Men’s Soccer preview
Teams: No. 21 UC Davis vs. Air Force
Records: Aggies, 7-1; Falcons, 2-5
Where: Aggie Soccer Stadium
When: Saturday at 1 p.m.
Who to watch: Senior midfielder Dylan Curtis has been making a mockery of opposing team defenses this year. Assisting on eight goals this season, Curtis has catapulted himself into the nation’s lead in that category. He also leads the nation in assists per game with 1.14.
Did you know? Sept. 16, 2005 was the last time UC Davis faced Air Force in a men’s soccer match. The Aggies traveled to Colorado Springs, Colo. and fought the Falcons to a double overtime tie, 1-1. Senior midfielder Ian Conklin registered his first ever collegiate goal as a freshman in that game to account for the lone UC Davis score.
Preview: After finishing 2-0 at last weekend’s University of San Diego/San Diego State Tournament, UC Davis remains in the Top 25 of the NSCAA poll for consecutive weeks.
Now, the Aggies will focus on a two-win Falcon team that has had significant struggles against Big West conference teams this season.
Air Force began the year with two straight losses to UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly, squads looking to challenge UC Davis for Big West supremacy in 2008.
However, the Falcons are flying high with two straight victories over rival military academies in Navy and Army. Junior forward Steven Noller scored in each of the victories.
For the Aggies, the offense lives and dies with senior forward Quincy Amarikwa.
And it’s mainly been living this season.
The Aggies have won each game in which Amarikwa has scored, which is why his involvement in the offense versus Air Force will be critical toward a UC Davis win this Saturday.
UC Davis is most recently off a 1-0 victory over causeway rival Sacramento State. Junior forward Paul Marcoux scored his first goal of the season in the 12th minute.
–Max Rosenblum
