Oct. 9, 2005
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Freshman Jen Mello scored two goals and classmate Erika Sutton added one goal and one assist to lead the San Diego State women's soccer team to a 3-1 victory over Air Force on Sunday afternoon in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Aztecs' three goals are their most since a 3-2 victory over Cal State Northridge on Sept. 24 of last season.
"We've been striving to play more consistently," second-year head coach Mike Giuliano said. "This (game) was another step. Now we have to go out there and do this for the rest of the season."
Air Force got on the scoreboard first at the 13:51 mark when Brittany Perkowski took a pass from Rhett Chase and lofted the ball over SDSU goalkeeper Cat Burson's head from just outside the penalty area.
The Aztecs responded in the 31st minute after Falcon goalkeeper Erin Wallace was unable to secure Sutton's initial shot from the right side of the field. Mello then knocked the ball into the net from 10 yards out.
Sutton scored what proved to be the game-winner at 37:30 off an assist from freshman Becky Ryan when she slipped the ball past Wallace into the left-corner of the net from 15 yards away.
SDSU went into halftime with a 2-1 lead, and a 9-5 advantage in shots and 2-1 edge in corner kicks.
Mello scored the game's final goal minutes into the second half (49:48) when she drilled a shot over Wallace's head from 25 yards. Sophomore Ashley Tenn was credited with the assist on the play.
Mello and Sutton lead the team in scoring with 15 (seven goals, one assist) and 14 (four goals, six assists) points, respectively.
The Aztecs outshot Air Force, 12-10, for the match and each team finished with two corner kicks.
Sutton had a game-high five shots, including three on goal, to lead the SDSU offense while Mello chipped in with four attempts.
Sophomore goalkeeper Cat Burson continued her strong play in net for SDSU, finishing the game with five saves. In five matches this season, Burson is 3-2 with a 0.58 goals against average.
The Aztecs will continue their four-game road trip to start MWC play with a match at New Mexico at 7 p.m. MDT Friday.
GAME NOTES: The Aztecs' 19 goals this season eclipses the 17 goals they scored in 2004 ... Through the first 15 games, Mello and Sutton have combined for 11 goals and seven assists. The duo's 29 points are now the third-highest total by a pair of freshmen in SDSU history (Lacoursiere/Wali, 73; Mathews/McGuire, 36) ... Mello's seven goals are the most by an Aztec since Kim Castellanos scored 10 times in 2002 and Sutton's six assists are the most since Castellanos and Nicole Findlay each had six that same year ... Burson's five saves gives her a 88.5 save percentage this year. Sophia Perez set the single-season record of 86.1 percent (min. 450 minutes) in 2004 ... 21 different Aztecs have started this season and 13 have registered at least one point.