SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State men’s soccer team scored early and often in securing a 3-1 season-opening victory over Grand Canyon Saturday night atop SDSU Sports Deck. The Aztecs move to 1-0 with their second season-opening win in the last three years, while the Antelopes fall to 0-1.

 

Grand Canyon controlled the action in the early going, firing off three shots in the first six-plus minutes before Rene Reyes put the Aztecs’ first shot on goal in the ninth minute. The senior’s attempt got things going offensively for San Diego State as it earned a corner kick 58 seconds later. Soon, Dallin Cutler’s corner sailed to Sergio Enriquez, who touched it to Matt Callahan and the junior captain got SDSU on the board with his header from five feet out.

 

The Aztecs continued to dominate possession and its persistence paid dividends in the 25^th minute. Aleks Berkholds sent a cross into tri-captain Casey Macias and the midfielder knocked in his attempt from a yard out. For Berkholds, it marked his first career assist and point of his SDSU career after redshirting last season as a true freshman.

 

The Macias goal proved to be the difference maker in the game as Grand Canyon was the beneficiary of an own goal in the 33^rd minute. The goal made things interesting as the half came to a close, but the Aztecs limited the Antelopes to just a pair of non-threatening shots in the final 12 minutes.

 

Much like the first half, SDSU did not waste much time in denting the scoreboard in the second half. The Aztecs put two shots on goal to force GCU goalkeeper Kendyl Day to make stops, but the third Day had no answer for. Berkholds and Callahan teamed up to find Rene Reyes and the senior from Norway cashed in with a diagonal shot from the right side.

 

The rest of the game was a back-and-forth affair at times, with shots coming in flurries. In the 65^th and 66^th minutes, San Diego State attempted four shots in a matter of 57 seconds. Then in the 74^th minute, Grand Canyon had three shots in a row, but none required a save as all three were either blocked or wide. Following its third goal, SDSU was never threatened down the stretch as it won its seventh straight non-conference home game.

 

Reyes led all players with four shots, while Kyle Adams, Ozzie Ramos and Jeroen Meefout each tallied two apiece. Aztec goalkeeper Adam Allmaras, meanwhile, made one save.

 

Overall, San Diego State outshot Grand Canyon, 14-12, but enjoyed a 9-2 advantage in shots on goal. The Aztecs also won the corner-kick battle, 7-4.

 

SDSU will look to improve to 2-0 for the first time since 2006 when it welcomes San Diego Christian to campus. The Aztecs and Hawks will take the SDSU Sports Deck pitch on Friday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m. PT. Admission is free.

 

MAN OF THE MATCH: Matt Callahan is the Man of the Match after playing the full 90 minutes, scoring the first goal of the season and assisting on SDSU’s insurance goal in the 53^rd minute. The junior defender and tri-captain was pivotal in holding the Antelopes to just two shots on goal with his play along the backline. On numerous occasions he slowed the Antelopes with his physical play or simply by knocking the ball away. Offensively with his goal and assist, he set a personal Aztec career high with both and matched his collegiate career highs in both categories as he achieved both milestones while at Northeastern in 2013.