Air Force Academy
Cal Poly
Falcons Drop 2-0 Decision to Cal Poly
8/31/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Aug. 31, 2008
Goals by Wes Feighner and Daniel Cumming sparked a 2-0 Cal Poly win over Air Force before 2,118 fans at Alex G. Spanos Stadium Sunday afternoon in the Mustangs' season opener. Air Force fell to 0-2 on the season.
The Mustangs played most of the match on the Falcons' half of the field, out-shooting visiting Air Force 19-6 for the game. Air Force bunkered down for most of the game, only surging forward on sparse counterattacks.
Feighner got off to a strong start, scoring Cal Poly's first goal in the 24th minute. Goalkeeper Eric Branagan-Franco sent a clearance three-fourths of the field and Feighner sped past the defense to gather the loose ball. Feighner took one touch to his left to beat a Falcon goalie Jim Gullo then drilled a shot along the ground into an empty net.
Cal Poly struck again in the 51st minute. Jeff Meyer Jr. beat an Air Force defender one-on-one on the left sideline. The ensuing cross was partially deflected into the air and fell right in front of Cumming. Cumming waited one bounce then booted the ball into the upper right to up the Mustangs' lead to 2-0.
The Mustangs had several chances in the first half, but couldn't find that scoring touch. The first came in the 3rd minute as Julian Alvarez pounded the crossbar from 15-yards out. In the 18th minute, Feighner earned the Mustangs a penalty kick. David Zamora took the penalty shot, but his shot found the left post.
Branagan-Franco, who recorded his first career assist on Sunday, didn't see too much action. The Falcons' best chance to score came late in the second half as Ryan Robinson, who scored Air Force's only goal in a 2-1 loss at UC Santa Barbara on Friday, slipped into the box and hit a header toward the near post. Branagan-Franco corralled the ball on the ground to avert any misgivings.
Branagan-Franco turned away three Falcon shots, while Gullo had eight saves for the second straight game. Cal Poly had 15 fouls and three yellow cards to the Falcons' 13 fouls and two yellow cards.
Air Force plays its first home game of the season next Sunday, Sept. 7 against Loyola University (Chicago) beginning at 1 p.m., at Cadet Soccer Stadium.
