Oct. 2, 2009
SEATTLE -
The San Diego State men's soccer team stretched its unbeaten streak to six games with a 0-0, double-overtime tie at Washington Friday night at Husky Field in Seattle. It was the Pac-10 opener for the Aztecs (3-2-3, 0-0-1 Pac-10), who played without senior leading scorer Evan Toft (Aurora, Colo.), and the Huskies (3-4-2, 0-0-1 Pac-10).
In a rainy and chilly night, Washington outshot SDSU, 19-12, but San Diego State had the more quality attempts, posting five shots on net to the Huskies' four. It was the sixth tie in the last nine meetings for the conference foes. San Diego State's six-game undefeated streak is its longest since going eight matches without a loss from Sept. 9-Oct. 14, 2007.
Aztec redshirt junior goalkeeper Brad Byrns (Alamo, Calif.) made four saves over 110 minutes for his second consecutive shutout. Byrns, who is now 3-2-2 on the season, hasn't allowed a goal since Sept. 25, a period of 244 minutes even.
Byrns was helped by a stern SDSU defense, led by seniors Steve Beitashour (San Jose, Calif.), Nick Cardenas (Thornton, Colo.) and Jamel Wallace (San Diego/Oceanside HS), and sophomore Daniel Steres (Calabasas, Calif.). The group played well in the air, routinely winning challenge after challenge, while holding Washington scoreless for just the third time this season. The quartet limited the Huskies to just four shots on goal as most of the 19 attempts were from a non-threatening distance.
Offensively, junior Raymundo Reza (Denver, Colo.), who earned College Soccer News National Team of the Week honors on Monday, led San Diego State with five attempts, including two quality chances late in the match. With just four second left in regulation, Reza lifted a high shot that was saved nicely by a game Rylan Hawkins. Then, in the 109th minute, Reza ripped a hard attempt from about 18 yards that just missed the far post.
Senior Daniel Ortega (San Diego/Eastlake HS) had another good chance for the Aztecs in the 68th minute, but his volley narrowly missed the left side of the net from about 22 yards.
Ortega and junior Khadim Diouf (Dakar, Senegal) each had two shots, while Cardenas, redshirt sophomore Pedro Adan (San Diego/Preuss HS) and freshman Morgan Sacco (Greeley, Colo.) each added one attempt apiece.
SDSU will take on Oregon State Sunday afternoon (1 p.m.) in Corvallis. The Beavers (4-3-2, 0-0-1 Pac-10), who are ranked No. 37 in the latest Top Drawer Soccer poll, lost to second-ranked (Soccer America) UCLA, 3-1, on Friday.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Redshirt junior Brad Byrns (Alamo, Calif.) earned Man of the Match accolades after making four saves in the team's second consecutive shutout. Byrns has now gone 244 minutes without allowing a goal and is 3-2-2 on the season. Not only did he make four stops, but he came out of the net routinely to keep the Huskies from many close range shots. Byrns, who lowered his season goals against average to 1.17, is now 10-3-5 over his two-plus seasons.