Oct. 18, 2009
SAN DIEGO -
Freshman Morgan Sacco (Greeley, Colo.) finished off a cross from senior Daniel Ortega (San Diego/Eastlake HS) with 44 seconds left in the first overtime to give the San Diego State men's soccer team a 2-1 victory over sixth-ranked California Sunday afternoon at SDSU Sports Deck. Junior Raymundo Reza (Denver, Colo.) scored the first goal for the Aztecs (4-4-4, 1-2-2 Pac-10), who improved to 2-0-1 against top-10 teams this season and 6-1-4 since 2005, and also earned an assist on Sacco's game-winner. It was the school-record fifth consecutive overtime match for SDSU, which once again played without senior leading scorer Evan Toft (Aurora, Colo.).
Sacco's goal completed an impressive showing for San Diego State. The Aztecs outshot the Bears (8-5-0, 2-3-0 Pac-10), who came into the weekend ranked 11th in the nation in scoring with 2.27 goals per game, by an 18-10 margin, including a 13-3 advantage over the final 54:36.
The golden goal began when Reza dribbled down the right side of the field and touched it ahead to Ortega, who sent in a low-driving cross. Sacco raced to the ball and calmly tapped it into the left corner for his second tally of the season.
Reza scored SDSU's first goal in the 78th minute with a blast into the left side from 12 yards. Redshirt sophomore Pedro Adan (San Diego/Preuss HS) started the play when he dribbled toward the right corner and passed the ball to redshirt sophomore Justin Davies (San Diego/Brooks School (Mass.)). Davies, who spent most of the week in a Washington, D.C., hospital with older brother and U.S. National Team member, Charlie, then threaded a pass in the box to Reza, who finished for his fourth goal of the season.
San Diego State had numerous chances to score before and after Reza's goal, but Cal goalkeeper David Bingham was up to the challenge. Most of the opportunities came in the second half and overtime, beginning with sophomore Daniel Steres' (Calabasas, Calif.) header attempt in the 59th minute off a Davies long throw-in that went high and right from about 10 yards.
After a sequence of passes inside the Bears' box in the 65th minute by Reza, freshman Jose Altamirano (San Diego/Southwest HS) and freshman Devon Sandoval (Albuquerque, N.M.), Reza ripped a shot toward the left corner that was stopped by a diving Bingham. Moments later, Adan pushed two consecutive attempts high of the frame.
Early in the 71st minute, senior preseason All-American Nick Cardenas (Thornton, Colo.) headed Reza's cross inches over the crossbar from close range. In the 77th minute, redshirt senior Jamel Wallace (San Diego/Oceanside HS) had a good look from 18 yards but missed it right.
In the 86th minute, Ortega took a pass from redshirt senior Matt McManus (Santa Clarita, Calif.) and ripped a hard shot from 20 yards out that was saved and covered up nicely by Bingham.
Minutes later, Wallace was whistled for a foul inside the Aztecs' box in what appeared to be a 50-50 play, giving California a penalty kick. A.J. Soares converted at the 88:04 mark, sending the game into overtime.
Fifty seconds into the first overtime, Ortega beat a Cal defender, pushed it to his right and rifled a shot toward the left side. Bingham was there once again to come up with another diving save.
SDSU took advantage of its final chance in the 100th minute as Sacco, who just came in 1:32 earlier, ended the match with his first career game-winning score.
San Diego State outshot the Bears over the match, 18-10, and owned a 6-5 edge in corner kicks.
Eleven different Aztecs had at least one shot attempt, including two each by Adan, Cardenas, McManus, Ortega, Reza, Sacco and Steres.
Redshirt junior goalkeeper Brad Byrns (Alamo, Calif.) played all 99:16 and made three saves, including a diving stop on Demetrius Omphroy in the 40th minute. With 89 career saves, Byrns trails Colin Hanke (2002-03) by one for seventh on the school's all-time list. Bingham made five stops for California.
SDSU also received great play in the back by the defense of redshirt senior Steve Beitashour (San Jose, Calif.), Cardenas, Davies and Steres. With help from Altamirano and Wallace, among others, the backs limited the Bears to just a penalty kick goal and arguably one dangerous chance. Davies drew the task of guarding Pac-10's leading goal scorer Andrew Wiedeman and held the 10-goal, three-assist junior All-American to one shot attempt (not on net).
San Diego State will face familiar foes Stanford (7 p.m. Friday) and Cal (2 p.m. Sunday) next weekend in the Bay Area.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Redshirt sophomore Justin Davies (San Diego/Brooks School (Mass.)) earned Man of the Match honors for his inspirational play in the back. Davies drew the task of guarding Cal All-American and Pac-10 leading scorer Andrew Wiedeman. He held him to just one shot attempt, which wasn't on net. Davies also assisted on SDSU's first goal, which would have been the game-winner had there not been a penalty kick attempt by the Bears in the 89th minute. The play of Davies was even more impressive, considering that fact that he was in a Washington, D.C., hospital all week with his older brother and U.S. National Team member, Charlie. Charlie was seriously hurt in a one-car accident early Tuesday morning and was just released from the Intensive Care Unit yesterday (Oct. 17). Justin made it back to San Diego yesterday in time for the Aztecs' practice, his first since last Monday (Oct. 12). Davies played all 99 minutes.