LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - For the second straight game, UNLV midfielder Bailey Letherman was the hero as he blasted in a shot from 30 yards out with just under 30 seconds left in overtime to lift the Rebels past California Baptist 1-0 Monday afternoon in WAC men's soccer action from Peter Johann Memorial Field. The win moved the Rebels to 3-2-2 for the season as they remained undefeated at home (3-0-1) to move into a tie for third place in the league with 11 points. CBU meanwhile dropped to 3-2-1, and are fifth with 10 points. 

It was a very tightly contested defensive battle for 99+ minutes, as while the Rebels held a 10-8 edge on shots, there were only two total shots combined by the teams. UNLV however did put the pressure on the Lancers in the second half, creating several dangerous scoring chances where they missed the goal by just a few feet, while CBU's best shot came when it hit the post on a long shot late in the second half.


WINNING SCORE: With time winding down in the first overtime period, UNLV's New Mexico connection stepped up to close out the win. Nick Williams first intercepted a CBU pass, and fed the ball to Billy Jones in the midfield, who tapped the ball to a running Letherman, who would take a few dribbles before unleashing a shot that found the top right corner of the goal for the score with 99:35 showing on the clock. Williams and Jones both were credited with assists on the play, and all three players that were involved in the play came to UNLV in the 2019 season from New Mexico after the Lobos dropped the sport.

REBEL DEFENSE: Sophomore Miguel Duenas Jr. came into the day ranked in the top 10 in the nation in both GAA and save percentage, and only increased those numbers after leading the defensive effort that posted a shutout. While he was only called upon to make one save, Duenas Jr. broke up several scoring chances on the way to posting his fourth shutout in just his fifth career collegiate game.

QUOTEABLE:  "Very excited about the overtime goal, that's now two games in a row with overtime wins and golden goals, that's hard to do. Getting a shutout today was big as well, California Baptist is a very organized, technical team, so it was a great win for us. Bailey just took a great shot, the only one actually on goal for us today but that's all we needed."  - UNLV head coach Rich Ryerson

NEXT TIME OUT: UNLV is now off until Wednesday, March 31, when it takes on new WAC member Dixie State in St. George, Utah, in a 4 pm (PT) contest.