Sep 7, 2013
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego State men's soccer team lost a hard-fought match to UC Irvine, 1-0, on Saturday night at SDSU Sports Deck. The Aztecs fall to 1-2 with the loss, while UC Irvine improves to 2-0-1 this season.
The Anteaters scored the game's only goal on a header by Dennis Martinez in the 77th minute off a pass from Cameron Iwasa. Martinez knocked in his diagonal shot from 12 yards out on the right side just past the outstretched arms of Aztecs senior goalkeeper Blake Hylen.
Saturday night was statistically the best game of the young season for Hylen, as the San Diego, Calif., native recorded seven saves. Seniors Kevin Bick and Blake Wise each finished with three shots to lead SDSU, while junior defender Evyn Hewett took two.
The match went back-and-forth for most of the evening, as the Aztecs threatened on a couple occasions in the second half before the Anteaters were able to score. UC Irvine goalkeeper Michael Breslin finished with just two saves on the night, but each came in critical moments.
First, a shot by senior Robbie Freise sailed high in the 50th minute, and two minutes later, a shot by Aaron Thompson off Abraham Villon's corner kick was saved by Breslin. SDSU took three corner kicks during this three-minute stretch, but were unable to put one into the net.
San Diego State had another chance in the 72nd minute, as Hewett's header off another corner kick by Villon was again saved by Breslin. Wise got off a shot in the 83rd minute following UC Irvine's goal, but the kick sailed wide right.
The Aztecs return to the pitch on Friday, Sept. 13, as SDSU takes on Niagara in Akron, Ohio, as part of the University of Akron Tournament. The match is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. ET.
Man of the Match: Senior Abraham Villon (Garden Grove, Calif.) was named Man of the Match for the Aztecs, as the midfielder played 67 minutes and placed a couple of nice corner kicks into the front of the net that SDSU was unable to take advantage of.