Oct. 8, 2004
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State used a dominating two-goal first half performance by junior Matt Couch and held off a late flurry from Air Force to defeat the Falcons 3-0. The Aztecs improve to 2-7-1 on the season, 2-1 in Mountain Pacific play. Air Force falls to 6-3-1, 2-1 in the MPSF.
"This was a great victory against the (co)leader of our conference," SDSU head coach Lev Kirshner said. "We just came out with fresh legs and put away our chances early. We got into the game and executed and came away with the win over a very good Air Force team."
SDSU came off a week-long break with fresh legs and took the ball to Falcons quickly. The Aztecs first goal came on long pass from junior Colter McArdle, who had checked in just 15 seconds earlier, that Couch scored (12:13) on a diving header from 12 yards out. McArdle and senior Kenny Fechner were credited assists on the play. Couch added to his total on the night just three minutes later when he found a ball off a long kick from SDSU's sophomore keeper Tally Hall, and put it in the lower left half of the goal (15:51). Hall was credited with the assist. The Aztecs would all but put it away on an own goal by Air Force, when a Falcon defender attempted to head a ball back to his keeper, but put it into the net (35:41) instead.
SDSU held off great pressure from Air Force, which took 13 shots in the second half, to maintain the shutout and earn Hall his second win and second shutout of the season. For the game, the Aztecs trailed the Falcons in shots (20-16) and shots on goal (10-8), but held a slim lead in corner kick attempts (5-3).
Besides Couch, SDSU had several players who caught Kirshner's eye, including McArdle, defenders Fechner, Eric Wohl and Freddy McDonald, plus goalkeeper Hall.
"It is always nice when [Colter McArdle] makes you look like a genius when he subs on the field and 15 seconds later sends a great pass that nets a goal," Kirshner said. "We were excited of the play of not only Couch, which goes without saying, but Colter [McArdle] and our back line of Kenny Fechner, Eric Wohl and Freddy McDonald. Those three all had outstanding defensive performances to help our great keeper Tally [Hall] hold on to the shutout."
SDSU stays at home Sunday for a game against MPSF foe Denver. Game time is set for 2 p.m. at the SportsDeck.