Oct. 26, 2003
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - San Diego State's women's soccer team tied New Mexico, 0-0 in double overtime, on Sunday afternoon in a Mountain West Conference women's soccer match. The Aztecs (7-8-2, 2-2-1 MWC) out-shot the Lobos (2-9-4, 1-3-1), 17-16, in the evenly played match.
The match going into extra sessions marked the fifth such occurrence this season, the most in a season in SDSU history (the Aztecs are 1-2-2 in extra-session matches). The 1998 team went to overtime four times.
Goalkeeper Stephanie Pearson earned her second consecutive shutout and seventh of the season, leading all MWC goalkeepers in that category. Wyoming goalkeeper Lori Scheider is second with six. The seven shutouts are the most by SDSU in a season since the 1999 team finished with seven.
Pearson and the talented Aztec defense has not allowed a goal in 217:30. If SDSU keeps Gonzaga scoreless 80:53 into Friday's match, it will mark the longest stretch of an Aztec defense keeping opponents scoreless since a 298:22 span over four games in 1999. Earlier this season, San Diego State held opponents scoreless for a stretch of 255:57.
Defender Alexis Solovij helped lead the defensive dominance this weekend (SDSU also shutout Air Force, 1-0, on Friday). "Alexis was steady and consistent all weekend and solidified the defense," head coach Chuck Clegg said. "She did a great job clearing dangerous through balls and passes. As a group, the defense played very strong."
Offensively, the Aztecs had "tons of close chances," Clegg said. In the 40th minute, midfielder Jessica Korpela fired a shot that hit halfway up the post and bounced over the end line. In the final minute of regulation, defender Ashley Cooper took a corner kick and placed it right to midfielder Jen Klunder, who took the shot, but Lobo goalkeeper Kristen Winters saved it.
With just seconds remaining in the first overtime session, forward Kim Castellanos shot the ball on goal but the Lobos made a team save. The ball rebounded to forward Gina Salinas, who picked up the rebound and fired a shot as the horn was about to sound but Winters made an impressive save, grabbing the ball and then falling on it.
Castellanos had three shots (all on goal) to lead the San Diego State offense in that category. Cooper recorded two shots, one on goal. Nine others had at least one shot.
San Diego State plays its final home match at 1 p.m. Friday against Gonzaga and its final regular season game at UNLV at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
The Aztecs' MWC Tournament quarterfinal match will be on Nov. 5 in Salt Lake City against either New Mexico or UNLV at either 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m. or 2 p.m. MST. The winner of that game will move on to a semifinal on Nov. 6 at either 11 a.m. or 2 p.m. and the championship is slated for noon on Nov. 8.