Oct. 4, 2005
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*After enjoying seven straight home matches, the San Diego State men's soccer team (7-0-2) will make its first Pac-10 Conference road swing this week. The trip begins in Corvallis, Ore., where the Aztecs will face Oregon State on Friday, Oct. 7, at 2:00 p.m. (PDT).
*Two days later (Sunday, Oct. 9), SDSU will be in Seattle to take on 14th-ranked University of Washington at 1:00 p.m. (PDT) at Husky Soccer Stadium.
Scouting the Opposition
*Oregon State enters the week with a record of 5-2-4 (1-0-0 Pac-10) and is coming off 1-0 upset of Washington at home last Sunday. The Beavers' offense is paced by Ryan Johnson (2g, 7a) and Nick Webb (4g, 2a). Nine different players have scored at least one goal for OSU this season. Goalkeeper Packy Deenihan has started 10 of Oregon State's 11 games and has a 1/01 goals against average.
*Washington (6-2-0; 0-10- Pac-10) saw its five-match win streak snapped with the loss at Oregon State on Sunday. Up until that shutout, the Huskies had been averaging two goals per game. UW spreads the offense around as four players have scored two goals apiece. Goalie Chris Eylander has been in the net every minute this season for the Huskies and has a 0.97 goals against average.
Series History
*Oregon State leads the series with SDSU 2-1. The teams first met in 1999 with OSU taking a 2-1 win in San Diego. In 2001, the Beavers prevailed 4-1 in Corvallis with the Aztecs picking up the win the lat time the two teams squared off in 2003 (2-1 in overtime).
*San Diego State leads the series with Washington by a 3-2 count. Four of the meetings have come at neutral sites with the lone match in San Diego (1990) was a 2-1 overtime win for the huskies. The teams last played each other in 2000 in Portland.
Last Week
*The Aztecs remained undefeated on the year, notching a and win and a tie in their first-ever weekend of Pac-10 Conference action.
*On Friday (Sept. 30), the Aztecs jumped out to a quick lead on a goal by Kraig Chiles in the seventh minute off an assist by Johann Helgason. It was Chiles' sixth goal in four games for SDSU. The Cardinal came back with a goal of their own in the 76th minute and it remained scoreless through the remainder of regulation and two overtime periods.
*On Sunday, SDSU upset third-ranked Cal, 1-0, on a goal by Dennis Sanchez with two second remaining in the contest. Goal Tally Hall booted the ball up field with 10 second reaming and it was sent on by defender Matt Couch for Sanchez to knock home. Hall had four saves on the day as SDSU out-shot the Golden Bears 16-7 on the day including 12-4 in the second half.
Couch, Chiles Earn National Honors
*Senior defender Matt Couch was named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week for his performance in last week's matches vs. Stanford and Cal.
*In addition to anchoring the back line in both contests, he had the assist on the game-winning goal in the upset of third-ranked Cal on Sunday.
*This is the second consecutive week that an SDSU player has been named to the national team of the week. Last week midfielder Kraig Chiles earned that same honor for his performance in wins over Alabama A&M and Duquesne the previous weekend. Chiles was also named to the Soccer America national team of the week as well.
Hall Continues to Lead Nation
*Despite allowing a goal to Stanford last Friday, junior goalkeeper Tally Hall continues to lead the nation this week with a 0.21 goals against average over the first nine matches of the season. The SDSU season record for gaa is 0.54, set by Bryan Finnerty in 1988.
*Hall's shots on goal save percentage of .920 ranks third in the country as well (he has stopped 23 of the 25 shots on goal taken against him).
*The goal by Stanford was the first to be scored from open play against Hall this season, ending a streak of 717:03 without allowing an opponent to score (other than a penalty kick).. The only other shot to elude him this year was a penalty kick by Missouri-Kansas City on Sept. 18.
Aztecs in the National Polls
*San Diego State has moved up in the national top 30 poll compiled by College Soccer News. The Aztecs debuted in the number 29 spot two week ago, were 24th last week, and this week have moved up to 15th in the country in that poll. The poll that can be viewed at the College Soccer News web site (collegesoccernews.com).
*SDSU broke into the Soccer Times poll at number 25 last week and are ranked 18th this week. That poll is available at soccertimes.com.
*The Aztecs have also broken into Soccer America's top 25 this week, debuting in the number-14 spot.
*In addition, the regional rankings compiled by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) listed SDSU sixth in the Far West last week. Two of the teams ahead of them dropped games last week, so SDSU is looking to move up in the region. Those rankings are released on Tuesdays at noon at the NSCAA web site (www.nscaa.com).
Aztec Notes
*Entering the week, the Aztecs (at 7-0-2) are the only undefeated team remaining in the Pac-10.
*SDSU's seven wins and two draws to begin the 2005 season is its best start since 1982 when the team began with 12 straight wins. In addition to the 1982 campaign, the Aztecs have begun the season unbeaten in their first nine games on only one other occasion (1979 when they started with 11 wins).
*SDSU is averaging 1.59 goals per game after five matches while allowing 0.32 per game. Last season, the Aztecs' scoring average was 0.81 goals a game while opponents scored 1.73 per contest.
*Sophomore Johann Helgason had an assist in the Stanford contest to bring his team-leading total to five. No other Aztec has more than two.
*San Diego State has recorded seven shutouts in its first nine matches, the most in a season since the 1997 squad had 10 in 20 matches. The school record for shutouts in a season is 13, set by the 1988 squad that advanced to the final of the NCAA Tournament.
*The Aztecs have not given up a goal in the first half through their first nine matches. The 15 goals they have scored this season is one shy of their total for the 2004 campaign.