Sept. 6, 2006
RIVERSIDE, Calif. - The No. 27 San Diego State men's soccer team dropped a 3-2 decision to host UC Riverside on Wednesday afternoon. The Aztecs, who played without starting freshman defender Nick Cardenas, fell to 2-2 with the loss while the Highlanders improved to 2-2 on the season.
The game was physical, as evident by the 42 combined fouls (UC Riverside 28, SDSU 14), five yellow cards and a red card by the Highlanders' Joel Crompton.
It didn't take the Aztecs long to get on the scoreboard, however, as senior Andrew DiCicco took a pass from sophomore Dennis Sanchez and lofted a ball over UC Riverside goalkeeper Charles Alamo just 2:07 into the match.
In the 10th minute, the Highlanders' Nathan Paterson took a shot that was saved by a diving SDSU goalkeeper Tally Hall. The ball bounced to Crompton's foot and he tapped it in to tie the game at 1-1.
Both teams kept attacking and the Aztecs took advantage with a goal at the 25:29 mark when junior Matt Lemire sent in a cross from the right side to junior Freddy McDonald, who headed the ball into the upper-right corner of the net to give SDSU a 2-1 lead.
UC Riverside answered just 1:38 later with a one-touch goal by Michael Galland. Paterson and Zack Walker were credited with assists on the play.
At halftime, the Highlanders owned an 8-7 edge in shots and 1-0 lead in corner kicks.
The second half was a different story for the Aztecs as they outshot UC Riverside, 10-3, and had all seven corner kicks in the period.
In the 67th minute, however, the Highlanders' Andrew Villalobos drove a low shot into the penalty area which was once again saved by a diving Hall. The ball rebounded fell out to Xavier Perez, who touched it to Paterson inside the six-yard box, where he knocked the ball in the net before Hall could recover.
SDSU kept the pressure up throughout the second half, but was unable to score the tying goal. Its best chance came with three minutes left and UC Riverside holding most of its players back do defend. Junior Kraig Chiles rifled a shot that deflected off Alamo. The ball fell to McDonald but this rebound attempt rocketed off the post and out of harm's way.
McDonald and freshman Steve Beitashour each finished the match with a team-high three shots. DiCicco and Chiles added two shot attempts apiece.
Hall, a 2005 All-American, made four saves for the Aztecs.
SDSU will play host to UNLV at 2 p.m. Saturday.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Freshman Evan Toft was named SDSU's Man of the Match because of his excellent play in the midfield. He was the Aztecs' most dangerous player on the field and made the biggest contribution on both sides of the ball.