UMBC

Annapolis, Md.—Freshmen B.J. Quigley and Levi Houapeu scored 26 seconds apart in the 73^rd minute as the UMBC men’s soccer team rallied for a 2-1 victory over Air Force in the first game of the Anders Soccer Classic.

The contest was the first of the season for both squads. UMBC will face Temple at noon on Sunday.

Despite outshooting the Falcons 6-4 in the first half, UMBC found itself trailing, 1-0 at intermission. Air Force forward Josh Rhynard’s 16-yard shot glanced off a UMBC defender and eluded Retriever netminder Steve King in the 41^st minute of play.

UMBC kept the pressure up in the second half and finally broke through at the 73:32 mark. Newcomer Ime Umoh (Baltimore, Md./Methodist College) took a short pass from Bryan Moffa and directed it toward the box. Quigley, the 2006 Baltimore Sun player of the year, ran onto the pass and rocketed a shot in off the far right post.

The Retrievers got the game-winner just 26 seconds later as UMBC countered after an Air Force free kick. Junior Kevin Gnatiko made a long dash along the right sideline and sent a cross which made it through to the far side of the box. Houapeu ran onto the ball and beat Air Force netminder Brian Guyette from six yards away.

UMBC held the Falcons to just one second half shot and held a 13-5 advantage in attempts for the contest. King made just one save to earn the win in the nets, while Guyette was forced to come up with seven saves for the Falcons. 

Quigley led all players with five shots, including four on goal.