Aug. 22, 2007
SAN DIEGO - AZTEC MEN'S SOCCER PREVIEW: PART 1 | AZTEC MEN'S SOCCER PREVIEW: PART 3
The San Diego State men's soccer heads into the 2007 season with high hopes of reaching its third consecutive NCAA tournament. In various preseason polls, the Aztecs are ranked No. 21 by Top Drawer Soccer, No. 25 by College Soccer News and are receiving votes by NSCAA/adidas. College Soccer News also has rated the 2007 incoming recruiting class as the 19th-best in the nation.
In addition, sophomore Nick Cardenas has been chosen as a preseason All-America selection by College Soccer News, while the same website lists incoming freshmen Gemechu Abraham and Kellen Frye as 100 Freshmen to Keep an Eye On.
With the season rapidly approaching (SDSU's first game is at Creighton on Aug. 31), GoAztecs.com will examine the 2007 Aztecs in a special three-day preview as they attempt to reach the NCAA tournament for the third consecutive season.
Tuesday focused on the outlook and goalkeepers, today will feature the defenders and midfielders and Thursday will preview the forwards and schedule.
Defenders
With all four starters, three of whom garnered all-conference honors, returning from the No. 1 defense (fewest goals allowed) in the Pac-10, the SDSU defense has to be considered a major strength of the 2007 squad.
The Aztec backline gave up seven goals in conference play in 2005 to lead the Pac-10 and the following year yielded nine tallies with two sophomores and two freshmen manning the backfield.
"The great thing about this defense is all four starters return," Kirshner said. "We potentially have a backline that will play together for three years."
Cardenas anchors the defense after putting together one of the finest SDSU freshman seasons in recent memory. The 6-5 back was named a second-team NSCAA/adidas all-Far West selection and second-team all-Pac-10 pick in addition to being named the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. A U.S. U-20 National Team Camp call-up, Cardenas tied for the team lead with six goals en route to earning Top Drawer Soccer all-rookie team honors and College Soccer News all-freshmen accolades.
"What Cardenas supplied us with was a proven ball-winner in the middle of our defense," Kirshner said. "What we're now getting from Nick is a more cultured player, one who makes better decisions with the soccer ball and one who reads the game quicker. Those things will make him a more influential player on our team."
Junior honorable mention all-Pac-10 performers Dennis Sanchez and Danny Ortiz will also carry much of the load in the back. Sanchez, who started all 18 games he appeared in, had three assists, while Ortiz started 18 of 19 matches and contributed one assist.
"Dennis Sanchez has all the characteristics needed to win games," Kirshner said. "His drive, his effort and willingness to win at anything he does happens in every environment we put him in."
"Danny (Ortiz) is one of the best leaders we have in our program and he showed that last year as a sophomore by taking over an extremely young backline," Kirshner said. "Danny is a very good soccer player, but when you put his competitive drive and his ability to lead players together, he becomes an integral part of this program."
Another defender who Kirshner has high hopes for is redshirt sophomore Steve Beitashour. Beitashour started 10 times in 18 games, and saw playing time in both the midfield and backline.
"(Beitashour) is one young man who, the more he plays at a higher level, the better he is going to be," Kirshner said. "Athletically, he is capable of playing with any professional in this country. He has pace, he has strength, he has skill and he can play with both feet. Beita's growth is in playing more games to get a stronger tactical sense of the game."
Midfielders
Kirshner thinks the 2007 midfield corps could be the best of his seven-year tenure. With so many talented players to choose from, including two-time all-Pac-10 performer and senior co-captain Kraig Chiles, Kirshner is faced with a minor problem. How does he find enough playing time for everybody?
"I think this is going to be the strongest and deepest midfield we have ever possessed," Kirshner said. "It is going to be extremely difficult to decide on our starters - one, because we are so talented and two, because our players are so much alike. It's going to come down to what kind of form they are in, whether they are healthy and how much pride they take in defending."
Chiles, who has led the team in scoring each of the past two seasons, returns after being the only Aztec to start all 19 games in 2006.
"Kraig (Chiles) has one of the best soccer minds we have in this program," Kirshner said. "His long-range shooting as well as his effective passing abilities are essential in keeping our team in a good rhythm. When Kraig is on the ball and creating plays, we are very difficult to beat."
Sophomore Evan Toft is another Aztec who will be given more responsibilities in his second season. Toft, a Top Drawer Soccer all-rookie team selection a year ago, had four assists, which tied with two others for most on the team.
"We brought Evan (Toft) (to SDSU) to make our attack that more dangerous and he did that in his freshman year," Kirshner said. "We'll look for that on a more consistent basis than he showed last season. He has that in him and I'm sure he will live up to our expectations and take on our challenge. That's just his character."
See part three of our three-part preview Thursday morning.