RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros men's soccer team earned a 2-1 victory over the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) Rebels, their first in Western Athletic Conference (WAC) play, on Sunday at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex.
Graduate student midfielder
Yusuf Cueceoglu and senior forward
Moiad Ankir both scored goals in the first half to support the UTRGV (3-5-3, 1-2-1 WAC) victory. Freshman goalkeeper
Simon Madsen made two saves.
UNLV (1-5-6, 0-2-2 WAC) got a goal from
Jonah Craig and three saves from goalie
Romain Heck.
The Vaqueros were the aggressor on offense throughout the match. The attack mode paid off quickly as the Vaqueros took a 1-0 lead in the 10
th minute behind Cueceoglu's first goal of the season. Junior midfielder
Jose Cantu sent the ball through traffic to his right to find senior defender
Jan Engels, and Engels delivered a great feed through a defender's legs to Cueceoglu in the box. Cueceoglu's right foot struck a sharp shot right past the diving keeper.
UTRGV made it 2-0 in the 35
th minute in similar fashion. Graduate student midfielder
Beto Carrillo fed junior forward
Michael Washington as he attacked on the right side of the pitch, and Washington passed ahead to Ankir, who then sunk a goal in the left corner of the net.
The Vaqueros created some good chances as they worked as a unit to keep the ball in their offensive third for a fair portion of the first half. UTRGV took seven shots, two on goal, in the first half while holding UNLV to three shots, all on goal. Madsen notched a save in the 27
th minute.
The Rebels played physical and upped their attack playing from behind to end the opening frame. After being issued two yellow cards in a one-minute span, UNLV cut into its deficit in the 43
rd minute as Craig launched a long shot off his left foot at the top of the box to make it 2-1.
Junior forward
Oneeko Allen, freshman defender
Juan Pablo Gonzalez and junior forward
Jason Robles kept UTRGV's offense controlling possession in the second half. Allen and freshman forward
Kgodiso Sukati pressured UNLV's defense, both taking two shots, but UTRGV didn't add to its score in the final 45 minutes. That didn't matter, though, as the defense played well to keep the Rebels out of rhythm and Madsen made a leaping save in the 61
stminute.
UTRGV outworked UNLV and took 16 shots to the Rebels' four. UNLV was issued four yellow cards throughout the match.
UTRGV is back in action Oct. 13 at California Baptist at 8 p.m.
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