Oct. 10, 2004
Box Score
LAS VEGAS - For the second straight game UNLV prevailed in the final minutes of the match, as Chris Wessel's first career goal lifted the Rebels over Air Force 2-1 in Mountain Pacific Sports Federation men's soccer action on Sunday afternoon from Peter Johann Memorial Field. With the victory, UNLV moves to 3-7 overall, and even its MPSF record at 2-2, while the Falcons fell to 6-4-1, and 2-2 in league action.
UNLV dominated the first half, holding a 10-5 advantage on shots. However, they did not capitalize off their offense until the very end of the period. With the clock in the final 10 seconds, senior Boomer Arbelaez attempted to drive into the box but had the ball poked away. Arbelaez recovered the ball, and passed back out to Brendon Bain, who then blasted a shot from 35 yards out that sailed to the top left corner of the goal for a 1-0 UNLV lead with just one second left on the clock before halftime (44:59).
The second half was almost the reverse of the first, as it was the Falcons that were attacking on offense, and outshot the host Rebels 11-6. They got on the scoreboard midway through the half when Bain was given a yellow card for knocking down a Falcon player in the box during a corner kick. Air Force was awarded a penalty kick that Daniel Bolin converted to tie the score at 1-1 at the 75:23 mark. Both teams then had several chances for the winning score, but it was the Rebels that would find the back of the net. Moving the ball up the field, Rod Dyachenko found Wessel on the left side of the box, and Wessel broke away from his defender sent a shot past Air Force goalie Mike Maynard to the right post for a 2-1 UNLV edge at the 86:18 mark. The Rebels would not allow another scoring opportunity for Air Force as they claimed their second straight home win of the year.
UNLV's Peter Clitheroe finished with seven saves and one goal allowed, while Maynard posted six saves and two goals allowed for the afternoon.
The Rebels next take to the road for a pair of road games, as they take on San Jose State on Friday at 7 pm, followed by a Sunday contest at Sacramento State at 1 pm.
