Air Force Academy

Oct. 17, 2012

Game #15
Air Force Falcons vs. Seattle Redhawks
Friday, Oct. 19 / 7 p.m.
Cadet Soccer Stadium / USAFA, Colo.

Game #16
Air Force Falcons vs. San Jose State Spartans
Sunday, Oct. 21 / 1 p.m.
Cadet Soccer Stadium / USAFA, Colo.

Weekly Release

Falcons Play Final Home Games This Weekend
The Air Force Falcons wrap up their home schedule this weekend at Cadet Soccer Stadium with a pair of conference games. The Falcons will face Seattle University on Friday, Oct. 19 beginning at 7 p.m., and San Jose State on Sunday, Oct. 21 at 1 p.m. Air Force will honor its 10 seniors on Sunday.

Air Force is 6-6-2 and 3-1-1 in the MPSF after upsetting eighth-ranked New Mexico, 2-1 at home last Friday and tying Houston Baptist, 1-1, on Sunday. The Falcons are in first place in the MPSF Mountain Division and tied for the best record in league play. Seattle enters the weekend with a 2-9-1 overall record and an 0-4-1 mark in league play, while SJSU is 6-5-1 and 3-1-1.

Falcons Get Four Points Last Weekend
The Falcons upset nationally-ranked New Mexico for the second time in seven days last Friday with a 2-1 victory over the Lobos. Junior Caleb Downey scored the game-winner in the 75th minute. Downey also notched the game’s only goal in the 1-0 win at Albuquerque the previous Friday. Senior Kevin Durr also scored against the Lobos. On Sunday, senior Garrett Getschow scored as the Falcons battled Houston Baptist to a 1-1 draw.

Underwood Up There in MPSF Stats
Senior goalie Matt Underwood continues to lead the MPSF with five shutouts and is second in saves (55) and save percentage (.775) and third in goals-against average (1.09).

As a team, the Falcons are tied for No. 3 in the MPSF with just 16 goals allowed.

Downey Named MPSF Player of the Week
For his offensive and defensive efforts against New Mexico, Caleb Downey was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Week on Monday. Not only did he score the game-winning goal in AFA’s 2-1 upset over UNM, he helped shut down the MPSF’s highest scoring team and one of the league’s top scorers, Devon Sandoval, who did not attempt a shot against Air Force.

Air Force 2, New Mexico 1
Senior Kevin Durr and junior Caleb Downey scored and the Air Force men’s soccer team turned in another stellar defensive performance as the Falcons knocked off 8th-ranked New Mexico for the second time in seven days, this time 2-1 Friday night at Cadet Soccer Stadium.

Downey, who scored the only goal against UNM last week, notched the game-winner in the 75th minute after fellow senior Jake Jones flipped a pass to him and Downey headed a shot past UNM keeper Victor Rodriguez to the right post from inside the box. It was Downey’s third goal of his career, all coming against the Lobos.

Durr opened the scoring with what Hill called "one of the best goals I’ve seen in college soccer this year." Durr found an opening and fired a rocket from 30 yards out with his left foot that just cleared the outstretched arm of Rodriguez and entered the net just below the crossbar. It was Durr’s second goal of the season and first since scoring against Presbyterian College on Sept. 16.

New Mexico tied the score at 1-all in the 51st minute with a penalty kick by Nik Robson, but the Falcons kept up the pressure and it paid off with Downey’s game-winner.

The Lobos outshot Air Force 16-11 in total shots and 4-3 in shots on goal. Durr led all players with six shots, while Michael Calderon led the Lobos with five. Air Force goalie Matt Underwood made three saves, while Rodriguez made just one.

Air Force 1, Houston Baptist 1
Houston Baptist’s Christian Cruz and Air Force senior Garrett Getschow each tallied a first-half goal Sunday afternoon as the Huskies and Falcons battled to a 1-1 tie Sunday afternoon at Cadet Soccer Stadium.

Cruz put the Huskies on the board in the seventh minute when he took as free kick from teammate Mark Gendi that bounced once in the box and found Cruz, whose bicycle kick shot eluded Air Force goalie Matt Underwood just inside the far post.

Getschow was the recipient of a lucky bounce and evened the match in the 19th minute. Senior Jake Jones took a shot from just outside the top of the box that deflected off a Houston Baptist defender and rolled right to Getschow, who was one-on-one with HBU keeper Kevin Suarez. Getschow placed a shot on the ground to Suarez’ left that found the back of the net for his second goal of the season.

Air Force outshot HBU 19-13 in total shots and 4-3 in shots on goal. The Falcons also held a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks. Getschow led all players with five shots, while Kristopher Tyrpak led the Huskies with three. Underwood made two saves for the Falcons and Suarez had three for HBU.