CORVALLIS, Ore. – The San Diego State men’s soccer team’s season came to an end with a 2-1 loss at No. 24 Oregon State in the Pac-12 championship match Saturday evening.
After falling behind early, the Aztecs tied it up in the 63rd minute, but the Beavers were able to score the game winner in the 80th minute.
“I couldn’t be prouder of this group and how they developed this season,” Head coach Ryan Hopkins said. “We overcame so many obstacles along the way and showed championship mentality all year. Tonight we just came up a little short, but it doesn’t diminish how I look at this group and how proud I am to be their coach.”
SDSU played one of their most complete matches of the season and outshot the Beavers 18-12 and had two opportunities for the equalizer in the final 10 minutes but couldn’t find the back of the net.
The Beavers’ first goal came after an Aztec turnover in their own third of the field, which led to an Aidan Marquez goal.
The Aztecs constantly applied pressure on the Beavers in the first half, outshooting them 8-4, but didn’t put on a shot on frame.
In the 63rd minute, Carson Ballagh sent a free kick into the box that found Jaxson Hutcheon, SDSU’s leading goal scorer, after a deflection from Avery Huggins. Hutcheon scored his team-high seventh goal of the year to tie it up at 1-1.
Oregon State scored the game-winner in the 80th minute when Jacob Zapien knocked it in following a corner into a crowded and cluttered box.
SDSU and Hutcheon had two great looks off Oscar Emilio Trujillo Lizarraga free kicks in the final minutes. The first came in the 83rd minute when Hutcheon headed Trujillo Lizarraga’s service off the post and then misfired the deflection. Then in the 89th minute, OSU’s keeper John Nicolson made a fantastic save off Hutcheon’s header.
STAT OF THE MATCH
The Aztecs out-possessed the Beavers 52-48% and 69% of their possession was in Oregon State’s half of the pitch.
THE NOTE I
Hutcheon, Mattia Boldrini and Jonah Kawamura were named to the Pac-12 All-Tournament Team.
THE NOTE II
Jaxson Hutcheon recorded a point in six of SDSU’s eight matches against Pac-12 opponents.