Sept. 9, 2010
SAN DIEGO -
Complete Release in PDF Format
Aztec Men's Soccer Plays Host to Air Force, Oakland in Third Annual Courtyard Marriott San Diego Central Tournament
Coming off a 3-2 victory at crosstown opponent USD, the San Diego State men's soccer team opens its home portion of the 2010 schedule this weekend when it plays host to the third annual Courtyard Marriott San Diego Central Tournament. The Aztecs (1-1-0) will meet Air Force at 4 p.m. Friday, before playing Oakland at 4 p.m. Sunday. Nationally ranked UC Irvine is also in the four-team tournament.
The Courtyard Marriott San Diego Central Tournament Info
This weekend will be the third edition of the Courtyard Marriott San Diego Central Soccer Tournament. The host San Diego State is making its third consecutive appearance in the tourney, while Air Force, Oakland and UC Irvine are in the tournament for the first time.
Michigan won the inaugural tournament in 2008, while the Aztecs were co-champions (with Univ. of Penn) last year with a 1-0-1 record. SDSU junior captain Daniel Steres was the Defensive Most Valuable Player as a freshman (2008) and an all-tournament selection last year. Senior captains Raymundo Reza (2008) and Khadim Diouf (2009) also garnered all-tournament honors.
The tournament website, which includes rosters, statistics and schedules of the four participating teams, can be found at http://goaztecs.cstv.com/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/sdsu-10-marriott-central.html.
Scouting the Falcons
Air Force split a pair of games last weekend at home, dropping a 1-0, double-overtime decision to future Aztec opponent Houston Baptist on Friday before rallying for a 2-1 win over Big West foe Cal Poly on Sunday. The Falcons have outshot their opponents, 48-29, over the two games. Zane Dydasko and Conor Henry each have a goal for the Academy, while Kevin Durr has an assist. Matt Underwood has played all 204 minutes, 16 second in net and is 1-1-0 with a 0.88 goals against average. Underwood has impressive marks of 13 saves and a 86.7 save percentage.
Air Force has the light 6-5 edge in the series, but SDSU won the only meeting in its Pac-10 era, a 2-0 triumph in Denver on Sept. 14, 2008. Current Aztecs Khadim Diouf (four shots, one on goal), Raymundo Reza (four shots, two on goal), Justin Davies and Daniel Steres (two shots, one on goal) all drew starts for the victors, while Pedro Adan and Michael Rocha (assist) each came off the bench.
A Glance at the Golden Grizzlies
Oakland is riding the momentum of a 1-0, overtime victory over 14th-ranked Drake on Sunday. The Golden Grizzlies, who fell to Marshall, 1-0, on Friday, outshot visiting Drake by a healthy 21-6 margin. Johnny Dreshaj scored the game-winner just 59 seconds into the first overtime with a header off assists from Winston Henderson and Tom Catalano. OU goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt was named the Summit League Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts, the fourth of his career, after making eight saves over the two games and allowing just one goal.
Sunday will be the first-ever meeting between SDSU and Oakland.
Quality Over Quantity
Through two games this season, San Diego State has 12 shots. Four of those attempts, however, have found the back of the net. Although early in the 2010 campaign, one has to be impressed with the 33.3 percent success rate. To put that number in perspective, last year's Aztecs owned a 10.2 shot percentage (26-of-254), while the previous years have been 10.7 percent (2008), 8.5 percent (2007), 10.7 percent (2006) and 9.0 percent (2005).
What might be even more impressive is how close SDSU has come in its misses. Besides the four goals, San Diego State has had three attempts hit either a crossbar or a post. The numbers could be even higher, but the NCAA doesn't count crossbars or posts as shots on net.
The Aztecs' most proficient game came in a 3-2 win at crosstown foe San Diego on Sunday night. In the game, SDSU had six shots - three goals, two crossbars and one post. Senior Raymundo Reza (Denver, Colo.) alone had three on "frame" with two goals and a post.
The Young...
Coming into the season the big question was, "Who is going to replace the departed seven seniors?" Of those seven seniors (six who finished the season), three were drafted by Major League Soccer and five were named to the 2009 all-Pac-10 team (one first team selection, four honorable mention picks).
Two games into the season, nine (of 16) newcomers have already seen action with fve earning a combined seven starts. True freshmen Casey Meuser (Granite Bay, Calif.) and Tyrone Martin (Indianapolis, Ind.) have started both games, while redshirt freshman Robbie Freise, and true freshmen Brett Helm (Frisco, Texas) and Sean Zaher (Las Vegas, Nev.) have one start apiece. In addition, redshirt freshman Jordan Ongaro (Edmonton, Alberta) and true freshman Kody Duff (Roseville, Calif.) have on assist each.
In the opener at Loyola Marymount on Sept. 1, four freshmen (all true) started. The four freshmen are the most in head coach Lev Kirshner's 11-year tenure. Three started in the team's 3-2 dramatic victory at San Diego on Sunday night with an amazing six starting the second half.
..and the "Rustless"
Maybe a bit overlooked because of the 16 newcomers are the three Aztec seniors Brad Byrns (Alamo, Calif.). Khadim Diouf (Dakar, Senegal) and Raymundo Reza (Denver, Colo.). The three, however, have been rocks in the program since their arrival on The Mesa and have started both games this season.
A 2007 honorable mention all-Pac-10 pick, Byrns returned from an injury-plagued 2008 season to started 16 of SDSU's 18 games a year ago, leading the league in saves per game (4.50). Over his career, San Diego State is 15-8-6 (.621) when he earns the start. This year, Byrns is 1-1-0 with a 1.99 goals against average.
An all-Pac-10 selection all three years (second team in 2009, honorable mention in 2007-08), Diouf tied for third on the team in 2009 with nine points on three goals and three assists. Over his career, the tri-captain has five career game-winning goals (12 total). This year, Diouf has one goal on three shots (two on net).
A two-time all-conference honoree (second team in 2009, honorable mention in 2008), Reza is a two-time team MVP after leading the squad in scoring each of the past two seasons. Reza had 16 points (six goals, four assists) last year after recording the top SDSU offensive season in a decade in 2008 (20 points - eight goals, four assists). The tri-captain already has five points (two goals, one assist) in two games in 2010.
Click on the PDF file for the complete release, including notes, statistics and more.