Falcons Travel to UMKC, Houston Baptist This Weekend
10/16/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 16, 2013
Game #11
Air Force Falcons vs. UMKC Kangaroos
Friday, Oct. 18 / 7 p.m.
Durwood Soccer Stadium / Kansas City, MO
Game #12
Air Force Falcons vs. Houston Baptist Huskies
Sunday, Oct. 20 / 1 p.m.
Sorrels Field / Houston, TX
Live Stats vs. Houston Baptist
Falcons Travel to UMKC, Houston Baptist This Weekend
The Air Force men's soccer team continues Western Athletic Conference play this weekend with a pair of road games. The Falcons will play UMKC on Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. in Kansas City, Mo., and Houston Baptist on Sunday, Oct. 20 at 1 p.m., in Houston, Texas.
The Falcons enter the weekend with an 1-8-1 overall record and a 1-0-1 mark in league play after tying UMKC, 2-2, and defeating Houston Baptist, 3-2, at home this past weekend. UMKC enters the weekend with at 2-5-4 overall and 1-1-1 in the WAC while Houston Baptist is 7-3 and 2-1.
Falcons Post First Win of the Season
Junior forward Zachary Modly scored twice and senior defender Caleb Downey once as Air Force won its first game of the season with a 3-2 victory over Houston Baptist Sunday at the Academy. Modly put away a penalty kick in the 12th minute, then scored the game-winner in the 76th minute after taking a pass from freshman Tucker Axhoj. Downey had tied the game at 2-all with a header off a free kick from freshman Blake Elder in the 55th minute.
The Falcons snapped their eight-game winless streak two days earlier with a 2-2 tie against UMKC. Freshman Ryan Ward notched both goals, the first of his career, for Air Force.
Falcons Continue Their Success in Conference Openers
Air Force is now 11-8-3 in its 22 conference openers after its tie with UMKC last Friday night. The Falcons, who won all three of their openers as a member of the WAC from 1996-98, are now 3-0-1 in their four WAC openers.
Modly Named WAC Offensive Player of the Week
With his two goals and one assist last weekend, Modly was named the WAC Offensive Player of the Week. He is the first Falcon to earn the award this season. On Friday, Modly assisted on the second of Ward's two goals in the 2-2 tie against UMKC, then scored twice as the Falcons defeated Houston Baptist, 3-2, on Sunday.
Modly leads the team and is tied for sixth in the WAC in scoring with eight points (3g,2a) this season and is fourth in the league with 36 shots attempted.
Series Records vs. UMKC and HBU
After last weekend's games, Air Force is 3-0-1 all-time against UMKC and 3-2-1 against Houston Baptist.
Falcons Picked Second in WAC Preseason Rankings
The Falcons were picked to finish second in the WAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. Bakersfield was predicted to win the conference by the eight league coaches. Air Force senior Caleb Downey was selected as the preseason Defensive Player of the Year and fellow senior Brian Klazura joined Downey on the preseason all-WAC team.
Back to the WAC
After spending the last 14 years playing in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, the Falcons will begin play, once again, in the Western Athletic Conference in 2013. Air Force was a member of the WAC from 1996-98 before breaking off with seven other schools to form the Mountain West Conference. The MWC did not offer men's soccer, however, so the Falcons moved to the MPSF.
