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DAVIS, Calif. – Air Force entered Sunday's non-conference game at Aggie Soccer Field ranked No. 25 in the nation, but one could not fault the fans if they thought the Aggies were the team that occupied a spot in this week's national pool with the way they played the entire afternoon.
Junior midfielder
Nabi Kibunguchy thwarted the Falcons' lone scoring opportunity of the day by recording a team save early in the first half; his bicycle kick right in front of UC Davis' goal kept the game scoreless until sophomore
Andy Velasquez' pass to
Marte Formico generated a 1v1 opportunity that led to the senior midfielder's goal in the 25th minute.
In the 70th minute, redshirt freshman midfielder/defender
Whalen Shinn knocked the air out of the Falcons with his strike — a goal that originated from senior forward
Adam Mickelson's free kick, taken halfway between the midfield line and 18-yard box, which allowed men's soccer to end its lone non-conference homestand with a win in both games played.
UC Davis will enter its upcoming eight-match road swing with a 3-0-1 record, with Air Force returning home with a 1-2 mark. This is the second win of the year against a team listed in the United Soccer Coaches' national poll since opened the season with a 2-0 victory at Wisconsin — a team that received votes in the organization's inaugural 2019 listing.
From the opening whistle, the Aggies fired away at the Falcons' net, and finished the day with three times as many shots as their opponent (24-8). That aggressive play, combined with Kibunguchy's goal-saving effort and senior netminder
Wallis Lapsley's three saves, helped UC Davis protect its undefeated record heading into the program's longest road trip since 2016 when it played five straight outside of Davis.
Mickelson's seven shots nearly matched Air Force's entire team total.
The Aggies' eight straight road games are the most in a row since the team joined the Big West in 2007.
AGGIE EVO
Established during the 2017-18 academic year, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation.
Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis.
Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley.
The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation, according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.
