USAFA, Colo. — UC Davis men's soccer turned sustained second-half pressure into an 81st-minute equalizer Sunday, but Air Force scored with 1:13 remaining to hand the Aggies a 2-1 loss at Cadet Soccer Stadium.
Nico Collins scored for UC Davis (1-9-4, 1-4-1 MW), which outshot the Falcons 10-8 after halftime and put seven second-half attempts on target. Air Force on the flip side, improved to 3-6-4 overall and 2-3-1 in conference play.
The Falcons took the lead at 11:59 when Xidane Espinoza scored off an assist from Paxton Seghi. UC Davis threatened to answer before halftime, with Tristan Wouters striking the right post in the 29th minute.
The Aggies increased the pressure after the break. Ronaldo Melgoza forced a save less than a minute into the second half, and UC Davis earned four corner kicks in the opening 16 minutes. Declan Horio tested Air Force goalkeeper Hunter Anderson in the 62nd minute, followed by saved attempts from Isaac Chacing and Gunner Parker as the Aggies searched for the equalizer.
Talin Morgan kept UC Davis within a goal, denying Espinoza twice midway through the half before stopping Attila Toth in the 79th minute.
Horio forced another save at 80:04, and Collins scored in the ensuing sequence off a corner kick to pull the Aggies level. UC Davis continued to press for the lead, with Caelan Kellett putting another attempt on target just 44 seconds later.
Air Force however regained the advantage at 88:47 when Brayden Benner scored off an assist from Quinn Muderlak to give the hosts the deciding goal.
UC Davis finished with advantages of 8-6 in shots on goal and 7-6 in corner kicks, while Air Force held a 21-14 edge in total shots. Morgan made four saves, including three after halftime, and Air Force's Anderson finished with seven.
MATCH NOTES
- Collins scored his second goal of the season, with his other being the equalizer against Cal Poly on Aug. 23.
- UC Davis' eight shots on goal were its most since recording nine in the season opener at Sacramento State on Aug. 20.
- Horio put both of his shots on target and shared the team lead in attempts with Nami Banks.
- Morgan raised his season save total to 49.
UP NEXT
UC Davis returns to Aggie Soccer Field to host Utah Tech at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23. The match will stream on MW+.
ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS
UC Davis Athletics represents one of the nation's premier public universities on the NCAA Division I stage, with more than 650 student-athletes competing across 25 sports, including 16 programs in the Mountain West Conference. Located in California's quintessential college town, UC Davis combines championship-level athletics with the academic excellence of the nation's #8 public research university and is home to the nation's No. 1 programs in agriculture, veterinary medicine and sustainability. With a growing national media presence, bold investments in facilities and the student-athlete experience, and a tradition of developing champions in competition, in the classroom and beyond, the Aggies are elevating UC Davis on a national stage.
