Aug. 24, 2012
SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego State women's soccer team, playing their fourth game in a week, didn't show any signs of fatigue as the squad scored two early goals en route to a 2-0 victory over Seattle U on Friday evening at the SDSU Sports Deck. With the win, the Aztecs improve to 4-0 for the first time in 16 seasons and just the second occasion overall in program history. The Redhawks meanwhile, drop to 1-2 on the year.
SDSU wasted little time out of the gate as sophomore Hannah Keane crossed the ball to Tiffany Hurst and the redshirt senior connected on a shot right in front of the net at the 0:36 mark. It was Hurst's first goal of the season and the earliest the Aztecs have scored this season.
Less than 30 seconds later, San Diego State capitalized on another early opportunity as redshirt junior Sophie Metz's corner kick was perfectly executed and nearly went in as it hit the top crossbar. Haley Locker finished the job as the sophomore headed it in off the ricochet to give the Aztecs an early 2-0 lead.
SDSU's offensive intensity didn't subside despite an early advantage. The Aztecs tallied another shot in the 9th minute as Keane had an attempt blocked. Metz found her way back in the action at the 16:42 mark with a shot that had to be saved by SU goalkeeper Brianna Smallidge. Less than a minute later, Keane notched a header that just went wide.
Both teams battled for the next 10 minutes without any shots, but the Aztecs continued to control the momentum. In the 28th minute, senior Megan Jurado watched an attempt just go to the left. Junior Jensen Skinner then took the final shot of the first half for the Aztecs at the 38:09 mark, but had it blocked.
The Redhawks finally tallied a shot in the final seconds of the first half, but redshirt sophomore Rachel Boaz stepped in front of it and kept SDSU's two-goal lead intact. The Aztecs outshot SU by an 8-1 margin in the first half, including three on goal and also had the upper hand in corner kicks (3-2).
In the second half, SDSU kept up the intensity on defense as the Redhawks didn't tally an attempt until the 68th minute. That try was also SU's best opportunity of the half as Boaz notched another save. The next three shots the Redhawks took in the 71nd, 81nd and 88th minute were nowhere near the mark.
The Aztecs won the shot battle, 10-5 (4-2 in shots on goal), and they also owned the advantage in corner kicks by a 4-3 margin. Boaz picked up another shutout victory and improved to 4-0, while Smallidge dropped to 1-2 on the year.
San Diego State will now have a week off before a showdown with No. 8 Pepperdine next Friday, Aug. 31. The match is scheduled for a 7 p.m. PT start at the SDSU Sports Deck.