Jan. 27, 2006

SAN DIEGO - San Diego State defender Matt Couch was selected in the fourth round by the Los Angeles Galaxy in the Major League Soccer supplementary draft held Thursday, Jan. 26. Couch will look to emulate the success of former Aztecs Ted Chronopolous and Jimmy Conrad in the professional ranks of the MLS.

A four-year starter during his collegiate career at SDSU, Couch earned second-team all-Pac 10 Conference honors as a senior in 2005. He was also named to the all-tournament team at the Philip/adidas Classic at Rutgers last September.

San Diego State concluded its 2005 campaign with a record of 9-4-6, advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1989. According to NCAA records, SDSU was the second-most improved team in the country last fall, second only to Princeton.

The Aztecs also produced an All-American goalie as junior Tally Hall was named to three All-American squads after a season that saw him set an SDSU record for shutouts and finished nationally ranked among the top two in both goals against average and save percentage. <_> Below is a listing of San Diego State soccer's team and individual accomplishments during the 2005 season.

Team Honors

2005 Record: 9 wins, 4 losses, 6 ties
Team compiled 12 shutouts, third-most ever in a season at SDSU
2005 Runner-up at the Philips/adidas Classic at Rutgers
Ranked 2nd nationally in goals against average at 0.54
Ranked 1st nationally in shots-on-goal save percentage at .879
Ranked 4th nationally in shutout percentage at 0.63
Seven home victories most since 1998
Aztecs allowed no goal in the first half in 2005
11 goals allowed was second-fewest in a season by an SDSU team since 1970

National Rankings

Ranked as high as 14th by Soccer America
Ranked as high as 14th by College Soccer News
Ranked as high as 15th by National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)
Ranked as high as 18th by Soccer Times

Individual Honors

Philips/adidas Classic Tournament Defensive MVP
Tally Hall, Goalkeeper
All-Tournament at Philips/adidas Classic at Rutgers
Matt Couch (D), Heath Creager (F), Tally Hall (GK)
Pac-10 Player of the Week
Kraig Chiles, Midfielder (Oct. 3)
Pac-10 All-Academic Team
Tally Hall, Goalkeeper - Second Team
David Dally, Forward - Honorable Mention
All-Pacific 10 Conference Team
Tally Hall, Goalkeeper - First Team
Matt Couch, Defender - Second Team
Kraig Chiles, Midfielder - Second Team
Heath Creager, Forward - Honorable Mention
Eric Santiago, Defender - Honorable Mention
Soccer America National Teams of the Week
Kraig Chiles (Sept. 26), Dennis Sanchez (Oct. 3)
College Soccer News National Teams of the Week
Kraig Chiles (Sept. 26), Matt Couch (Oct. 3)
All-Far West Region
Tally, Hall, Goalkeeper - First Team
NSCAA All-American
Tally Hall, Goalkeeper - Third Team
Soccer Times College Coaches Men's All-America Team
Tally Hall, Goalkeeper - Honorable Mention
College Soccer News All-American
Tally Hall, Goalkeeper - First Team

Tally Hall was ranked 2nd in the nation in goals against average (0.491)
Tally Hall was ranked 1st in the nation in save percentage (.889)
Tally Hall set a San Diego State individual season record with 12 shutouts