Nov. 1, 2013
Kansas City, Kansas - The San José State men's soccer team got two goals from Rory Knibbs and ran its unbeaten streak to a season-high three games in a 3-1 Western Athletic Conference victory against the Kangaroos of Kansas City on Friday night.
"All credit to the guys," head coach Gary St. Clair said after the win. "They worked hard all game and really deserved this result."
San José State jumped on the 'Roos early. Knibbs, who led both teams with four shots, wasted no time getting the Spartans on the board. On the first shot of the game, he found the back of the net. Frankie Beauchamp played a ball into the six-yard box where Knibbs put it home with just 2:55 gone in the contest.
The Spartans enjoyed a 7-to-5 advantage in shots and a 3-to-2 advantage in shots on goal in the first 45 minutes and took a 1-0 lead into the locker room.
Just 1:36 into the second half, Knibbs struck again. He scored his second goal of the game and seventh of the season on an unassisted put back off a deflection in the box. It's the second time in the last three games that Knibbs has scored twice in a match. The goal, which put San José State up 2-0, turned out to be his second game-winner of the campaign.
Kansas City, who out shot the Spartans 7-to-5 in the second half, cut he lead to 2-1 on Jordan Rideout's 56th minute goal. It was on a put back off a shot off the far post of Emmanuel Espinosa's goal and the only one of the five shots the 'Roos put on frame that got past him.
San José State closed the scoring in the 82nd minute on freshman Bryan Ruiz-Unger's first tally of the year. Knibbs and Beauchamp assisted on the goal, which Ruiz-Unger fired in from 12 yards out. With two assists, Beauchamp increased his team lead in assists to five this season.
"It was great to see Bryan open his account with a goal to secure the win," St. Clair said. "We got the goals when we needed them. We're gaining experience with every match and are playing better and getting better results.
The Spartans wrap up the weekend at the Houston Baptist Huskies on Sunday afternoon. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Sorrels Field in Houston, Texas.