Oct. 2, 2016
LAS VEGAS - A three goal barrage in the first 21 minutes of play doomed San José State as they lost, 4-0, to UNLV in the backend of their two-game road trip to open conference play.
Playing their fifth match in ten days, with each of the first four going to overtime, the Spartans (1-8-2, 0-1-1 WAC) looked every bit of a team with heavy legs.
SJSU gave up the first goal of the match in the 8th minute when UNLV's Timo Mehlich took a quick pass off a free kick and ripped a shot straight ahead from 25-yards out. The shot beat the diving Spartans goalkeeper Nedin Tucakovic on the top left corner, barely getting under the crossbar.
It was the 10th straight match the Spartans have allowed the opponent to score first goal, winning only one of those match during that stretch.
The Rebels scored their second goal in the 17th minute when Rebel Marquis Pitt dribbled on the left side from near midfield before cutting inside the box and laying off a pass to Mehlich. Mehlich's low shot inside the box beat Tucakovic on the left side.
Four minutes later, UNLV's Pitt dribbled through traffic and hit a roller from just outside the box to put the Rebels up, 3-0. The score would remain that way going into the half.
In the second half, the best scoring opportunity for the Spartans came on the 50th minute when Jeremy Romero made a left foot shot from 25-yards out that the Rebels' goalkeeper had to make a sliding stop to save.
UNLV's Danny Musovski scored in the 79th minute to cap off the scoring for the Rebels, for the final margin of 4-0.
While San José State outshot UNLV for the game, 16-14, the majority of them were from long range which did not threaten the UNLV goalkeeper. The Spartans put three of those shots on frame, compared to eight for the Rebels. Leonardo Silva led SJSU in both categories with five shots and two shots on goal.
The Spartans finished 0-1-1 in the opening weekend of WAC play and is now 1-8-2 overall. The Rebels are 4-7-0 (2-0-0 WAC).
San José State returns to action next week when they return home to play the defending WAC champions Seattle University on Thursday, October 6. The match will kick off at 3:00 p.m. PT.
Soccer Game Summary (Final)
2016 San Jose State Men's Soccer
San Jose State vs UNLV (Oct 02, 2016 at Las Vegas, Nev.)
San Jose State1-8-2 (0-1-1) vs. UNLV4-7 (2-0)
Date: Oct 02, 2016 Attendance: 801
Weather: Sunny
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-------------------------------
San Jose State...... 0 0 - 0
UNLV................ 3 1 - 4
SCORING SUMMARY:
- 7:44 UNLV Mehlich, Timo (3) (Velazquez, Oscar) - quick pass off free kick, blast from 20 for goal
- 16:28 UNLV Mehlich, Timo (4) (Pitt, Marquis) - 9 laid on to 14 in the box from the marker
- 20:31 UNLV Pitt, Marquis (3) (unassisted) - 9 from dribble through traffic, shot from outside the box for a goal
- 78:38 UNLV Musovski, Danny (6) (Cooper, Maliq;Massey, Cody) - goal after cross from 25 is deflected off 6 and tipped in by 3
Shots: San Jose State 16, UNLV 14
Saves: San Jose State 4 (Tucakovic, Nedin 4), UNLV 3 (Adame, Enrique
3)