SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State women's soccer team defended its home field this weekend with a pair of victories, the second coming on Sunday on goals from strikers Emma Gaines-Ramos and Anna Toohey in a 2-0 decision over the Utah State Aggies.
"This is a big weekend for us," Aztec head coach Mike Friesen said. "(Boise State and Utah State) are two teams that you know are going to be in the top of the table with Boise on Friday, which was an emotional win. To come back today, have a hot day and struggle a little bit physically in the first half, I thought we did a really good job in the second half of creating opportunities and finishing a couple of them, so I'm really pleased with where we're at."
For the third time in four Mountain West contests, and second time this weekend, sophomore keeper Alexa Madueno was a wall in goal. Against the Aggies (9-3-1, 2-2-0 MW), she recorded her fifth clean sheet of the season and third in league play. In four Mountain West contests, Madueno has a 0.75 GAA and has stopped 11 of the 14 shots which have reached her line (.786 save percentage). Utah State was not able to put a shot on frame until the 68th minute and managed only two shots on goal among the six attempts they produced.
The teams played a fairly even first 45 minutes with the Aztecs outshooting Utah State 7-to-4, including putting four shots on goal. The most dangerous opportunity for San Diego State in the first half came in the 37th minute. Sarah Funk fed Denise Castro who was five yards out and right in front of the goal, but Castro's shot sailed right into the hands of Aggies keeper Diera Walton and the sides went to the intermission tied 0-0.
In the second half, San Diego State (5-7-0, 3-1-0 MW) came out with more purpose, and it took just 13 minutes to put the first goal on the board.
Gaines-Ramos drove down the left side of the field and into the box. Walton came charging off her line and met Gaines-Ramos and the ball at the corner of the six. Walton tried to stop the attack by smothering the ball but couldn't. Gaines-Ramos picked up possession again and from an impossible angle, tucked the ball into the open goal. It gave the Aztecs a 1-0 lead and was the first goal of the sophomore's collegiate career.
The score remained 1-0 for the next 15 minutes, until Toohey made it 2-0.
She struck at the 72:06 mark, picking up her first goal of the campaign. On the left side of the pitch, Malia Kaleiohi threw the ball in to Laura Fuentes, who gave it right back to Kaleiohi. The senior then drove toward the center of the field and played a perfect ball into the box. It looked like Olivia Sekimoto would get a boot it and Aggies keeper Walton thought so too.
However, the ball bounced over Sekimoto's foot and Walton, looking for a deflection, couldn't smother it. The ball trickled past her and right onto the foot of Toohey, who tucked it inside the near post for an insurance goal.
From there, San Diego State cruised to the victory.
THE NOTE
San Diego State has won back-to-back games for the first time this season and the first time since a pair of back-to-back road victories at the end of the 2020 regular season.
UP NEXT
San Diego State embarks on a Nevada trip next week, starting with a game at UNLV on Friday, Oct. 8. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. (PT).
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Gaines-Ramos Gets Game Winner In 2-0 Victory
