By Soren Stanton – Spear Reporter | Ronin Axelson waves to fans after being introduced pre-game against Stanford (Photo by Cesar Maya – Spear Photographer)
Redshirt senior goalkeeper Ronin Axelson was crucial to the Spartans’ defensive effort against No. 1 Stanford, totaling six saves.
Axelson tied his career high in saves in the tightly contested 1-0 loss to the Stanford Cardinal.
His best save came with 32 minutes left in the second half, when Stanford midfielder Alex Chow received the ball and found open space outside the box, letting off a curled shot that led to a diving save from Axelson.
Axelson now has 20 saves through the first four games of the season.
Axelson said the communication between him and the defensive unit has been improving, leading to the strong showing against the Cardinal.
“We know what the focus is. We have to limit errors coming out of the back,” Axelson said. “We’ve seen a lot of progress over the last few games, and to hold this team to one goal compared to other games that we’ve had is pretty remarkable.”
Coming into the game, Axelson insisted the team needs the same approach every week, regardless of who it’s playing.
“We have to approach every week with the most confidence and belief that we can beat whoever we play, regardless of their ranking,” Axelson said.
SJSU interim head coach Jesus Sanchez said the team managed the Cardinals’ attack
“Defensively, we had to work hard as a team to keep up with the amount of running they do and the aggressiveness they have,” Sanchez said.
Axelson will lead the Spartans’ defense again at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Spartan Soccer Complex against Sacramento State University.
