Sept. 11, 2015
SAN DIEGO -
The San Diego State men's soccer team continued its outstanding defensive play to start the season, recording a 0-0 tie with SIUE on Friday night to open the Courtyard Marriott San Diego Central Tournament.
The Aztecs' second-straight shutout, they start the 2015 campaign undefeated through their first four games for the first time since 2005. The last time San Diego State (3-0-1) posted clean sheets in consecutive contests at home was in 2011 in matches against Manhattan and No. 21 Penn. The 0-0 score marks the third time in the previous 10 seasons the team has two shutouts in its opening four matches.
"SIUE was a really good team," senior defender Matt Callahan said. "They pushed it to us. But we did a good job defensively and were able to figure out their system."
The Missouri Valley conference champions and NCAA Tournament participants from a year prior, SIUE's (2-2-1) best chance to break through during the match came in the 21st minute. Jason Hackett sliced a shot from four yards out of keeper Adam Allmaras's net, but the redshirt sophomore was able to make the diving grab to his left side and record the save.
The Aztecs were nearly able to extend their win streak to four matches in the first overtime period. During a scrum in front of the Cougars' net in the 97th minute, Jeroen Meefout had a shot blocked and Ernest Reyes looked to cash in on the rebound, but his shot was also blocked.
The first of two scoring chances for SIUE in the second overtime period came 4:22 in to the frame. Paul Scheipeter sliced a low shot through traffic, which Allmaras quickly gobbled up. He made three total saves in the match for his second shutout this season, yielding his 2-0-1 record on the year.
In the contest, San Diego State out-shot the Cougars, 9-8, but were unable to put a shot on frame for the first time this year. Strong play by SIUE's backline blocked five of the Aztecs' attempts at the net. Winston Sorhaitz and Casey Macias each took three shots for the Scarlet and Black, leading the team.
The Aztecs continue play at the Courtyard Marriott San Diego Central Tournament with a contest at UC Irvine on Sunday, beginning at 7 p.m.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Mark Revell is the Man of the Match after anchoring San Diego State's backline for 103 minutes of its clean sheet against SIUE. The San Diego native helped limit the Cougars to just three shots on goal. A senior, he is leading a defensive corps that has allowed three-or-fewer shots on goal in each contest to start 2015, and back-to-back shutouts atop SDSU Sports Deck for the first time since 2011.