Nov. 14, 2002

Box Score

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - For the second year in a row, the third-seeded UNLV men's soccer team moved on to the semifinals of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship Tournament after taking a 4-2 shootout over sixth-seeded Air Force Thursday night at the UNM Soccer Complex.

All of the action happened in the second half, as Air Force's Paul Gagliardi was fouled in the box and awarded a penalty kick in the 56th minute. Teammate Daniel Wasson scored on the PK to give the Falcons the 1-0 lead.

With less than four minutes remaining in regulation, senior Kelly Frederick (St. John's, Antigua) was taken down in the box and UNLV was awarded a penalty kick of its own. At 86:48, junior Alex Hernandez (Indio, Calif.) netted his first penalty kick of the season for the 1-1 tie.

In overtime, both teams could not find the back of the net which led to the game-ending shootout. Frederick, junior Leandro Iocco (Rosario, Argentina), sophomore Boomer Arbelaez (Las Vegas) and Hernandez all sealed the deal for the Rebels with four successful penalty kicks.

Senior goalkeeper Justin Dennis (Scottsdale, Ariz.) made six saves in goal and stopped two-of-four penalty kicks attempted by Air Force (8-10-1) in the shootout.

Last season, UNLV tied San Diego State, 3-3, in the first round of the MPSF Tournament which resulted in a 4-1 shootout victory for the Rebels.

UNLV (12-7) advances to semifinal action tomorrow versus second-seeded San Jose State (10-8) at 4 p.m. (MST). The winner will advance to the MPSF championship game on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. (MST). The conference tournament champion will then receive the league's automatic bid to the 2002 NCAA Men's College Cup.

*Note: A new rule in 2002 credits the winning team of a penalty kick tiebreaker in postseason play with a win to their overall record instead of a tie in the past.