RIO GRANDE VALLEY – Senior William Akio scored a pair of goals to help The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men's soccer team defeat the Air Force Falcons 3-1 on Friday at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex. 
 
This is Akio's third multi-goal match of the season as he now leads the team and the Western Athletic Conference with six goals on the season.
 
The first half was scoreless until junior Reshaun Walkes gave the Vaqueros (4-0-2, 4-0-2 WAC) the lead in the 39^thminute. Walkes took the pass from junior Elyad Shojaei and got by his defender before sneaking his shot past Kainoa Likewise (1-4-1) for his fourth goal of the season. 
 
In the second half, Akio streaked up the right side of the field in the 62^ndminute before beating the defender and putting it in the goal for his fifth goal of the season to give the Vaqueros the 2-0 lead. 
 
Akio added his second goal in the 81^stminute after he was fouled in the box and converted on the penalty kick giving UTRGV the 3-0 lead. 
 
The Falcons (1-4-1, 1-4-1 WAC) got their lone goal in the 87^thminute as Thaddaeus Dewing connected on the bicycle kick for the goal. 
 
Air Force outshot UTRGV 14 to 10 while the Vaqueros outshot the Falcons 6 to 3. 
 
Junior Trevor Schneider (4-0-2) made two saves on the match. 
 
UTRGV will be back in action on March 31 when it travels to Houston to face Houston Baptist University at 6 p.m.

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