RIVERSIDE, CA – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros men's soccer team earned its second consecutive Western Athletic Conference (WAC) victory with a 3-1 win over the California Baptist Lancers (CBU) on Thursday at the CBU Soccer Stadium.
UTRGV (4-5-3, 2-2-1 WAC) got goals from junior forward
Oneeko Allen, graduate student midfielder
Yusuf Cueceoglu and junior defender
Tristan Singh. Freshman goalkeeper
Simon Madsen made four saves. UTRGV's three goals are the most the Lancers (4-5-2, 0-2-1 WAC) have allowed in a match this season. CBU's goal was scored by
Bryan Iliohan and goalie
Nolan Premack made one save.
The Vaqueros were the aggressor on offense out of the gate as they utilized their speed and passed well throughout the match. The Lancers got the first scoring chance following a yellow card being issued to UTRGV, but Madsen snatched the sharp shot off a free kick out of the air.
Allen gave UTRGV the 1-0 advantage in the eighth minute. The Vaqueros raced up the pitch in attack mode, and a cross from senior defender
Jan Engels was kicked away by defender but went straight to Allen, who promptly sent a rocket into the goal.
CBU tied the match in the 25
th minute as Iliohan's free kick kissed the left post and rolled into the net. The Lancers looked in control late in the first half, but the opening 45 minutes saw both teams play well and look evenly matched.
UTRGV was the better team in the second half, leaning on its defense early in the frame. The Vaqueros continued to showcase their speed and got into an offensive rhythm at the midway point in the second half, earning a string of corner kicks and creating some good looks. In the 70
th minute, Cueceoglu and Co. were charging the net and the graduate student got fouled, earning a penalty kick. Cueceoglu launched a shot to the right and CBU's goalie guessed wrong, diving to the left as UTRGV reclaimed the lead at 2-1.
UTRGV got just one corner kick in the first half. It got eight in the second. Corner kick No. 9, sent in by junior forward
Jason Robles, gave the Vaqueros a 3-1 lead in the 80
th minute as Singh knocked it in. Senior forward
Moiad Ankir and junior midfielder
Jose Cantu aided the strong offensive effort from UTRGV.
Madsen made a pair of saves in the final few minutes to stop CBU's comeback attempt and maintain the Vaqueros victory.
UTRGV's next match is at 4 p.m. Saturday at Utah Valley.
Support UTRGV Men's Soccer |
Become a Fan on Facebook |
Follow us on Twitter |
Follow us on Instagram |
Follow us on YouTube
