Sept. 4, 2015
SAN DIEGO, Calif. ââ'¬" The San Diego State men's soccer team took 20 shots and scored a pair of goals less than four minutes apart in the second half to top San Diego Christian College, 3-1, on Friday night atop SDSU Sports Deck. The victory gives the Aztecs their first 2-0 start to a season since 2006.
Rene Reyes, who played full-time and took a team-high six shots, netted the match's opening goal and the eventual match-winner, and Winston Sorhaitz recorded a goal and an assist.
"Tonight was a great tune-up match and what we wanted against a good team," San Diego State head coach Lev Kirshner said. "The team responded well to the environment and showed a lot of character."
Play was shared equally in both team's third of the field to open the match. But midway through the first half, the Aztecs (2-0) were able to pick up their pace and began peppering the San Diego Christian (4-1) defense with quality scoring opportunities, led by the tandem of Winston Sorhaitz and Rene Reyes.
In the 24th minute on a free kick, Reyes fired a low shot to the Hawks' goal, forcing goalkeeper Ryan Huerta to dive for the stop. Two minutes later, Sorhaitz sent a long ball to Reyes from the corner, but Reyes's shot sailed wide left.
Less than a minute later, however, the tandem of Sorhaitz and Reyes cashed in. Sorhaitz darted around a Hawk defender and, with quick foot speed, fed a pass to Reyes, who promptly sent a low shot into the net.
"Winston (Sorhaitz) was electric and dynamic on attack," Kirshner said. "He got the offense going and I was proud of his effort."
With the score at 1-0 in San Diego State's favor, the start of the second half mirrored the opening 45 minutes, as the teams traded quality scoring chances. Ten minutes into the frame, San Diego Christian knotted the score at 1-1 when Alex Saliba took off on a breakaway from midfield. His shot knocked off of Nedin Tucakovic's gloves and in to the net behind him.
San Diego State responded convincingly, out-shooting the Hawks by an 8-0 margin in the ensuing 20 minutes before snatching back its lead. A Casey Macias feed at 76:39 allowed Reyes to utilize nifty footwork in the box and send the ball into the top right corner of the net for the 2-1 advantage.
"Rene (Reyes) was good at finding pockets inside the box," Kirshner said. "He got goals off of smart tactical decisions and was intelligent in his runs up top."
Just over three-and-a-half minutes later, Matt Callahan's perfectly placed throw-in provided Sorhaitz with the tool he needed to get the insurance goal from short range. His tally sailed past the left post for the final 3-1 score at the 81-minute mark.
In his first career start between the pipes, Keenan Townsend (1-0) earned the win, making one save in 45 minutes on the pitch. Tucakovic made one save while playing the second half.
In the match, San Diego State out-shot the Hawks by a 20-4 margin, its highest shot total this season, and did not allow any San Diego Christian corner kicks, while taking seven of its own.
The Aztecs will go for their first 3-0 start since 1992 when they welcome George Washington to SDSU Sports Deck on Sun., Sept. 6. The match is set to start at 4 p.m.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Winston Sorhaitz is the Man of the Match after scoring San Diego State's insurance goal and assisting on the opening tally. In his first start wearing the Scarlet and Black, the sophomore forward was pivotal in San Diego State's attack, generating quality scoring opportunities with swiftness and vibrant play. On the Aztecs' first goal of the game in the 18th minute, his quick foot speed created room for a feed to Rene Reyes. Sorhaitz's marker in the 81st minute was a short kick near the left post off of a throw-in. The three points were the first of Sorhaitz's Aztec career.