Looking to continue its longest winning streak of the season, the San Diego State women’s soccer team defeated the Colorado State University Rams 3-0 last Friday in a simply dominating fashion.
The Lady Aztecs didn’t waste any time getting on the scoreboard. Redshirt senior midfielder Sophie Metz scored her first goal of the season with a shot from the right side in front of the net just 2 minutes into the game. Both junior forwards Hannah Keane and Haley Locker were credited with the assist.
With an early 1-0 lead, SDSU continued to force the issue against the Rams in this contest. Setting the tone early in this game only fueled the Aztecs to keep pressuring the Rams.
In the 31st minute of the first half, Keane put the Aztecs in the lead 2-0 with a shot from the right side off a bounce back in front of the net, assisted by senior forward Jensen Skinner
Keane’s goal marked her fifth straight game, in which she scored and was her eight goal in SDSU’s last five games. She won the Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Week award along with winning the College Sports Madness MWC Player of the Week award prior to this game.
Still in the first half at the 31st minute mark, the Aztecs scored once again when Skinner knocked in a shot off an assist from freshman forward and defender Morgan Darling. The Aztecs didn’t need any more scoring after that, as they held the Rams to just two shots throughout the entire game.
After the game, head coach Mike Friesen took notice of Keane’s play and what her presence has meant to this team.
[quote]“It’s been a phenomenal last five games that she’s been on fire, so that’s been fun to see,” Friesen said. “One of the things that people probably don’t know about her is how hard she works, but everyone knows who she is now. The fact that she continues to score goals with that much focus on her is impressive.”[/quote]
When asked about her awards and scoring for her fifth straight game, Keane reauthorized that her scoring wouldn’t have happened without the aid of her teammates.
[quote]“It’s all my teammates. I wouldn’t be in this position if it weren’t for everyone else playing me the perfect balls, they put me in that position,” Keane said.[/quote]
As the Aztecs improved to 3-0 in conference play, they will look for their first road win of the season next against Air Force on Oct. 11. Friesen understands the challenges that lay ahead for the Aztecs as his team has yet to win a game this season on the road.
[quote]“I’m not concerned about the earlier results; I’m concerned about what’s happening right now. We will reiterate; this is our process and we’re going on the road, this is our mentality, we’re road warriors.” [/quote]
Photo by Jordan Owen, Senior Staff Photographer
