Falcons Play First Home Games This Weekend
9/5/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 5, 2007
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Game #3
Air Force Falcons (0-2) vs. Birmingham-Southern Panthers (1-1)
Friday, Sept. 7, 2007
7 p.m. at Cadet Soccer Stadium
Game #4
Air Force Falcons (0-2) vs. St. Francis Univ. Red Flash (0-2)
Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007
1 p.m. at Cadet Soccer Stadium
Falcons Drop Two Games at Navy
The Air Force Falcons opened their 2007 season last weekend with a pair of games in Annapolis, Md. Air Force, under the leadership of first-year head coach Doug Hill, lost both games, 2-1 to UMBC and 1-0 to host Navy. Sophomore forward Josh Rhynard scored the only goal for the Falcons to give AFA a 1-0 lead over UMBC. The Retrievers scored twice in the 74th minute to gain the lead, one they would not yield. The Falcons gave it their all against service-academy rival Navy, but could not solve Navy goalie Evan Barnes.
Rhynard First to Score Again
For the second consecutive year, Josh Rhynard scored Air Force's first goal of the season. Rhynard, who led the team in scoring last year with 11 points, actually scored the team's first three goals last season.
First Home Games This Weekend
Air Force plays its first home games of the season this weekend at Cadet Soccer Stadium. The Falcons, who went 3-4-1 at home last season, host Birmingham-Southern on Friday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m., then St. Francis University on Sunday, Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. Following the St. Francis game, Air Force will play its next seven games away from home and won't see action at Cadet Soccer Stadium until Oct. 19.
Schafer Gets First Career Point
Freshman forward Kyle Schafer, a local product from Liberty High School in Colorado Springs, posted the first point of his career by assisting Rhynard on his goal against UMBC. Schafer led Liberty to a state championship his junior year and a runner-up finish as a senior for the Lancers.
Last Weekend's Recaps
UMBC 2, Air Force 1
B.J. Quigley and Levi Houapeu scored 26 seconds apart in the 74th minute as the Maryland-Baltimore County men's soccer team rallied for a 2-1 victory over Air Force Friday in Annapolis, Md.
The contest was the first of the season for both squads. It was also the first contest for Air Force head coach Doug Hill, who was named head coach in June.
The Falcons took a 1-0 lead in the 41st minute when sophomore Josh Rhynard's 16-yard shot glanced off a UMBC defender and eluded Retriever netminder Steve King. Freshman Kyle Schafer, playing his first career game, was credited with the assist. Rhynard, who led AFA in scoring last season with 11 points, scored the team's first goal for the second straight season. Air Force outshot UMBC, 6-4, in the first half.
UMBC broke through to tie the game at the 73:32 mark when Ime Umoh took a short pass from Bryan Moffa and directed it toward the box. Quigley ran onto the pass and rocketed a shot in off the far right post past Falcon goalie Brian Guyette.
The Retrievers notched the game-winner just 26 seconds later as UMBC countered after an Air Force free kick. Kevin Gnatiko sent a cross which made it through to the far side of the box. Houapeu ran onto the ball and beat Guyette from six yards away.
UMBC held the Falcons to just one second half shot and held a 13-5 advantage in attempts for the contest. King made just one save to earn the win in the nets, while Guyette was forced to come up with seven saves for the Falcons.
Navy 1, Air Force 0
Senior Travis King scored in the seventh minute and the Navy defense made the goal stand as the Mids turned back Air Force in the final game of the Anders Navy Soccer Classic, 1-0. The win moves Navy's record to 1-0-1 overall, while Air Force dropped to 0-2-0.
The Navy defense, spearheaded by goalie Evan Barnes was the story of the day on Sunday. Barnes made the save of the day with around 15 minutes left as Air Force's Ian Hauck found a seam after a crossing pass. Barnes managed to dive to deflect the ball up into the crossbar, then Hauck's rebound attempt was sent wide to keep the Falcons off the board. Hauck led the Falcons with four shots.
Offensively, Navy got all it needed early on off a corner kick in the seventh minute. Mark Garcia sent the ball back to Chris Schneider who headed it into the box, where King streaked in and redirected the ball with his head past Falcon goalie Brian Guyette inside the left post for a 1-0 advantage.
The Mids also had a golden opportunity midway through the second half, but Justin Waskey header off a cross was sent just over the crossbar.
The victory evened the all-time series against Navy to 3-3-2, and was the Mids' first win against the Falcons since 1963. Navy outshot Air Force, 10-9, but the Falcons had the advantage in corner kicks, 6-4. Both teams were whistled for 16 fouls. Guyette made one save for the Falcons, while Barnes made three saves and ran his shutout streak to 205:02 dating back to last year.
