The No. 12/17/13 San Diego State women’s soccer team opened up Mountain West Conference play against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Friday night at the SDSU Sports Deck. The Aztecs continued their winning ways, improving to 10- 1-1 on the season after beating the Wolf Pack 3-0 in a one-sided match.
It didn’t take long for the Aztecs to notch the game-winner. Senior midfielder Tiffany Hurst netted a goal in the fourth minute, when UNLV failed to clear out a cross by sophomore forward Hannah Keane. Hurst knocked in her second game- winner of the season to put the Aztecs up 1-0.
But SDSU didn’t let off the gas after grabbing an early lead. Shots by sophomore forward Haley Locker and junior defender Haley
Palmer nearly had the Aztecs up 2-0. Keane had a shot hit the post before bouncing out of play. The team had already tallied six shots (two off the post) and was hungry for another goal.
The second goal finally came in the 27th minute when Keane scored on a header inside the box from senior defender Rachael McGlinchy’s cross. Keane passed the ball out to the corner, where McGlinchy tracked it down and fired a cross to a wide- open Keane, who put it away.
“I just ran in, knowing that she would probably get a cross,” Keane said. “I jumped and kind of just closed my eyes and hoped it went in.”
After dominating the first half of the game, SDSU came out of halftime just as aggressive as in the first half with shots from Hurst and Keane coming right away. Senior forward Megan Jurado got onto the scoring sheet when she netted in the potential goal of the year in the 55th
minute. With the ball out wide near the edge of the penalty box, Jurado turned inside to set up her shot, bending it perfectly over the Nevada goalkeeper into the back of the net. After the game, Aztec head coach Mike Friesen had nothing but good things to say about Jurado.
“(Jurado) has played with an unbelievable work rate all four years,” Friesen said. “She’s a special player. She’s so technical. She’s so dynamic on the dribble. The finishing she’s had this year has been spectacular.”
The third goal for the Aztecs would be the dagger and the UNLV squad was noticeably beaten on the field. Starting goalkeeper Rachel Boaz was taken out in the 75th minute with a 3-0 lead. The shutout was Boaz’s seventh clean sheet of the season.
Keane led the Aztecs with five shots, three of which were on goal. Hurst and Jurado each totaled three shots and one goal.
SDSU continues conference play at 3 p.m. on Friday at Boise State.
