COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. –
Marcelo Acuna's team-leading eighth goal of the season gave HBU men's soccer a 2-1 double overtime victory over Air Force Sunday afternoon from Cadet Soccer Stadium. It was not only the Huskies' first road win of the season, but after starting WAC play 0-2-0, HBU is now 3-0-1 in its last four matches.
"It was a good win on the road," said HBU head coach
Steve Jones. "The boys fought hard, fighting through adversity, and had good solid defense."
HBU (7-6-1 overall, 3-2-1 WAC) won at Air Force for the first time since a 2-1 victory Sept. 3, 2010.
Thilo Borgmann joined Acuna as goal scorers on the day, while
Marc- Anthone registered an assist.
Josue Palomino came off the bench to take a team-high three shots for the Huskies.
Chance Pope improved to 6-1-1 on the season as he stopped a career-high nine shots and assisted on Acuna's game winner, becoming the first HBU goalkeeper to record an assist since
Chris Dodd accomplished the feat in the 2007 campaign.
Ben Kern and Cameron Duley had three shots apiece to lead Air Force (5-7-0, 2-3-0), while Danny Han scored the Falcons' lone goal. Rob Blair made two saves in the loss.
Air Force struck first early in the match. Duley's initial shot was saved by Pope in the eighth minute. The rebound went to Kern, who passed to Han for the score.
Pope made seven saves in the first half as the Falcons held the one-goal advantage. The Falcons had three of the half's four corner attempts.
The Falcons had five corner kicks in the first 18 minutes of the second half, but HBU weathered the storm. In the 64th minute, Borgmann knotted the match at 1-all, as he one-timed an Anthone pass from 15 yards out.
HBU nearly went ahead late in the second half, as Blair stopped Palomino's shot. The rebound went to
Dominick Faletto on the other side of the net and Blair out of position, but a Falcon defender tied up Faletto and cleared the ball out of harm's way.
Neither team could get the upper hand in the first overtime, as Air Force took two shots to HBU's one. Pope made a fantastic save on a header attempt in the waning seconds to force a second extra session.
Just 1:16 into the second OT was all Acuna needed for his fourth game winner of the season. Pope sent an up-field pass to the sophomore and Acuna fired a shot from 25 yards out.
HBU plays at Incarnate Word Thursday, Oct. 22 at 7:00 p.m.
