Regardless of how disappointing a team’s season turns out, it isusually hard to overlook individual effort.

On Nov. 30, the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation recognizedthose efforts and awarded three individuals from the SDSU men’ssoccer team with all-league honors.

“We knew we had the talent to do well this year,” said sophomoregoalie Brian Barnes. “We just didn’t put the little things together.”

Among the Aztecs named to the all-league team were Barnes, juniormidfielder Enrique Tovar and sophomore defender Tyler Tinling.

Barnes, whose 90 saves broke the previous SDSU single-seasonrecord, was given first team All-MPSF honors. He led the conferencewith 5.29 saves per game. Barnes is also ranked third on the Aztecs’career saves list.

“This is a great honor for me individually,” Barnes said. “But Ifeel our entire defense has been honored with these two awards.”

Tovar, a transfer from De Anza College in San Jose, Calif., playedwell in his first year of Division I ball. The co-captain led SDSU ingoals scored (4), assists (6) and points (14).

Tinling, who returned to SDSU this season after a two-year MormonMission, was a defensive specialist and a vocal field leader for theAztecs.

The three MPSF awards were three more than the Aztecs recievedlast season. The recognition is a positive step toward the future, adirection the SDSU men’s soccer program is striving toward.

“These awards will keep us optimistic for the future,” Barnessaid. “This is a big step for our program as far as recognitiongoes.”

— Nick Maranda