Sept. 30, 2011
SAN DIEGO -
The San Diego State men's soccer team stretched its unbeaten streak to six games with a 1-0 victory over Stanford in the Pac-12 Conference opener for both teams Friday at SDSU Sports Deck on Montezuma Road. The Aztecs improved to 6-1-2 (1-0 Pac-12), while the Cardinal dropped to 3-5-1 and 0-1.
Junior Ata Ozbay (Barrington, Ill.) struck for the only goal in the 51st minute off a long pass from sophomore Casey Meuser (Granite Bay, Calif.). Ozbay took Meuser's pass and blasted into the right corner from 25 yards out for his third tally of the season.
The goal was enough to give redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Blake Hylen (San Diego/Torrey Pines HS) the deserving victory. Hylen made a career-high seven saves, including a breakaway stop and two others over the final 3:22 as Stanford was desperately trying for the equalizer. Hylen picked up his second consecutive shutout and third of the season, and has now gone 287:39 in net without allowing a goal. Hylen is 5-1-2 on the season with a 0.72 goals against average in 749:45.
SDSU had many chances in the first half to take the lead, but was unable to find the back of the net. In the 11th minute, juniors Abraham Villon (Garden Grove, Calif./Arizona Western College) and Jose Altamirano (San Diego/Southwest HS) completed a give-and-go just outside the box before setting up sophomore Miles Byass. Byass' left-footed shot, however, missed just right from about 12 yards out.
In the 19th minute, freshman Tyler Smith (Huntington Beach, Calif.) sent in a cross from the left side to a breaking Byass. Byass was unable to connect on a shot, but Villon gathered the ball and pushed it right from just inside the box.
Altamirano found some space in the center at the 23:42 mark, but his hard strike from 35 yards sailed over the net.
The first chance for the Cardinal came in the 26th minute when Grant Grafentin and San Diego State's Hylen collided just outside the box. Alexander Benne controlled the loose ball, but couldn't get off a shot before Hylen regrouped and grabbed the ball from behind.
Minutes later, Benne had the visitor's best chance when he ripped a shot from the left side from just outside the 18-yard box that was stopped by the diving Hylen. Stanford followed with four consecutive corner kicks, but only managed two headers that were easily stopped by the Aztec defense.
At the half, each team had four shots and four corner kicks apiece.
After Ozbay's goal early in the second 45, SDSU continue to attack the Cardinal back line. Byass got through at the 51:45 mark as Jason Dodson, the Stanford goalkeeper, came out to challenge. Byass flicked it over Dodson but it just cleared the crossbar.
Byass had the next two quality chances of the match as well, including a diving header in the 55th minute that was saved by a diving Dodson. At the 57:23 mark, Byass' hard shot from 15 yards on the left side went into the side awning.
In the 62nd minute, San Diego State redshirt senior Pedro Adan (San Diego/Preuss HS) took a ball that came out of the box and ripped a 37-yard shot that deflected off a Cardinal defender and ringed the crossbar.
In the 67th minute, Stanford's Zach Batteer broke down the right side but his attempt from a tough angle was saved by a game Hylen.
Just minutes after entering the game, redshirt sophomore Jordan Ongaro (Edmonton, Alberta) made his presence known in leading an offensive attack for the Aztecs. His shot was blocked in the 70th minute and sophomore Kody Duff (Roseville, Calif.) controlled the rebound. Duff touched it to Ozbay, who fired a shot to the lower-right corner that was stopped by the outstretched Dodson.
Ongaro kept up the pressure with three shots over a two-minute span (76:25-78:35), where SDSU had four straight corner kicks.
Adam Jahn tried to tie it in the 85th minute for Stanford but his free kick from about 22 yards out hit the upper-right crossbar, and Garrett Gunther was unable to follow up on the rebound.
In the 87th minute, Batteer got through on a breakaway by Hylen came out nicely to keep the clean sheet intact. Batteer (88th minute) and Gunther (89th minute) had two more chances for the Cardinal, but both were from long range and right at Hylen.
San Diego State outshot Stanford, 16-15, for the match and owned a huge 10-5 advantage on corner kicks.
Byass and Ongaro had four shots apiece to lead the Aztecs, while Ozbay put both of his attempts on net.
SDSU will look to continue its unbeaten streak Sunday when it hosts California at noon PT.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Redshirt sophomore Blake Hylen (San Diego/Torrey Pines HS) earned Man of the Match honors for his play in net. Hylen made a career-high seven saves, including a breakaway stop and two other saves over the final 3:22. It was Hylen's second consecutive shutout and third of the season. He has gone 287:39 in net without allowing a goal.
San Diego State 1, Stanford 0
Stanford (3-5-1, 0-1 Pac-12) 0 0 -- 0
San Diego State (6-1-2, 1-0 Pac-12) 0 1 -- 1
Goal Summary
1, SDSU - Ata Ozbay (3) (Casey Meuser (1)), 50:25