Oct. 18, 2006
SAN DIEGO -
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
SDSU Men's Soccer Looks to Get Back on Track; Travels to Pacific Northwest For Matches at Pac-10 Foes Washington, Oregon State
The San Diego State men's soccer team wraps up a three-game road trip with a pair of Pac-10 matches in the Pacific Northwest. The Aztecs (7-5-1, 3-2-0 Pac-10) will take on Washington (9-5-0, 2-5-0 Pac-10) at 7 p.m. Friday before meeting Oregon State (5-9-1, 0-7-0 Pac-10) at 1 p.m Sunday.
Aztec Quick Hits
- San Diego State is 3-2-0 and is in fourth place in Pac-10 with nine points. However, the Aztecs have played two less conference games than two teams and one less Pac-10 match than two other schools. The three conference wins in five games are already one more than the 2005 NCAA Tournament team (2-3-5) had.
- SDSU is 5-3-1 over its last nine matches, including two wins over nationally ranked teams. The Aztecs have outscored the opposition, 14-10, during the nine-game stretch and own an impressive 131-89 shot advantage.
- 11 of San Diego State's 13 matches this season have been decided by one goal or less. SDSU is 5-5-1 in those games (2-2-0 in Pac-10).
- SDSU is receiving votes in the latest College Soccer News poll.
Scouting the Huskies
Washington (9-5-0, 2-5-0 Pac-10) comes into its match against the Aztecs in a bit of a slide. The Huskies, who were ranked No. 4 in the nation when they fell to San Diego State, 1-0, in San Diego on Oct. 1, have lost five out of their last six matches, all against Pac-10 opponents.
Kevin Forrest leads the league with 23 points and 11 goals. Other top 10 Pac-10 Conference scorers for Washington include Ely Allen (six goals, four assists) and Raphael Cox (three goals, seven assists). The Huskies' top goalkeeper is Rylan Hawkins, who is 6-5-0 with a 1.06 goals against average and four shutouts.
The overall series is tied, 3-3-2, after the Aztecs took a 1-0 decision in San Diego on Oct. 1. Playing a man down for the final 75:48 after Nick Clemens was issued a red card, SDSU rallied for a goal just five minutes later when senior Raul Bautista headed in a pass from Kraig Chiles. Senior goalkeeper Tally Hall made six saves to post the shutout.
Scouting the Beavers
Oregon State (5-9-1, 0-7-0 Pac-10) is still looking for its first Pac-10 Conference victory and haven't won since Sept. 17, a 1-0 victory over Drake.
The Beavers are led offensively by standout Robbie Findley (five goals, four assists). The other top scorers for the squad include Bryan Jordan (four goals) and Nick Webb (three goals). Pecky Deenihan has played 1,075-plus minutes in net and is 4-6-1 with a 1.42 goals against average and 70.7 shots-on-goal save percentage.
San Diego State tied the series with Oregon State at three games apiece after a 2-1 triumph in San Diego on Sept. 29. In that game, the Aztecs received goals from junior Kraig Chiles and sophomore Omar Persad. SDSU, which outshot the Beavers, 17-8, in the match, also got assists from senior Raul Bautista, senior Nick Clemens and freshman Steve Beitashour. Senior goalkeeper Tally Hall played all 90 minutes and made two stops.
Dynamic Duo
Senior Andrew DiCicco and junior Kraig Chiles are turning heads across the Pac-10 Conference for their finishing abilities.
DiCicco, who is playing his first season as a forward after playing his previous three in the midfield, leads the squad in points (13) and goals (five). The 13 points and five goals are fifth and third, respectively, in the Pac-10. Coming into his senior season, DiCicco had only one goal and three assists for five points.
A tri-captain, DiCicco has been remarkably accurate with his strikes. DiCicco has scored on five of his 18 shots for a .278 shot percentage, highest on the team. His .556 shots-on-goal percentage is tied with Matt Lemire for the highest on the squad as well. Additionally, the Aztecs have won all three games when he registered an assist.
DiCicco has been named Man of the Match on two occasions, good enough for third on the team. He also was named to the USD/SDSU Soccer Classic All-Tournament Team earlier this season.
To say Chiles is important to the team is an understatement. Consider the following, the Aztecs are 6-0 when he records a point, 4-0 when he has at least one assist and 3-0 when he tallies a goal.
Chiles ranks fourth in the Pac-10 in numerous categories, including shots (34), assists (four) and game-winning goals (two). He leads San Diego State in assists (four), shots (34), shots on goal (17) and game-winning goals (four), and is second in goals (four) and points (12). He is also a perfect 2-for-2 in penalty kick attempts.
