Oct. 23, 2003
SAN DIEGO - SDSU continues conference action this weekend with home contests starting with Denver on Friday followed by a Sunday match with Air Force. The Aztecs are coming off a 3-1 victory at UNLV on Mondy in the MPSF opener. SDSU is 7-4-1 on the year and 1-0 in league action while both of this weekend's opponents hold 7-6-1 records. The Aztecs will attempt to go to 2-0 in conference play for the first time in the team history.
* Denver enters the game with a 1-1 record in the MPSF and is 7-3-1 since an 0-3 start. SDSU holds a 2-1 overall record with the Pioneers, but dropped a 3-0 decision last season in Denver.
* Air Force is 0-2 in conference play. However, the Falcons have a 5-2 advantage in the all-time series, including five straight wins over the Aztecs, and three straight wins in San Diego. SDSU has not beaten Air Force since 1991.
* Air Force boasts the highest scoring team in the conference averaging 2.47 goals per game. Sophomore forward Daniel Wasson leads the nation in scoring at 1.17 goals per game as he has netted 14 scores.
Recapping The Weekend's Match
* San Diego State opened conference play with a big 3-1 victory at UNLV. SDSU fell behind early as the Rebels tallied a goal only eight minutes into the game. However, the Aztecs fought back to earn their third come-from-behind win of the year, scoring three unanswered goals.
* The three scores for SDSU was a season high as the foward combo of Heath Creager and Matt Couch opened up multiple scoring chances. Kevin Sapanli was the benefactor of the foward play, scoring the first two goals and Creager added the third. It was the first two goals for Sapanli at SDSU since his all-MPSF season in 2001.
* The win was the first road win for SDSU in almost two years as they had dropped 10 straight on the opposition's home turf. The Aztecs had not earned a win on the road since a 2-0 victory over Fresno State on Oct. 21, 2001.
Odds & Ends
* The victory over UNLV was SDSU's third come-from-behind win this year. Entering the season, the Aztecs had only one come-from-behind win in the last four seasons, a stretch of 84 contests.
* In SDSU's seven victories so far this season, the Aztecs have had seven different players record game winning goals.
* The two goals by Kevin Sapanli was the second time this season that an Aztec has recorded a multiple scoring game. Heath Creager also tallied two goals in the 2-0 win over Long Island.
* Kenny Fechner notched his seventh assist of the season on SDSU's first goal vs. UNLV with a perfect pass to Kevin Sapanli. Fechner's seven assists (0.58 per game) ranks second in the MPSF and 25th in the country. The assist total ties Enrique Tovar for the most at SDSU over the last seven years.
* Heath Creager is No. 7 in goals scored with 0.42 goals per game among MPSF members.
Looking Ahead: Sacramento St. & SJSU
* The Aztecs will hit the road next week for MPSF matchups at Sacramento State on Friday, Oct. 31, at 2:30 p.m. and at San Jose State on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 1:00 p.m.
* Sacramento State is 4-9-1 on the year and 1-2 in MPSF play. The Hornets have yet to win on the road but are 4-4 at home. SDSU is 0-1-1 in the last two matchups with a 0-0 tie last year and a 3-1 loss in 2001. SDSU holds a 2-1-2 overall advantage in the series.
* San Jose State is 8-3-2 on the year and ranked eighth in the NSCAA Far West Regional poll. SJSU is 2-0 in the conference with wins over Denver and Air Force. San Jose State leads the all-time series by a 6-5-1 margin. In addition, SDSU has not earned a win over the Spartans in the last five matchups dating back to 1994 as they are 0-4-1. The Aztecs are 1-4-1 in San Jose and have not earned a win there since 1981.
NSCAA/adidas Far West Region Top 10
Rk School W-L-T
1 UCLA 12-1-0
2 UC Santa Barbara 11-1-1
3 Oregon State 10-4-0
4 Santa Clara 10-2-3
5 Washington 8-2-2
6 Cal State Northridge 8-2-2
7 San Diego 10-2-2
8 San Jose State 8-3-2
9 Loyola Marymount 8-5-1
10 Portland 7-6-0