aztec goals in the 2-0 victory over LIU. It was the first time in nine games, dating back to Oct. 16 of last season, that an SDSU player had a multiple goal game. Matt Couch was the last Aztec to do so when he scored twice in SDSU's 3-2 upset win over #7 Loyola Marymount.
Aztecs In The Polls
* SDSU cracked the NSCAA/adidas regional poll after the first weekend of play. SDSU moves into a tie for ninth after taking the SDSU Soccer Classic. New Mexico is the only other MPSF member in the top 10 at number six.
NSCAA/adidas Far West Region Top 10
Rk School W-L-T
1 UCLA 2-0-0
2 Stanford 0-0-0
3 CSU Northridge 2-0-0
4 CSU Fullerton 2-0-0
5 Washington 1-0-0
6 New Mexico 1-1-0
7 Santa Clara 1-0-0
8 UC Santa Barbara0-0-1
T9 San Diego State 2-0-0
T9 Cal 0-2-0
SDSU Soccer Classic Recap
* San Diego State earned the 2003 SDSU Soccer Classic title after going 2-0 in tournament action. Besides the SDSU victories, USD and Long Island battled to a 1-1 tie on Friday and Oregon State followed with a 2-1 win over USD in the tournament's final game on Sunday. The Aztecs' Kenny Fechner was named the tournament's most outstanding defender and Oregon State's Ryan Johnson earned the most outstanding offensive player award after leading the OSU attack. Four other Aztecs were honored by being named to the all-tournament team.
SDSU Soccer Classic All-Tournament Team
Heath Creager, Forward, SDSU
Ryan Curtis, Defender, SDSU
Colin Hanke, Goalkeeper, SDSU
Colin Jennings, Midfielder, SDSU
Christian vanBloommestein, Defender, OSU
Brian Farber, Midfielder, OSU
Robbie Findley, Forward, OSU
Sy Reeves, Foward, USD
Kevin Wilson, Midfielder, USD
David Schofield, Midfilder, LIU
Ryszard Gorski, Goalkeeper, LIU
Looking Ahead: UC Riverside
* The Aztecs will host UC Riverside on Saturday, Sept. 13. The two schools fought to a 1-1 draw in last season's season opener at UCR.
* SDSU has yet to drop a match to the Highlanders as the Aztecs lead the all-time series, 5-0-2, but are just 1-0-2 at UCR.
* Riverside is 1-1 after their first week of action as they defeated St. Mary's 1-0 but lost to Sacramento State 2-1 in overtime. Luc Harrington scored both of UCR's goals.