Oct. 9, 2015
San Jose, Calif. - The San José State men's soccer team outshot the UNLV Rebels 17-to-9, including 11-to-4 in the second half, but a goal in the 54th minute sent the Spartans to a 1-0 loss in Western Athletic Conference play on Friday afternoon.
"We were a little bit late to some of the 50-50 balls, but in the overall run of play I though we did enough to earn a better result," Spartans' head coach Simon Tobin said. "We created a number of dangerous chances."
The first quality scoring chance for SJSU (3-7-0, 1-1-0 WAC) came at the 3:09 mark. Junior Kyler McLaughlin rose up in the box and headed a ball which Rebels' keeper Richard Garness just got a hold of to keep the score 0-0.
The teams would play the first half evenly in virtually every way including on the scoreboard, which was 0-0 after 45 minutes. The Spartans held a 6-to-5 edge in shots and 3-to-2 advantage in shots on frame.
The second half started with a flurry for the San José State.
Off a Jonathan Colunga corner kick, freshman Eddie Saydee crashed the back of the box and headed a ball that appeared to be all but in. But Garness made a diving save for UNLV. He failed to control the ball and Saydee pounced on the rebound. He tried to tuck it inside the post, but again was denied by Garness.
"I spoke with Rich (Ryerson, UNLV head coach) after the match and he felt that was his keepers best double save as a collegiate player," Tobin remarked.
The Rebels (8-3-0, 2-1-0 WAC) broke the 0-0 tie at the 53:39 mark. Off a long through ball, Danny Musovski split the Spartans defense. Dribbling into the box alone, he fired a shot from 12-yards out under an on-rushing Emmanuel Espinoza. Making it 1-0 UNLV.
"To give a way a naive defensive goal, which is a recurring theme, is disappointing," Tobin said. "For them it was a hopeful ball, which they turned into a goal. When you have to break down a team and really work for your chances, and get some good ones like we did, it's disappointing to give one away on an easy look."
For the next 36 minutes the Spartans chased the equalizer. They took eight shots to the Rebels three, and enjoyed the better of the run of play, but just couldn't get the tying goal.
With 15 seconds left in regulation, the Spartans had one last chance. It came off a free kick on the far right side of the 18. Colunga served the ball into the box where defender Kyle O'Mahoney headed it just outside the far post and the clock expired with the Spartans falling 1-0.
"We were just a fraction of an inch from really getting the better of this game, but I can't be too miserable of our overall performance," Tobin added. "We played a team that has already beaten San Diego State and has been hovering around the top-30. I thought we did enough today, that on another day, we get a win out of this."
San Jose State's Colunga and Rory Knibbs led the team with three shots. Saydee, McLaughlin, O'Mahoney and Victor Parra took two apiece and Eric Mendez, Zach Penner and Jonathan Partida produced one each. Espinoza made four saves in the loss.
For UNLV, Bradley Kamdem led the team with three shots and Garness had eight saves to earn the shutout victory.
The Spartans get right back on the field on Sunday. SJSU hosts the Grand Canyon University Antelopes in a WAC match with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Spartan Soccer Field.
UNLV (8-3-0, 2-1-0 WAC) vs. San Jose State (3-7-0, 1-1-0 WAC)
Date: Oct 09, 2015 Attendance: 151
Weather:
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-------------------------------
UNLV................ 0 1 - 1
San Jose State...... 0 0 - 0
SCORING SUMMARY:
- 53:39 UNLV Musovski, Danny (7) (Velazquez, Osar) - Long through ball, shot under the keeper 12 yards out
Shots: UNLV 9, San Jose State 17
Saves: UNLV 8 (Garness, Richard 8), San Jose State 4 (Espinoza,
Emmanuel 4)