The No. 6/13/7 San Diego State women’s soccer team came onto the pitch Sunday afternoon with a chance to clinch the 2012 Mountain West regular-season championship. And with a large crowd hoping to see history, SDSU did just that, earning a 3-0 victory against Air Force to stay undefeated in conference play. The Aztecs now sit at 16-1-1 overall, marking the best record through their first 18 games in program history.
The Aztecs scored early as sophomore forward Hannah Keane knocked in the game- winner at the 2:24 mark. Keane also tallied another goal in the 21st minute, with both goals assisted by redshirt senior midfielder Tiffany Hurst. Sophomore forward Haley Locker was also credited with an assist on Keane’s first goal, while sophomore midfielder Kelsey Booth was credited with an assist on Keane’s second goal. Senior forward Megan Jurado knocked in the team’s third goal in the first half, her 13th of the year, giving the Aztecs a 3-0 lead at halftime. Freshman midfielder Victoria Barba earned the assist for Jurado’s goal, which was more than enough for the Aztecs to close out the game.
The second half started with senior goalkeeper Megan Allaire in the net after sophomore goalkeeper Rachel Boaz played the first half without having to make a single save. The Aztecs kept control of the ball coming out of halftime, while the crowd waited for a hat trick by Keane, who had two goals in the game. She had many opportunities for that elusive third goal, but none better than the opportunity she had in the 64th minute, when a teammate’s shot bounced off of the goal post and landed right at Keane’s feet. With an open net, Keane drove the ball hard toward the goal, with the ball barely sailing over the crossbar. It was Keane’s last scoring chance as head coach Mike Friesen took her out just a couple minutes later.
“No one wants to go out,” Keane said. “Of course I wanted it (a hat trick), but we were winning so it was all good.”
Keane didn’t get the hat trick, but the Aztecs got the regular- season championship.
The regular-season title is the fourth MW championship in school history. But the Aztecs are not done—they plan to add another tournament championship this year: the MW Tournament title and an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. The last MW Tournament title was in 2009.
“I couldn’t be happier for the whole group to accomplish the first of our many goals, which is to win the Mountain West regular season championship,” Friesen said. “We have several more to go. We want to go undefeated in the Mountain West, we want to win the Mountain West Tournament andwewanttogoasfaraswecan in the NCAA Tournament.”
SDSU has one more game against the University of New Mexico before the tournament starts on Oct. 31 and Friesen said he wants that undefeated mark.
“We’re going to play every game to win,” Friesen said.
The Aztecs play New Mexico at 7 p.m. on Friday at the SDSU Sports Deck for the last regular-season home game of the year. New Mexico is currently second in the MW standings behind the Aztecs.
