Falcons win Rare Air Challenge

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – Sam Fuller and Gavin Jones each scored three goals and A.J. Kuypers made some timely saves to lead Air Force to the Rare Air Challenge championship, Sunday, Sept. 5, at the Academy's Cadet Natatorium. In a battle of unbeaten teams, the Falcons defeated Cal Lutheran, 16-9, in the final game.

In the first game of the day, Air Force held off McKendree for a 17-10 win. Senior Sam Fuller scored the first three goals as the Falcons took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. Jimbo Daugherty and Gavin Jones scored early in the second and then Ian Christie scored with a lob shot late in the second for a 10-2 lead at the half. The Bearcats opened the third quarter with four unanswered goals, but a pair by Grant Snyder ended the run. McKendree won the third quarter, 5-2, but the Falcons held a 12-7 lead entering the fourth. After an Air Force goal by Cole Kopperud, McKendree scored three straight to cut the Air Force lead to 13-10 with 5:37 remaining. With 5:24 left, Grant Snyder scored on a penalty shot and then the Falcon defense stiffened. Gavin Jones forced a steal and then Anthony Tolbert made a save to maintain the four-goal lead. Jones then scored at 4:02 for a 15-10 lead. Another save by Tolbert and two late goals by Sam De La Cruz and Jacob Yi gave the Falcons a 17-10 lead. Fuller and Snyder each had four goals and Tolbert made nine saves.

Air Force clinched the Rare Air Challenge title with a 16-9 win over Cal Lutheran in the final game. The teams traded goals early in the first quarter, before the Falcons took a 5-3 lead as Snyder and Tanis scored. After a CLU goal, Falcon goalie A.J. Kuypers made a save at the buzzer as the Falcons led 5-4 after one. In the second quarter, the Falcons scored three unanswered for a 9-6 lead. After a save by Kuypers on a 6-on-4 and then a goal by Snyder just before time expired, the Falcons held a 10-7 lead at the half. Goals by Tanis, McLaughlin and a lob by Christie put the Falcons up 13-8 entering the fourth quarter. Solid defense late and goals by Fuller, De La Cruz and McLaughlin sealed the win over the Falcons.

"We played well all weekend and proud of our guys," head coach Ryan Brown said. "Cal Lutheran is a very good and well coached team. We knew it would be a close game. We are a defense first team and we knew we would have to challenge them into some tough shots. It was a good way to open the season, especially on parents' weekend."

Air Force, 3-0 overall, hits the road next weekend with four games in two days at the Inland Empire Classic, Sept. 11-12, in Riverside, Calif.

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Players Mentioned

Ian Christie

Jimbo Daugherty

Sam De La Cruz

Sam Fuller

Gavin Jones

Cole Kopperud

A.J. Kuypers

Grant Snyder

Anthony Tolbert

Jacob Yi

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