Sept. 12, 2010
SAN DIEGO -
Final Stats in PDF | Courtyard Marriott San Diego Central All-Tourney Team in PDF
The San Diego State men's soccer team scored three unanswered goals over the final 32 minutes, 59 seconds to defeat Oakland University, 4-1, in the final game of the Courtyard Marriott San Diego Central Tournament Sunday afternoon at SDSU SportsDeck. The Aztecs won their third consecutive match to improve to 3-1-0, their best four-game start in a season since 2005 (3-0-1).
SDSU and 12th-ranked UC Irvine each went 2-0 in the tournament, but the Anteaters claimed the tourney title due to goal differential (UCI - +7, SDSU - +4). San Diego State senior captain Raymundo Reza (Denver, Colo.) was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player after scoring twice Sunday against the Golden Grizzlies (1-3-0) and assisting on Friday's game-winner, while fellow classmate and captain Khadim Diouf (Dakar, Senegal), redshirt junior Justin Davies (San Diego/Brooks School (Mass.)) and freshman Tyrone Martin (Indianapolis, Ind.) each garnered all-tournament team honors.
The Aztecs struck first at the 15:07 mark, thanks to a long throw-in by Davies. Davies, who scored his first career goal Friday in the team's 1-0 win over Air Force, threw the ball into the box where junior captain Daniel Steres (Calabasas, Calif.) flicked a headed pass to a wide open Michael Rocha (Pasadena, Calif.). Rocha, a senior, finished into the right side of the net for his first career tally.
Steres almost gave SDSU a two-goal cushion in the 25th minute when he headed sophomore Jose Altamirano's (San Diego/Southwest HS) corner kick just over the crossbar.
Heading into halftime, OU led in both shots (5-2) and corner kicks (3-2).
The second half was a different story as San Diego State outshot the visitors, 15-4, including a decisive 8-1 advantage on net. The Aztecs had 12 shots on goal for the game, the program's most since recording 15 against Albany on Sept. 7, 2008.
It was Oakland, however, that got on the scoreboard first in the second 45 when Sean Magee finished into the right corner from 15 yards at the 50:10 mark.
SDSU answered less than seven minutes later on a 3-v-2 counterattack. Altamirano took a pass from the back and dribbled down the middle of the field before sending a pass to his right to a breaking Reza. Reza drilled the ball into the left side from about 18 yards for the eventual game-winning goal.
Not even a minute later, Davies took a pass on the left side and outran the Golden Grizzly defenders. Davies first shot was saved by OU goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt. Davies got his own rebound but blasted a shot off the left post.
In the 65th minute, Reza ripped a free kick past the Oakland wall from 27 yards, but Hildebrandt dove to his right for the save.
San Diego State tacked on its third goal at the 69:56 mark when Diouf switched fields to Davies. Davies touched it inside to his right foot and fired a shot off Hildebrandt's foot and into the back of the net.
In the 80th minute, Davies was stopped twice by Hildebrandt, but still gained possession of the ball. Hildebrandt then took Davies down in the box and the Aztecs were awarded a penalty kick. Reza calmly stepped up and finished for the fourth time of 2010.
Davies had a game-high six shots, including five on net (the other hit the post), to pace the SDSU offense. Reza added four attempts (three on goal), while freshman Miles Byass (Highland, Calif.), Rocha and Steres each had two shots apiece.
Redshirt senior Brad Byrns (Alamo, Calif.) (3-1-0) played all 90 minutes and made four saves. Byrns is now 16-8-7 (.629) over his career at San Diego State. Hildebrandt was counted on to make eight stops for the Golden Grizzlies.
The back line of Steres (90 minutes), Martin (90), redshirt freshman Robbie Freise (Canyon Country, Calif.) (90), Casey Meuser (Granite Bay, Calif.) (84) and redshirt junior Andre Acevedo (San Diego/Eastlake HS) (6) played well once again, limiting a team that came into Sunday averaging 14.67 shots per match to just nine attempts (four in second half).
The Aztecs take their talents to Madison, Wis., for the Middleton Sports and Fitness Invitational this weekend where they will face Wisconsin (7:30 p.m. CT Friday) and Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Noon CT Sunday).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Senior Raymundo Reza (Denver, Colo.) was named the Man of the Match after scoring two goals in SDSU's 4-1 win. Reza scored the game-winner in the 58th minute and the final San Diego State goal in the 81st minute. Reza had four shots (three on net), while playing 81 minutes. For his efforts, he was named the Courtyard Marriott San Diego Central Offense Most Valuable Player.
The Third Annual Courtyard Marriott San Diego Central Tournament
Final Tournament Results
1. UC Irvine 2-0-0 (Won on goal differential)
2. San Diego State 2-0-0
3. Oakland University 0-2-0 (Third by goal differential)
4. Air Force Academy 0-2-0
Offensive MVP - Raymundo Reza (SDSU) (2 goals, 1 assist; GW assist Friday/GW goal Sunday)
Defensive MVP - Andrew Fontein (UC Irvine) (2 shutouts; eight saves Friday/four saves Sunday)
All-Tourney Team
Corey Attaway, UC Irvine
Everett Pitts, UC Irvine
Spencer Thompson, UC Irvine
Amani Walker, UC Irvine
Justin Davies, San Diego State
Khadim Diouf, San Diego State
Tyrone Martin, San Diego State
Vuk Popovic, Oakland University
John Timm, Oakland University
Kevin Durr, Air Force Academy
Zane Dydasco, Air Force Academy