Sept. 14, 2008
DENVER -
Redshirt juniors Jamel Wallace (San Diego, Calif./Oceanside HS) and Matt McManus (Santa Clarita, Calif.) each scored second half goals to lead the San Diego State men's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Air Force Sunday afternoon in Denver. The Aztecs improved to 2-2-0 with the win, while the Falcons dropped to 0-5-0.
The victory was also SDSU's 400th in program history. In its 41st season of Division I soccer, San Diego State is now 400-256-82 (.598), including 28-19-14 (.574) in its three-plus years in the Pac-10.
For the game, SDSU outshot Air Force, 22-14, while owning a 7-3 advantage in corner kicks.
Following a scoreless first half, Wallace placed a header past Falcon goalkeeper Jim Gullo in the 78th minute. The play was set up by a pair of Coloradans in juniors Evan Toft (Aurora, Colo.) and Nick Cardenas (Thornton, Colo.). Toft sent a free kick into the box that found Cardenas, who headed a pass to Wallace for the score.
McManus made it 2-0 San Diego State at the 87:49 mark when he fired a shot past Gullo after receiving a cross from sophomore Michael Rocha (Pasadena, Calif.) It was Rocha's first point of his collegiate career.
Toft, and sophomores Khadim Diouf (Dakar, Senegal) and Raymundo Reza (Denver, Colo.) each had four shots apiece to pace the Aztec offense. Cardenas added three attempts, while McManus, Wallace and freshman Daniel Steres (Calabasas, Calif.) each contributed two shots.
Redshirt freshman Morgan Maestas (Littleton, Colo.) made his return to Colorado a memorable one, making five saves for his first collegiate shutout in his first career start.
Gullo made six stops for Air Force.
The Aztecs return to San Diego this weekend when they co-host the SDSU/USD Tournament. SDSU will play UC Irvine at 1 p.m. Friday and will meet UC Davis on Sunday (1 p.m.).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Redshirt junior Jamel Wallace (San Diego, Calif./Oceanside HS) earned Man of the Match honors after recording the game-winning goal in the 78th minute. Wallace played all 90 minutes in the match, recording two shots. He also moved to the back after his goal to help preserve the 1-0 lead.