Saturday, February 27
USAFA, CO
1 PM MT
Air Force Academy
vs
Utah Valley
Men's Soccer Opens the Home Slate against Utah Valley
2/26/2021 10:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
THIS WEEK
Air Force opens the home pitch against WAC rival, Utah Valley, Saturday (Feb. 27). Kick-off is slated for 1 p.m. Due to field conditions at Cadet Soccer Stadium, Saturday's match will be played at the lacrosse practice field, just West of the Holaday Athletic Center.
THE SERIES
Air Force will be playing Utah Valley for the seventh time in program history on Saturday. The Wolverines are unbeaten in the six-game series, winning five matches and tying one. Two seasons ago, Utah Valley was slated to play a high-powered Air Force team at the Academy where the Falcons boasted a 10-0 home record-- the match was cancelled due to snow. Air Force is 0-2 when playing UVU at the Academy.
LAST TIME THEY MET
Air Force fell to Utah Valley in a penalty kick shootout, 6-5, after playing the Wolverines to a scoreless draw in the Western Athletic Conference semifinals, Friday evening (Nov. 11, 2019) at Cadet Soccer Stadium.
The Falcons took 14 shots in 90-minutes of regulation action and added another seven in two overtime periods, totaling 21 shots on the game. Utah Valley was the aggressor in the second half taking 13 shots to the Falcons' seven in the second 45. Lathan Spadafora led the match with six shots to his credit while teammate JT D'Emidio took four. Quinn Matulis and Luke Hill recorded three shots apiece.
Kainoa Likewise was a brick wall in the Falcons' cage, registering eight saves against nine shots on goal in 110 minutes of action. Likewise's athleticism deterred Utah Valley shot leaders, Zach Mass and Zahir Vazquez, on four occasions.
The Air Force defense, with two starters down, put their tenacity on display, holding the high-powered Wolverine offense scoreless for the duration of the match. Reece Cooke, Tyler Johnson, Nick Blessing and London Aghedo held down the fort, clocking 110 minutes of action apiece.
LAST TIME OUT
After a chipper 110 minutes on the pitch, Air Force and UNLV played to a nil-nil draw at Peter Johann Memorial field in Las Vegas. The Falcons are now 1-0-1 in the Western Athletic Conference while UNLV remains winless at 0-1-1.
The Rebels out shot the Falcons, 20-11, but a stout Air Force defense behind Kainoa Likewise in goal held UNLV scoreless at the final horn. Likewise made a career-high 11 saves on the match. For his efforts in goal, Likewise earned a spot on TopDrawerSoccer.com's Team of the Week.
The Falcon offensive effort was led by Thaddaeus Dewing's three shots. Five Air Force players put shots on frame to no avail.
UNLV's Louis Hiepen led the Rebels with five shots, three on goal.
DEFEND THE TURF
The Falcons vehemently defend their home turf, going 32-5-1 (.853) while playing at home in the last four seasons. In 2018, the Falcons were perfect at home (10-0) for the first time in program history. In 2017, Air Force won a program-best 11 home matches, going 11-1 on the home pitch for the campaign.
Air Force opens the home pitch against WAC rival, Utah Valley, Saturday (Feb. 27). Kick-off is slated for 1 p.m. Due to field conditions at Cadet Soccer Stadium, Saturday's match will be played at the lacrosse practice field, just West of the Holaday Athletic Center.
THE SERIES
Air Force will be playing Utah Valley for the seventh time in program history on Saturday. The Wolverines are unbeaten in the six-game series, winning five matches and tying one. Two seasons ago, Utah Valley was slated to play a high-powered Air Force team at the Academy where the Falcons boasted a 10-0 home record-- the match was cancelled due to snow. Air Force is 0-2 when playing UVU at the Academy.
LAST TIME THEY MET
Air Force fell to Utah Valley in a penalty kick shootout, 6-5, after playing the Wolverines to a scoreless draw in the Western Athletic Conference semifinals, Friday evening (Nov. 11, 2019) at Cadet Soccer Stadium.
The Falcons took 14 shots in 90-minutes of regulation action and added another seven in two overtime periods, totaling 21 shots on the game. Utah Valley was the aggressor in the second half taking 13 shots to the Falcons' seven in the second 45. Lathan Spadafora led the match with six shots to his credit while teammate JT D'Emidio took four. Quinn Matulis and Luke Hill recorded three shots apiece.
Kainoa Likewise was a brick wall in the Falcons' cage, registering eight saves against nine shots on goal in 110 minutes of action. Likewise's athleticism deterred Utah Valley shot leaders, Zach Mass and Zahir Vazquez, on four occasions.
The Air Force defense, with two starters down, put their tenacity on display, holding the high-powered Wolverine offense scoreless for the duration of the match. Reece Cooke, Tyler Johnson, Nick Blessing and London Aghedo held down the fort, clocking 110 minutes of action apiece.
LAST TIME OUT
After a chipper 110 minutes on the pitch, Air Force and UNLV played to a nil-nil draw at Peter Johann Memorial field in Las Vegas. The Falcons are now 1-0-1 in the Western Athletic Conference while UNLV remains winless at 0-1-1.
The Rebels out shot the Falcons, 20-11, but a stout Air Force defense behind Kainoa Likewise in goal held UNLV scoreless at the final horn. Likewise made a career-high 11 saves on the match. For his efforts in goal, Likewise earned a spot on TopDrawerSoccer.com's Team of the Week.
The Falcon offensive effort was led by Thaddaeus Dewing's three shots. Five Air Force players put shots on frame to no avail.
UNLV's Louis Hiepen led the Rebels with five shots, three on goal.
DEFEND THE TURF
The Falcons vehemently defend their home turf, going 32-5-1 (.853) while playing at home in the last four seasons. In 2018, the Falcons were perfect at home (10-0) for the first time in program history. In 2017, Air Force won a program-best 11 home matches, going 11-1 on the home pitch for the campaign.
Players Mentioned
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Midfield
/ Men's Soccer
Forward
/ Men's Soccer
Defender
/ Men's Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Men's Soccer
Midfield
/ Men's Soccer
Forward
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