Sept. 22, 2000

Box Score

LAS VEGAS - The UNLV men's soccer team (3-3-1, 1-0) defeated Cal Poly 2-1 in both teams conference opener Friday night at Johann Field.

The Mustangs (2-4-1, 0-1) scored the first goal at the 25:24 mark in the first half off a throw in by Corey Pasek to Evan Clark for the score. The Rebels battled right back, scoring not more than six minutes later on a pretty shot by freshman Alejandro Hernandez from 18 yards out to even the score at one. Both team played the rest of the first half a 1-1 in a very physical match in which 19 fouls were distributed in just the first half alone.

In the second half, the Rebels had numerous chances to blow the game open but couldn't get anything past the Mustang keeper.

As the fouls mounted, the Mustangs played the last 30 minutes a man down after Jeremy Czapinski received his second yellow card and was expelled from the match. That gave the Rebels a man advantage and the game wining goal came at the 81:44 mark by Rebel junior midfielder Leo Cruz off a nice pass from junior Jason Melendez inside the 18 box.

Rebels' keeper, Robert Ackah, improved his season record to 3-0 after the win. Ackah had four saves in the match, after a grabbing a season-high, 16, last week in a 1-0 victory over Tulsa.

The Rebels will travel to San Diego for a match non-conference match with the Toreros on Sunday at 3:30. UNLV returns home to face Drury next Friday in the first round of the UNLV Coors Light Invitational at 7:00 p.m.