Oct. 22, 2010
SAN DIEGO -
The San Diego State men's soccer team outshot No. 12 California, 26-9, including a 16-2 advantage over the final 65 minutes, but had to settle for a 1-1, double-overtime tie Friday at SDSU Sports Deck. The Aztecs (7-5-2, 1-4-1 Pac-10) also had five more corner kicks (8-3).
SDSU is now 7-3-2 against Cal (8-2-3, 4-1-1 Pac-10) in its Pac-10 era (since 2005), including a 5-0-1 mark at home. Even more impressive, San Diego State is 4-2-2 since 2005 when California is a top-12 team (NSCAA/HendrickCars.com poll).
Graduate student Falke Verwer (Delft, Netherlands) tied the game for San Diego State in the 82nd minute when he took sophomore Jose Altamirano's (San Diego/Southwest HS) corner kick and headed home a screamer past Bear goalkeeper David Bingham. It was Verwer's second goal as an Aztec in just four matches and Altamirano's team-leading eighth assist of the season.
Cal took the lead at the 9:27 mark when Servando Carrasco headed in Davis Paul's corner kick. It was California's fourth attempt of the game, while SDSU didn't get off a shot until freshman Casey Meuser's (Granite Bay, Calif.) kick was blocked by a Bear defender, resulting in a San Diego State corner kick. The Aztecs outshot the visitors, 26-5, over the final 100:33.
SDSU's first quality chance came in the 32nd mark as redshirt junior Justin Davies (San Diego/Brooks School (Mass.)) dribbled toward the net along the right side and touched it back to the corner to an awaiting redshirt freshman Jordan Ongaro (Edmonton, Alberta). Ongaro's attempt, however, deflected off Cal defender and into the hands of Bingham (8-2-3).
Minutes later after a California foul, Altamirano floated a ball into the box but Davies just got a foot on it and Bingham made the stop.
Freshman Miles Byass' (Highland, Calif.) hard volley in the 44th minute went high of frame, giving the Bears a 1-0 lead at halftime intermission.
San Diego State kept up its offensive pressure in the second half, recording all 12 of the shots over the 45 minutes. Davies dribbled toward the center alley in the 68th minute but shot it right at Bingham.
After a nifty move to get by Cal's Demitrius Omphroy in the 75th minute, Byass broke down the right side toward the net. As Byass was about to take a shot, Omphroy took him down just outside the box, resulting in a yellow card for Omphroy and a dangerous free kick for the Aztecs. Reza stepped up and ripped an attempt that made it through the California wall, but Bingham deflected it over the crossbar at the last second, keeping his shutout intact.
That shutout would only last a few more minutes when Verwer tied the game at the 81:31 mark.
It appeared SDSU took the lead in 85th minute, but Ongaro's shot hit the post and the crossbar before careening across the end line for a Bear goal kick.
Davies tried to strike first in the opening overtime but his long half-volley was covered up by Bingham in the 92nd minute.
Cal almost ended the game on the counterattack when Davis Paul got open on the left side and took a pass from Chris Ortega. Paul settled it and ripped a shot that was saved by a diving San Diego State redshirt senior goalkeeper Brad Byrns (Alamo, Calif.). It was Byrns' (7-5-2) only save of the game.
Neither team would have a quality attempt the rest of the way as the Aztecs outshot California, 4-2, in the two overtimes and had all three corner kicks.
Byass and Reza had five shots apiece, one more than the entire Bear team. Davies and senior captain Khadim Diouf (Dakar, Senegal) added three attempts each, while Altamirano, Meuser and Ongaro each recorded two shots.
Byrns played all 110 minutes with his one stop, while Bingham was counted on for six saves.
The defense, which was playing without true freshman starter Tyrone Martin (Indianapolis), who had played every minute this season, limited a team that came into the match outscoring its opponents, 15-2, in league play, to just two shots on goal and nine overall attempts. Senior captain Daniel Steres (Calabasas, Calif.), redshirt junior Pedro Adan (San Diego/Preuss HS), Meuser and true freshman Robbie Freise (Canyon Country, Calif.) all earned starts. Verwer and Altamirano also saw time in the back, among others.
SDSU plays host to Stanford at 1 p.m. PT Sunday.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Graduate student Falke Verwer (Delft, Netherlands) earned Man of the Match honors after scoring the game-tying goal in the 82nd minute when his screaming header beat Cal goalkeeper David Bingham. Verwer came off the bench to play 46 minutes, including time in the backline. Verwer won the balls in the air and helped SDSU improve to 7-3-2 against California since 2005 and a 4-2-2 mark when the Bears are a top-12 team.