Oct. 20, 2003
San Diego State opened up MPSF action with a 3-1 victory over UNLV on Monday night in Las Vegas. The Aztecs fell behind as the Rebels scored just eight minutes into the game, but SDSU earned their third come from behind win of the year with three unanswered goals. Kevin Sapanli registered his first two scores of the season and Heath Creager added his team-high fifth tally to give the Aztecs the victory. SDSU improves to 7-4-1 on the season and 1-0 in conference action, while UNLV falls to 4-9 and 1-1 in the MPSF.
"This was a great win for us to come from behind on the road in the conference opener," said head coach Lev Kirshner. "They scored on us early, but our team never gives up and we came back with an awesome effort after we fell behind."
It was the first win for SDSU on an opponents' field since a 2-0 win at Fresno State on October 21, 2001, breaking a string of 11 straight road defeats.
The three goals marked a season high for the Aztecs as Heath Creager and Matt Couch led the offensive effort to produce quality scoring chances that SDSU was able to capitalize on.
"I was extremely impressed with the play of Creager and Couch," said Kirshner of his offensive tandem. "Tonight was the best forward effort I have seen since I have been at SDSU."
Sapanli provided the first score at the 21:43 mark as he blasted a shot to the left post off of a feed from Kenny Fechner. The assist is Fechner's seventh on the season, the most for an Aztec since Aaron Susi recorded 10 assists in 1995. The two teams finished the half tied at one.
The second half opened with Sapanli giving the lead to SDSU with another rocket, this time from the top of the box that beat the UNLV keeper. Dione Scott picked up the assist. The final score came in the 71st minute as Heath Creager took a pass from Blake Perry and placed a header into an empty net.
SDSU goalkeeper Colin Hanke made six saves including a point blank stop that could have gotten the Rebels back in the game.
"Colin Hanke was tremendous in goal and he gave a suberb effort," said Kirshner. "His leadership really kept us in the gameeffort in goal was superb."
The shot totals were even at 20 but SDSU held an 11-7 advantage in shots on goal and a 6-2 edge in corner kicks. Matt Couch and Eric Wohl each posted four shots, while Creager and Sapanli both recorded three shots on goal.
SDSU hosts two more MPSF games this weekend as Denver comes to the Sports Deck on Friday and Air Force visits on Sunday.