Chiles was named to The Soccer Post/Aztec Classic All-Tournament Team on Aug. 27 and earned Man of the Match accolades for his two-goal, one-assist performance in SDSU's 2-1 victory over UNLV on Sept. 9.
Together, the duo has connected for 45.0 percent (9-of-20) of the team's goals, 40.9 percent (25-of-61) of the team's points, 33.0 percent (7-of-21) of the team's assists and 31.0 percent of the team's shots on goal. In addition, the Aztecs are 4-0 when both Chiles and DiCicco register at least one point in the game.
Young and Talented in the Back
What the Aztec defense has been able to do, despite its youth, might even be more impressive. The defense has posted three shutouts in its last eight games and has allowed only eight tallies over the same period. Despite having four underclassmen in the backfield start a combined 44 times of a possible 52 games, or 84.6 percent. Freshman Nick Cardenas (12 starts), sophomore Danny Ortiz (13 starts) and sophomore Dennis Sanchez (13 starts) have started every game they have appeared in this year. Freshman Steve Beitashour (five starts as a defender, two as a midfielder) has platooned with senior Ryan Reott (eight starts) as the other starting defender.
An Offense to be Reckoned With
The SDSU offense is making a name for itself in 2006. Through 13 games, the Aztecs are averaging 1.54 goals per game after averaging just under a goal (0.97) per game last season and 0.81 goals per game in 2004.
Also, 14 different San Diego State players have registered a point this year, two more than each of the last two seasons. In addition to the distribution of the wealth, SDSU's points, shot attempts, shots on goal and corner kicks have increased.
Who Needs 11 Players?
Barring any practice injuries the rest of the week, Friday's game against Washington will mark the first time since Sept. 29 that the Aztecs will be at full strength.
SDSU played without senior tri-captain Raul Bautista in its loss to UC Irvine on Saturday night after the midfielder received two yellow cards in its game against UCLA on Oct. 8.
The Aztecs played short-handed soccer for more than 75 percent of their two previous games before the UC Irvine match. Bautista's card came a game after classmate Nick Clemens received a red card just 14:05 into SDSU's match against, ironically, Washington on Oct. 1.
Statistically, however, the Aztecs have played better soccer while playing a man down. During the 123:50 of short-handed play this season, both against nationally ranked opponents, SDSU has outscored its opponents, 2-1, and has a 20-19 edge in shots.
Aztecs and the National Polls
Despite a loss to nationally ranked UC Irvine over the weekend, the Aztecs remained in the College Soccer News poll by receiving votes.
All this despite one of the toughest schedules on the West Coast. Of San Diego State's 18 matches this season, eight are against teams that have been ranked or receiving votes earlier this season or are currently ranked or receiving votes. SDSU's 2006 opponents have combined to go 118-108-27 (.520).
Home Sweet Home
The Aztecs once again are off to a fine start at the SDSU Sports Deck this season. In eight home matches, San Diego State is 6-1-1, including a victory over perennial powers Rutgers and Washington.
In home games this season, the Aztecs have outscored the opposition, 14-8, and own almost a 3-to-1 (151-to-62) shot advantage and 34-20 lead in corner kicks.
Dating back to the end of the 2004 season (a period of 20 games), SDSU is 15-2-3 (.825) on Montezuma Mesa. In Lev Kirshner's seven-year tenure, San Diego State is 36-20-9 (.623) at SDSU Sports Deck.
Tally Hall Named to M.A.C. Hermann Award Watch List
Senior goalkeeper Tally Hall has been named to the 2006 Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List for the 2006 season. The M.A.C. Hermann Award is given annually to the top collegiate player in the nation. The complete list of 25, announced by the M.A.C., was compiled by a panel of coaches from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). Hall is one of 14 seniors and one of only three goalkeepers on the list.
Hall, an All-America selection by three publications last season, led the country with an 88.9 shots-on-goal save percentage and was second with a 0.49 goals against average in 2005. He was also selected first-team all-Pac-10 and all-Far West Region after setting a school record with 12 shutouts.
This season, Hall is 7-4-1 with a 1.12 goals against average and 79.1 shots-on-goal save percentage.
Hall was named Co-Most Valuable Player of The Soccer Post/Aztec Classic and later garnered all-tournament accolades at the USD/SDSU Soccer Classic. On Sept. 26, he was named the Pac-10 Player of the Week for the first time in his career and on Oct. 2 he was selected to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week.
Four Aztecs - Chris Keenan (1987), Marcelo Balboa (1988-89) and Kyle Whittemore (1988) - have been named Hermann Award finalists, but no SDSU athlete has ever won the award.