Historic Offensive Outburst Sends Spartans To VictoryHistoric Offensive Outburst Sends Spartans To Victory
Meredith Williams

Historic Offensive Outburst Sends Spartans To Victory

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Senior Finlay Wood totaled two assists and a game-winning goal to lead a historic offensive effort in Sunday's 5-2 victory over defending Big West champion UC Davis. 

In all, five different Spartans finished on the scoresheet - the program's most in a single match since a 6-0 victory over Grand Canyon back on Oct. 11, 2015. 
 

  • Sophomore Ryota Nakashima scored his first career goal to give SJSU an early lead, sliding into a perfect pass from Wood and chipping the ball over the Aggie keeper in the match's fourth minute. 
     
     
  • Senior Willy Miranda would put his team ahead for good in the 21st, tallying his third goal in as many matches to start the season with a right-footed strike from the edge of the box. Miranda is the first Spartan in 20 years to accomplish that feat (Lars Lyssand, 2001 vs. Cal State Monterey Bay, Saint Mary's and UC Riverside). 
     
  • After assisting on the afternoon's first two goals, Wood opened his 2021 account with the game-winner in the 43rd minute. Stepping up to take a penalty kick, the Welsh midfielder buried a confident attempt with his left foot past the diving UC Davis goalkeeper. 
     
  • It was senior Jamal Adam who added some important insurance for head coach Simon Tobin's side in the 85th, scoring his first goal of the season off assists from Kasper Poulsgaard and Omar Lemus to give San José State a 4-2 advantage. 
     
  • Finally, senior Max Allen wowed Spartan Nation with a free kick in the final moments of the match. Coming from just outside the right corner of the box, Allen curved a crushed shot around a pair of Aggie defenders and just inside the right post.
     
     
  • Spartan keeper David Sweeney earned his second win in as many appearances on the year, making a season-high five saves in the process.
     
  • San José State out-shot UC Davis 17-11 on Sunday while also holding a 9-7 edge in shots on frame. 


With one victory over a defending conference champion secured, the Spartans now set their sights on another next Saturday night. This time they will travel up the Bay to face Pac-12 power Stanford, with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m. against the No. 25 Cardinal.