Sept. 7, 2008
Final Stats | Video Highlights
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State men's soccer team broke open a 1-0 game with four goals in a period of 10 minutes, 36 seconds early in the second half en route to a 6-0 victory over Albany Sunday afternoon at SDSU Sports Deck. The Aztecs (1-1-0) handed the Great Danes (3-1-0) their first loss of the season.
Freshman Joe Corona (San Diego, Calif./Sweetwater HS) scored twice to lead SDSU, while classmate Daniel Steres (Calabasas, Calif.) and junior Evan Toft (Aurora, Colo.) scored one goal and assisted on another. Sophomores Khadim Diouf (Dakar, Senegal) and Raymundo Reza (Denver, Colo.) each added goals for San Diego State, with junior Daniel Ortega (San Diego, Calif./Eastlake HS) and sophomore Michio Akazawa (Bellevue, Wash.) each picking up solo assists.
On the day, the Aztecs outshot Albany, 28-4, including a 17-1 advantage in the first half. In addition, SDSU had 15 shots on goal without allowing the Great Danes a shot on net, and won the corner kick battle, 7-1.
San Diego State wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, thanks to Diouf's penalty kick goal just 1:12 into the match. Senior Dennis Sanchez (Redmond, Wash.) began the play on the right side when he dribbled in and took a shot that was stopped by Albany's goalkeeper Adrian Foncette. Diouf corralled the rebound and rifled a shot that was batted down by the hands of the Great Danes' Ian Peach. Peach was issued a red card on the play, which led to Diouf's sixth career goal.
The Aztecs increased the pressure the rest of the first half, recording 14 shots before Albany's Hilco Beeks gave his team its first attempt in the 33rd minute.
Steres had a header in the seventh minute that was saved by a diving Foncette. In the 17th minute, Steres has another scoring chance on a well-placed attempt that was stopped by Foncette. A header by junior Nick Cardenas (Thornton, Colo.) in the 24th minute narrowly missed the crossbar, as did Reza's 20-yard attempt in the 36th minute. Redshirt freshman Pedro Adan (San Diego, Calif./Preuss HS) had the team's final good chance of the half in the 41st minute with a shot to the upper-right corner that was pushed out of bounds by a diving Foncette.
At the intermission, SDSU held a commanding 17-1 advantage in shots (7-0 on net) and a 4-1 lead in corner kicks.
It was more of the same in the second half for San Diego State, which began its four-goal barrage at the 57:26 mark. On the play, Steres took advantage of a misclear by a Great Danes' defender and tucked the ball into the right corner from 10 yards out.
Less than a minute later (58:27), Reza received a pass from Toft down the sideline and knocked the ball into the net from about 10 yards.
In the 62nd minute, Toft took a pass from Akazawa and rifled a shot from 20 yards into the right corner, giving the Aztecs a 4-0 lead.
At the 67:41 mark, Steres took a hard shot from the right side that Foncette originally knocked down. Corona then raced to the ball and put it away for his first career collegiate goal. Steres earned the assist on the play.
Corona ended the scoring for SDSU in the 89th minute after knocking the ball into the right corner from 12 yards. Ortega was credited with the assist.
Steres had a career and game-high seven shots to lead the San Diego State offense, including five on goal. Diouf had five shots (two on net), while Toft contributed three shot attempts. Adan, Cardenas, Corona, Ortega and Reza each chipped in with two shots apiece.
The Aztec defense, consisting of starters Cardenas, redshirt senior Myles Davis (Delta, B.C., Canada), redshirt junior Jamel Wallace (San Diego, Calif./Oceanside HS) and Sanchez played a stellar game, limiting the Great Danes to four shots and none on goal. Steres and Akazawa also played well in the back for SDSU.
Senior Jorge Rosales (Redwood City, Calif.) (1-0-0) started in net for San Diego State and played 61:24 without making a save. Redshirt freshman Morgan Maestas (Littleton, Colo.) played the final 28:36 and did not face a shot on goal. Foncette made nine saves for Albany.
Michigan was declared the tournament champions after going 1-0-1. The Aztecs (1-1-0) were second, followed by Albany (1-1-0) and San Diego (0-1-1).
Steres was named the tournament's Most Valuable Defensive Player, while Michigan's Peri Marosevic earned the Most Valuable Offensive Player award. Steres registered two goals and assist over the two games, in addition to seeing plenty of action in the back. Steres helped limit SDSU's opponents to just 14 shots over the two matches, including five on goal. On Sunday, Steres and the Aztec defense limited the Great Danes to four shots on the game and none on net.
Toft, Cardenas and Reza each were named to the all-tournament team.
SDSU will travel to Denver, Colo., for games against Denver (4 p.m. MT Friday) and Air Force (Noon MT Sunday) this weekend.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Freshman Daniel Steres was named the Man of the Match after scoring a goal and assisting on another in the team's 6-0 victory. Steres also had a career and game-high seven shots, including five on net, en route to being named the tournament's Most Valuable Defensive Player.
NOTES: SDSU's 28 shots tied an SDSU Sports Deck record. It is the third time the feat has happened and the first since Sept. 15, 2006 ... Through two games, the Aztecs are averaging 4.0 goals per game and have outshot its opponents, 43-14, including a 23-5 advantage on net ... After recording just one point (assist) and eight shots his freshman year, Raymundo Reza has already put up five points (two goals and one assist) and seven shot attempts in 2008 ... Twenty-two Aztecs have seen playing time in the first two games with 14 different players earning starts ... SDSU plays two games in Denver, Colo., this weekend. It will be a homecoming of sorts for Colorado natives Nick Cardenas, Morgan Maestas, Raymundo Reza and Evan Toft.
The First Annual The Courtyard Marriott San Diego Central Tournament
San Diego, Calif.
SDSU Sports Deck
Final Tournament Results
1. Michigan - 1-0-1
2. San Diego State - 1-1-0
3. Albany - 1-1-0
4. San Diego - 0-1-1
Offensive MVP - Peri Marosevic, Michigan
Defensive MVP - Daniel Steres, San Diego State
All-Tourney Team
Mauro Fozetti, Michigan
Jake Stacy, Michigan
Patrick Sperry, Michigan
Matt Schmitt, Michigan
Raymundo Reza, San Diego State
Nick Cardenas, San Diego State
Evan Toft, San Diego State
Claudio Dantas, Albany
Taylor McNamara, Albany
Ryan Peterman, San Diego
Corey Norris, San Diego