Oct. 10, 2003
SAN DIEGO -
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
* SDSU returns to the Sports Deck this Saturday at 2 p.m. to face the University of San Diego in a battle for area bragging rights and playoff position. USD is 6-2-2 on the year, including five straight wins with the last one coming on Tuesday, 3-1, at No. 15 Cal State Northridge. SDSU is 6-3-1 and a perfect 5-0 at home, which is the longest winning streak at the four-year old Sports Deck for either men's or women's soccer.
* The Aztecs lead the all-time series by a margin of 9-3-2 between the two schools. However, the Toreros have won the last three matchups over the past three seasons. The last win for SDSU in the series was in 1991 when the Aztecs earned a 1-0 win at USD. The two schools did not meet again after that game until 2000, when the Toreros started their current win streak. SDSU won the first six matchups between the two schools from 1980-85 and were unbeaten the first 11 times the schools met.
Looking Back: SDSU vs. USD
* Last season the Aztecs fell to USD 3-0 at Torero Stadium despite an outstanding effort by SDSU goalkeper Brian Barnes. USD was ranked No. 11 in the country and improved to 5-0 on their way to the NCAA tournament while the Aztecs were battling injuries and fell to 0-2-1. Barnes held USD scoreless into the second half despite being under constant pressure after the game's opening minutes, but the Toreros finally broke through with their first goal in the match's 73rd minute and tacked on two more late tallies to win their third straight in the all-time intercity series.
* In 2001, USD came from behind to earn a 4-2 victory at the Sports Deck. SDSU held a 2-1 advantage in the second half behind two goals from freshman Eric Wohl, but USD responded with three unanswered goals in the last 30 minutes to earn the win. USD was ranked No. 15 in the country at the time and improved to 12-3-1, while the game finished the season for SDSU at 7-9-4.
Recapping Last Weekend's Matches
*San Diego State went 0-2 over the weekend as they fell 4-1 to No. 11 Rutgers and 1-0 to No. 14 St. John's at the Phillips/adidas Classic in New Jersey.
*San Diego State fell to No. 11 Rutgers, 4-1, in the homecoming of Aztec head coach Lev Kirshner. The two squads battled to a 0-0 tie at halftime but Rutgers tallied the first three goals of the game to secure the victory, snapping SDSU's five-match unbeaten streak in front of 2,032 fans at Yurcak Field. Raul Bautista scored the Aztecs lone goal at the 84:01 mark. Kirshner returned to Rutgers as a former player and assistant coach to see his mentor Bob Reasso earn his 300th career victory with the Scarlet Knights.
*San Diego State lost a tough 1-0 contest to No. 14 St. John's on Sunday. The Aztec defense remained stout against one of the best teams in the country but the offense was held in check by the Red Storm. SDSU held St. John's scoreless in the first half but SJU tallied the game winner at the 59:43 mark to earn the win.
Odds & Ends
*Two has been the lucky number for the Aztecs as all six wins this year have come with two goals.
*Kenny Fechner has tallied six assists in the Aztecs' first 10 games. The only SDSU player to record more in an entire season the last seven years was Enrique Tovar, when he posted seven assists in 2001.
*The Aztecs have had six different players score game-winning goals in the their six victories so far this season.
*SDSU is a perfect 5-0 at the Sports Deck this season, which marks the longest winning streak ever at the four year old facility.
Looking Ahead: UNLV
* The Aztecs will have an open week before beginning MPSF with three games in six days. The Aztecs start with a date at UNLV on Monday, Oct. 20. SDSU lost to the Rebels 2-1 a year ago in San Diego, but the Aztecs hold a 14-10-5 advantage in the all-time series. UNLV is 3-8 on the season and will visit defending MPSF champion New Mexico on Friday before hosting the Aztecs.
Aztecs In The Polls
* SDSU fell out of the regional poll after an eighth place ranking last week. SDSU had been in the top 10 for three weeks.
NSCAA/adidas Far West Region Top 10
Rk School W-L-T
1 UCLA 8-1-0
2 Washington 7-1-1
3 Cal State Northridge 5-0-2
4 UC Santa Barbara 7-1-1
5 Loyola Marymount 7-3-1
6 Santa Clara 8-2-3
7 San Jose State 6-1-2
8 Oregon State 7-4-0
9 Portland 6-5-0
10 Cal 5-4-1