The San Diego State women’s soccer club team was unwilling to adda loss to its record last weekend. But it did not add a win, either.SDSU tied all three games in the Long Beach Tournament, where itfaced USC, UC Santa Barbara and Long Beach State.
USC was the Aztecs’ first challenge of the series. The Trojansscored first, when the ball got loose from SDSU’s goalie, Liz Valla,and was put in by a USC forward.
Team captain Jodi Bick said Valla did not have a good hold on theball.
“She didn’t have a big grasp on it,” Bick said. “But she stillcame up really strong in every game.”
Finally, after 75 minutes of play, the Aztecs put the ball pastthe posts. Krystle “Alaska” Hanto, used her head to send the ballinto the upper left corner of the net. The ball came from corner-kickterritory, with a cross from Kristie Evans.
But with the minutes ticking by, SDSU could not find time to scoreagain. Both teams left the field in a dead heat, with the final score1-1.
Aztecs head coach David Sevier said his team got a tough break.
“We were really unlucky,” Sevier said. “We were very aggressivethroughout the entire game, but just not able to put the ball in theback of the net.”
The game against UCSB also didn’t pay off in victory. Neither teamhad many shots on the goal, leaving the Aztecs in another no-winsituation. The game ended in a scoreless tie.
The match-up with LBSU offered no relief from the monotony. It wasthe same story, although SDSU changed its offensive formation andpicked up the tempo, the game still ended the same as the previous –a scoreless tie.
The Aztecs’ new arrangement did allow more shots on the goal, butthey still could not get the ball past the goalkeeper. One hopefulshot came in the second half, when Bick crossed the ball to forwardCourtney Blund. She took the shot, but came up short, as the ballsailed out of bounds.
Bick said they dominated every game, but could not leave with awin.
“We we’re working good together, but we just couldn’t finish,”Bick said. “It’s really weird. I’ve never experienced or heard oftying three games in a row.
“It was so frustrating!”
SDSU meets up with UCSB again this Saturday at 9:30 a.m. on theSDSU Sports Deck.
Men’s Wrestling
The San Diego State wrestling team won big last weekend at theVista USA Wrestling Tournament. On Saturday, John Alvarado took firstplace for the Aztecs in the 138.8 pound weight class.
Alvarado competed against a Navy wrestler for three matches. Hewon all three — giving him the overall victory.
Alvarado said the last match, which he won 6-5, was the mostexciting.
“I took him down in the last 10 seconds for the win,” he said. “Iwas really satisfied with my results.”
He has all the reason to feel content with his triumph. Alvaradostarted conditioning only two weeks ago. This was his firsttournament in almost two years.
Alvarado said it is a combination of three elements that awrestler must have in order to come out on top.
“If you have technique and experience, then you’re OK,” Alvaradosaid. “But what gives you the advantage is the conditioning beforeyou get on the mat.”
The USA Wrestling Tournaments are open to any wrestler with a USAWrestling Card. Competitors may choose to enter any or all of thecontests, held almost every weekend.
