Aug. 25, 2006
SAN DIEGO - Freshman Daniel Ortega (San Diego, Calif./Eastlake HS) took a pass from sophomore Omar Persad (Louisville, Ky./Trinity HS) in the 72nd minute and blasted the ball into the left side of the net from 24 yards out to give the No. 24 San Diego State men's soccer team a 3-2 victory over Albany in the first game of The Soccer Post/Aztec Classic at SDSU Sports Deck on Friday afternoon.
The Aztecs (1-0), who started four newcomers in the match, outshot the Great Danes (0-1), 22-6, for the match, including a 14-1 advantage in the second half.
"It was nice to start the season with a win," head coach Lev Kirshner said. "We were very pleased with the way our young guys came out and performed. We look forward to what they can do the rest of the season."
SDSU got on the scoreboard first just 4:04 into the game. Senior Ryan Reott (Yorba Linda, Calif./Irvine Valley College) sent in a ball from the left side and junior Matt Lemire (Ipwisch, Mass./Univ. of Massachusetts) fired a shot that was originally stopped by Albany (0-1) goalkeeper Steward Ceus. Junior Freddy McDonald (Phoenix, Ariz./Mountain Pointe HS) knocked in the rebound to give SDSU a 1-0 lead.
Albany responded with back-to-back goals by Alex Ruhe-Lischke (30th minute) and Gaby Seguin-Gauthier (36th minute).
Freshman Nick Cardenas (Thornton, Colo./Horizon HS) tied the game for the Aztecs when he headed in a cross from junior Kraig Chiles (San Diego, Calif./Poway HS) at 39:55.
SDSU came out firing in the second half, but Ceus made some big saves to keep the match tied until Ortega's goal at the 71:50 mark.
Of the Aztecs' 22 shots on the afternoon, 12 came from newcomers, including a game-high four attempts by Ortega, and three apiece by Cardenas and freshman Evan Toft (Aurora, Colo./Grandview HS).
Senior goalkeeper Tally Hall (Gig Harbor, Wash./Gig Harbor HS), who was named to the M.A.C. Hermann Award Watch List earlier this week, played all 90 minutes in net and made one save.
SDSU will play host to Rutgers at SDSU Sports Deck on Sunday at 2 p.m.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Freshman Daniel Ortega captured Man of the Match honors after scoring his first career goal, a game-winner, in the 72nd minute. Ortega also had a game-high four shot attempts in just 36 minutes of playing time.