After a lackluster 2-8-1 start, SDSU is in a must-win situation against SJSU and Sac State By David Beck, Staff WriterComing off a tough stretch against ranked opponents, including thetop three teams in its conference, the San Diego State men’s soccerteam is ready for change. Sometimes all it takes to bolster a team’sconfidence is a couple of victories against weaker opponents. Itdoesn’t really matter who it’s against – a win is a win.
The Aztecs hope to pick up those victories when they make a roadtrip to Northern California this weekend where they will take onSacramento State (3-7-1 1-3) and San Jose State (1-8-2 0-3),statistically the two weakest teams in the conference. In the eyes ofthe team, however, these are being looked at as just two more games.
“Coach does not tell us a lot about our opponents until the day ofthe game and leaves a little bit open,” senior midfielder ColterMcArdle said. “He tells us that regardless of what people say, youneed to go out and play great soccer.”
SDSU is definitely not going to look past these teams though,because in a league that is as close and has as much parity as theMountain Pacific Sports Federation does, you never know who will comeand sneak up on you. Sacramento State also comes into the gameboasting last week’s MPSF Player of the Week in junior forward RickyRodriguez, who is coming off a two-goal, two-assist week for theHornets.
“Sacramento is a very difficult team to play up at their place,”head coach Lev Kirshner said. “They are a very tough and spiritedteam.”
Even though the Aztecs’ overall record of 2-8-1 is less thanstellar, their in-conference record of 2-2 has them in a three-waytie for third place with Air Force and UNLV. SDSU also has only onegame separating it from second -place Denver, who is 3-1. It is onlytwo games away from conference-leading New Mexico who is 3-0.However, changes will have to be made in order for the Aztecs toimprove their play and get where they want to be when the weekend isall said and done.
“We still need to fine-tune our system and work on the mental sideof our game,” Kirshner said. “We’re in every game – it’s justmental lapses that are costing us.”
It’s important for SDSU to remember everything that has happenedup until this point can be simply washed away if it does well in therest of its conference matchups. If the Aztecs win out the rest ofthe season they will have a good chance to be representing the MPSFin the NCAA Tournament. If that occurs, no one will be rememberingwhat they did in non-conference and they would have – inessence – a clean slate heading into the tournament.
The match against the Hornets will be 4 p.m. Friday inSacramento, and the game against the Spartans will be 1 p.m. Sunday,Oct. 24 in San Jose.
