Oct. 30, 2009
FORT WORTH, Texas -
San Diego State-TCU Final Box in PDF Format
San Diego State finished the regular season on a high note as it defeated TCU on the road, 4-1, Friday evening at Garvey-Rosenthal Stadium in front of a facility-record 2,713 fans. The victory improves the Aztecs' record to 12-3-5 overall and 5-0-2 in the Mountain West Conference, while the Horned Frogs fall to 9-9-0 (2-5-0 MWC).
SDSU's win is one of the most significant in program history as it extended its unbeaten streak to 13 games, which is a new school single-season record and is currently tied for the sixth longest in the nation. The 1998 squad had gone 12 consecutive games without suffering a defeat and went 12-0 in the process. The result is also the Aztecs' fifth straight victory, which is the program's longest since 1999 when that team won six in a row. The 12 overall wins, meanwhile, is the most since '99 when SDSU went 15-7-0.
On a Mountain West level, the five league victories is the most since the MWC's inaugural season (1999) when San Diego State finished the conference slate with a record of 5-1-0. Additionally, this is the first time in MWC history that an Aztec team has gone through league play without dropping a decision. The last SDSU team to accomplish the feat was the 1998 squad that completed Western Athletic Conference play with a 6-0 mark. The 1998 and 2009 teams are the only ones to post an undefeated league record in school history. It should be noted that both the 1998 and 1999 squads advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
In the Aztecs' last three outings, they have scored first and within the first 10 minutes of play. Tonight, San Diego State struck first again as Niki Fernandes netted her sixth goal of the season in the 17th minute when she dribbled across the box and put it by the TCU goalkeeper to give SDSU a 1-0 lead, which would hold up for the rest of the first half.
Coming out of the break, both teams traded possessions for the first 24 minutes of the second half, but neither could find the back of the net. In the 70th minute, however, the trend would change as Fernandes sent a cross into the box and found freshman classmate Sarah Halverson, who scored her second of the year to give the Aztecs a comfortable 2-0 edge.
Nearly 11 minutes later in the 81st minute, San Diego State put the game out of reach when freshman Megan Jurado scored her first of the season, giving the Aztecs a commanding 3-0 lead. On the play, Cat Walker found Halverson, who in turn found Jurado for the goal.
With the game winding down, Walker and Halverson teamed again, this time finding sophomore Taylor Canatsey, who knocked in San Diego State's fourth goal of the game in the 88th minute. The goal was Canatsey's first of the year and second of her career.
Nine seconds after Canatsey's effort, TCU got on the board when Kaylie Garcia scored from 40 yards out to provide the final margin.
The Aztecs' four goals marks a season high and gives them 32 for the year, which matches last season's total and is the most since the 2002 campaign.
Fernandes finished the game with three points and is making a strong case for MWC freshman of the year honors as she has six goals, five assists and 17 points for the year. Halverson had her best game, statistically, of her young career after totaling four points. Walker, meanwhile, increased her team-high point total to 21 points with her pair of helpers. In goal for San Diego State was the two-time reigning Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week Aubree Southwick. The junior received the starting nod and recorded six saves.
The Aztecs, who can finish no lower than second place in the MWC, have already locked up a quarterfinal bye at next week's Mountain West Conference Championships in Provo, Utah. San Diego State can still win the league title outright or share the crown with Brigham Young depending on the Cougars' match vs. Wyoming on Saturday. With a BYU loss, SDSU will claim the regular season championship. With a tie, the Aztecs and Cougars will share the crown. Only a BYU victory will prevent San Diego State from taking home its first MWC title.
SDSU, which is 9-0-4 in its last 13, will return to action on Thursday, Nov. 5, when it plays in the semifinal round of the MWC Championships. The Aztecs' will take the field at either noon MT or 3 p.m. MT on the BYU campus.