9/22/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 21, 1999
REBELS TO PLAY IN NEW MEXICO INVITE UNLV (3-4-0) hits the road after a six-match homestand.
This Week: UNM Invitational, Albuquerque, NM Fri., Sept. 24 Air Force UNM Soccer Complex 5:30 pm Sun., Sept. 26 Centenary UNM Soocer Complex 11:30 am
Storyline: The UNLV men?s soccer team hits the road after a six-match, three-week homestand ... they will play in the UNM Invitational in Albuquerque, NM, with matches scheduled against Air Force and Centenary ... New Mexico will also compete in the tournament, but will not face UNLV ... this week?s trip marks the first of two the Rebels will make to Albuquerque, as they will face UNM in an MPSF match on Nov. 7 ... the UNM Invite will be the fourth tournament appearance for the Scarlet and Gray in 1999, but the first away from Peter Johann Field.
About Air Force (4-2-0): The Falcons carry a 4-2-0 record into this week ... they had a three-match winning streak snapped at South Carolina in a 3-0 loss Sunday ... as a team, AFA averages better than two goals a match ... forward Trevor Frobose leads the Falcons in scoring this year with five goals and an assist ... AFA head coach Lou Sagastume has a career record of 243-123-34 in his 23rd year, 222-115-34 in his 21st season with the Falcons ... with a 3-1 victory over the Rebels last year in Las Vegas, Air Force took the lead in the all-time rivalry, 4-3-2.
About Centenary (1-5-0): The Gents enter the tournament at 1-5-0 on the year ... their lone win was a 2-0 victory over Alabama A&M, who UNLV defeated 4-0 in 1998 ... Jed Jones has an 8-24-1 career coaching record in his third year at Centenary... Sunday?s match will be the first clash between these two schools.
UNLV Head Coach Barry Barto: The winningest coach in the history of Rebel soccer, Barto is in his 18th season at the helm of the UNLV men?s program and his third as the school?s Director of Soccer ... he has a record of 173-130-34 (.564) at UNLV and a career record of 258-155-40 (.614) in his 24th year ... since his arrival in 1982, Barto has built Rebel soccer into a nationally recognized program, with five NCAA tournament appearances ... he recorded his 250th career win last October 6 with the team?s victory over St. Mary?s.
Noting Last Week: UMBC 1, UNLV 0 - The Terriers? Giuliano Celenza recorded the match?s only score at 11:01 after fielding a rebound, moving past two defenders and driving the ball off the left post behind keeper Ryan Bledsoe (Las Vegas, NV/Eldorado). UMBC completed their appearance in the 1999 Coors Soccer Classic by defeating San Diego State, 2-0, improving to a perfect 6-0-0 on the year and claiming the tourney championship.
UNLV 4, (18) Gonzaga 3 - The Rebels? Matt Thompson (Mustang, OK) scored the game-winning goal with 41 seconds left in regulation to break a 3-3 tie and lead the Rebels to an upset victory over No. 18 Gonzaga. Bulldog keeper Chad Beadel lost a handle on the shot, which dribbled off his hands and between his legs for the game-winning goal. The match marked UNLV?s best offensive performance of the year. Four different players figured in the scoring, including Reggie Bolden (Jacksonville, AR/Mills), who scored his first career goal on a perfectly executed bicycle kick to put the Rebels up 1-0.
Counter Attack: The Rebels enjoyed their best offensive match of the year Sunday and answered the call each time Gonzaga fought back. UNLV took a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute which didn?t last long as Gonzaga tied the match at 31:33. However, the Rebels bounced back immediately as Tuomas Talvio (Helsinki, Finland) broke away for an unassisted shot just one minute later, giving UNLV a 2-1 edge at half. The Bulldogs again tied the score with a goal at 56:40. This time, senior B.J. McNicol (Centerville, UT/Viewmont) responded, scoring from a free kick at 58:33. Gonzaga tied the match a third time at 78:30 before Thompson surprised the Bulldogs with the match-winner at 89:19.
Bolden was Golden: Redshirt freshman Reggie Bolden (Jacksonville, AR/Mills) broke into the UNLV starting lineup in golden fashion this weekend. Earning his first career start Friday night, he contributed to a defensive effort which allowed just one goal to UMBC, the eventual tournament champion. He followed his opening act with an encore performance Sunday, scoring the Rebels first goal and emotionally charging his teammates in an upset of No. 18 Gonzaga. Bolden was named the tournament?s Best Defensive Player. Defending the Post: Sophomore goalkeeper Bojo Ackah (Agoura, CA/Cascade College) will start for UNLV in Friday?s match against Air Force. Statistically, Ackah leads the keeping crew with a 1-1-0 record in the net and a team-best 1.30 goals against average. He has seen action in five of UNLV?s seven matches this season with two starts and two complete matches.
Ranked Opponents: The schedule has not been a particularly easy one for UNLV this season. Three of the Rebels? seven opponents have made an appearance in the Soccer America Top 25 poll while MPSF rivals UCLA and Cal State Fullerton, ranked No. 4 and No. 6 respectively, are slated for a Las Vegas visit in mid-October. Sunday?s 4-3 victory over No. 18 Gonzaga was the Rebels? first win over a ranked opponent since bumping off No. 2 Rutgers, 2-1, on Sept. 11, 1994. In that game, the Scarlet Knights held a 1-0 lead for 87 minutes, but UNLV scored twice in the final three minutes to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Close Calls: Talk about a number of close calls. In the Rebels? season opener at San Diego on Sept. 1, the Toreros held a 2-1 edge until the 89th minute, when they took advantage of a pressed forward UNLV squad and scored a third goal. Since that match, all six games UNLV played over its homestand have been decided by one goal. Two of those opponents, Kentucky and UMBC, managed just 1-0 victories. UNLV went 4-7 last year in matches decided by a single score and are 3-3 in those contests this year.
A Family Affair: The 1999 UNLV men?s soccer team is one big happy family, literally. The roster features two sets of brothers. Victoria, BC, Canada products Andrew and Ben Hooker are in their second season at UNLV. Las Vegas native Kevin Lunkwitz comes off a redshirt year to join his brother Paul on the sidelines. And of course, Geoff Barto returns for his senior season under his father, coach Barry Barto. However, Geoff isn?t the only Barto to don the scarlet and gray this year. He has two sisters who also compete for UNLV varsity athletic teams. Katie, 20, is on the Rebel track and cross country teams while Jaime, 18, is a freshman on the Rebels? women?s soccer squad.
Up Next: Following this week?s tournament, the Rebels head East for a swing through Kentucky and Tennesse. They will face Western Kentucky in Bowling Green, Ky. on Friday, Oct. 1 and swing through Nashville, Tenn. for a Sunday, Oct. 3 meeting with Vanderbilt. UNLV has the following week off and will not play in front of the home fans again until Oct. 15 when they kick off MPSF play against UCLA.
