Men’s Soccer Falls to Air Force in Double Overtime

Saturday, August 29

USAFA, Colo.

8 PM ET

Army West Point

0-1-0

Air Force

1-0-0

OT 1

OT 2

Army West Point

Air Force

Men’s Soccer Falls to Air Force in Double Overtime

August 29, 2015 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

USAFA, Colo. – Air Force's A.J. Esparza scored in the 105th minute to give the Falcons a 1-0 double-overtime victory over the Army West Point men's soccer team in the season opener for both teams on Saturday evening at Cadet Soccer Stadium. The Black Knights open the season 0-1, while the Falcons begin 1-0.

"It took us a little longer to get into our rhythm and I think that hurt us," said sixth-year head coach Russell Payne. "Air Force made it difficult for us and we didn't settle into a rhythm of passing. In the second half, we definitely had better possession and started creating chances for ourselves and missed a few close opportunities. We defended really well and Air Force did a good job of opening the game up at their place and full credit to them for finding a way to win late in the game."

Senior goalkeeper Chris Britt, who finished with eight saves, was tested right out of the gate in his first-ever collegiate appearance as he tipped a shot by Air Force's Ben Kern over the crossbar in the second minute of the opening half.

"I thought Chris was fantastic," Payne continued. "Chris has been an understudy to the best goalkeeper to come through this program for the last three years and he stepped right in and proved that he's capable of helping this team do great things."

The Falcons kept the pressure on over the next few minutes as Zach Hill nearly found the back of the net with a shot off the crossbar in the ninth minute.

Army earned a free kick from about 25 yards out in the 17th minute that sophomore Marcos Arroyo sent just wide of the left post to keep the game scoreless.

The action went back and forth over the next several minutes before both teams created dangerous scoring opportunities late in the half. Britt made a diving save to his right side to keep out a shot from inside the 18-yard box by Air Force's Luke Villamaria in the 43rd minute before Army senior Cameron Niccum aimed a shot inside the Falcons' right post that deflected off a defender's foot and out of play.

Junior Christian Clark had the Black Knights' first scoring opportunity of the second half, sending a high shot wide of the right post in the 51st minute. Army created another chance in the 62nd minute, when senior Cody Guerry flashed an attempt wide and to the left as the match remained 0-0.

Air Force responded with a chance of its own less than two minutes later, but Army's defense turned away the attempt by Tucker Bone in the 64th minute.

Britt came up with a pair of saves 1:19 apart in the 77th and 78th minutes, respectively, corralling a point-blank shot off the foot of Air Force's John Sims before stopping Kern's attempt at the left post. Both sides registered a shot in the final minutes of the second half as Cameron Duley's attempt in the 84th minute struck the crossbar and Army junior Tanner Vosvick's shot off of a free kick went just wide of the left post in the 86th minute.

The Falcons spent the first several minutes of the initial overtime period on the Black Knights' end of the field, but Army continued to prevent the hosts from finding the back of the net. Britt made a save at the left side of the goal on a shot from Hill in the 94th minute and the Black Knights' defense turned away a second opportunity just 25 seconds later.

The Black Knights wrap up their two-game road trip to begin the season with a match at Denver on Monday evening at 9 p.m. ET.

MATCH NOTES: Army slips to to 15-8-4 all-time versus Air Force … the Black Knights move to 2-1-1 versus Air Force under head coach Russell Payne … Army donned its new white uniforms with black numbers for the first time … Chris Britt made his first career start in net … freshmen Brett Becia, Christian Lue Young and Grayson Naquin made their collegiate debuts off the bench.