LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Kory Kindle's first goal of the season couldn't have come at a better time as his second-half game winner kept CSU Bakersfield men's soccer team as the lone unbeaten squad in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation with a 2-1 win at UNLV on Friday night.
The Roadrunners (9-3-2, 4-0-2 MPSF) needed a big night in goal by Eric Shannon to remain unbeaten. Shannon, just a sophomore, made seven saves and allowed just the one goal, and combined with goals from Kindle and Jesus Sanchez, CSUB pushed to 14 points in the Pacific Division, doubling the points of second-place Sacramento State with just four matches remaining in the regular season.
CSUB head coach Simon Tobin had nothing but good things to say about Shannon, as well as the play from UNLV (5-8-1, 2-3-1 MPSF).
“We escaped with the victory,” Tobin said. “I don't think we played very well, and UNLV played very well. Eric was our hero. He came up with some absolutely fantastic, stunning saves.”
His saves came after the Roadrunners took an early 1-0 lead when Sanchez knocked in a ball on a cross from the right side from Gyasi Zardez for his seventh goal of the season. Even with four regular season matches to go, Sanchez's seven goals are the most by a Roadrunner since CSUB's transition to Division I began in 2006 when Lyle Martin scored 17 in a season.
CSUB could have put the match away early when Evan Fassler found himself behind the defense alone with UNLV goalkeeper Simon Cook, but he missed the opportunity and kept the Rebels in the game. UNLV gained some huge momentum heading into the half when Zach Kupfer scored to level the scoreline at 1-1 less than two minutes before the break.
But with Shannon keeping CSUB in the match, the Roadrunners earned the gamewinner in the 73rd minute from Kindle, who nailed home a close-range shot on a corner kick from Keeyan Ghazanfarpour.
CSUB now travels to Albuquerque, N.M. to take on the University of New Mexico in a battle of first-place MPSF squads. UNM is first in the Mountain Division at 4-2-0 and 12 points. The match, CSUB's last on the road of the 2010 regular season, begins at noon.
CSUB 2, UNLV 1
CSU Bakersfield (9-3-2, 4-0-2 MPSF) vs. UNLV (5-8-1, 2-3-1 MPSF)
Date: Oct 22, 2010 Attendance: 426
Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-----------------------------------
CSU Bakersfield... 1 1 - 2
UNLV.............. 1 0 - 1
SCORING SUMMARY:
22:21: CSUB–Jesus Sanchez (Gyasi Zardez) Knocked in cross from right side
43:06: UNLV–Zach Kupfer (Camilo Valencia) Shot from top corner to far post off corner kick
72:49: CSUB–Kory Kindle (Keeyan Ghazanfarpour) Hit high shot from close range off corner kick
Shots: CSUB 17, UNLV 18
Saves: CSUB 7 (Shannon, Eric 7); UNLV 4 (Cook, Simon 4)
