Oct. 12, 2007
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Senior Jackie Ragudos scored her fifth goal of the season and sophomore Heather Vandevanter recorded her first tally of 2007, as the San Diego State women's soccer team blanked Air Force, 2-0, on Friday in Colorado Springs, Colo. The win marked the first for SDSU in a Mountain West Conference opener since 2001 when the Aztecs triumphed over Utah, 2-1.
With the victory, the Aztecs improve to 6-5-2, 1-0-0 MWC, while Air Force falls to 2-9-2, 0-2-0 MWC. The sixth win for SDSU matches last season's win total with six regular-season contests remaining.
"We are very excited to be able to win our conference opener," head coach Mike Friesen said. "Anytime you can win on the road against a team as relentless as Air Force, you know you're playing well.
"We were really solid both offensively and defensively. Our ball movement was excellent and our defense and goaltending stepped up to record our seventh shut out of the year."
Offensively, SDSU had one of its best efforts to date. Nine different Aztecs took shots on net led by Ragudos, Vandevanter and junior Ali Lokanc, who each fired two attempts at the goal.
SDSU once again received a solid effort in the net from freshman Aubree Southwick. The Danville, Calif., native made seven saves to record her sixth shutout of the season. Southwick now needs one more shutout to move into a four-way tie for third on the SDSU single-season record list.
The Aztecs got on the board early as Ragudos tallied her team-leading fifth goal five minutes into the game. Lokanc was able to move the ball midway up the field on the left sideline and connected on a perfect pass to Ragudos who hit a header from 12 yards out. The assist was Lokanc's first as an Aztec.
San Diego State was able to tack on an insurance goal in the 81st minute as Vandevanter posted her first score of the year after registering three in 2006. The native of Alamo, Calif., also scored off a header, this time off a deep sideline pass from senior defender Ashley Young. The assist gave Young her first point since 2005.
"That goal was huge for Heather's (Vandevanter) confidence," Friesen said. "She had been putting a lot of pressure on herself and this score will help give her an emotional boost."
San Diego State returns to MWC action on Sunday against UNLV in Las Vegas, Nev. Kickoff between the Aztecs and Rebels is slated for 1 p.m.