Oct. 15, 1999

LAS VEGAS - The UNLV men?s soccer team dropped its first Mountain Pacific Sports Federation match in nearly four years Friday, falling to No. 2 (Soccer America) UCLA, 6-1.

UNLV?s leading scorer, Jason Melendez (Lakewood, CA/Mayfair), netted his fourth of the season at 20:58, heading in a high ball across the goal. The goal was crucial at the time, tying the match at 1-1.

The Bruins? McKinley Tennyson scored their first two goals, including the game-winner at 33:13 on a chip shot over Rebel keeper Bojo Ackah (Agoura, CA/Cascade College). Ackah, who had a 1.10 goals against average going into the match, played the full 90 minutes in his fourth start and allowed all six Bruin goals.

UCLA, now 10-1-0 overall and leading the MPSF at 3-0-0, came out of the break with a 2-1 lead, and went to work quickly, scoring just 22 seconds into the second period. Shea Travis drove in a long, crossing ball from Sasha Victorine to put UCLA up 3-1 and break the Rebels? game plan.

The Bruins poured it on in the game?s last 20 minutes, scoring three times and constantly keeping UNLV off balance. They outshot the Rebels 21-8.

The match was the first league contest for UNLV this season, who returns to the MPSF after a three-year stint in the WAC.

The slate gets no easier for the Rebels, who, at 5-7-0 overall and 0-1-0 in conference play, entertain a nationally-ranked opponent for the second straight game. No. 18 Cal State Fullerton faces UNLV on Sunday at 12 noon at Johann Field. The Titans lost the first game of their road trip, 2-0 at New Mexico.