Nov. 3, 2008

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DENVER (8-5-2 overall, 6-0-1 MPSF) erased a 2-0 halftime deficit Friday to San Jose State, and managed a 3-3 double-overtime draw. Freshman Sam Garza registered his second and third goals of the year early in the second half, less than two minutes apart, to tie the game at 2. He also dished out the game-tying assist in the 81st-minute. The Pioneers then defeated Sacramento State Sunday, 3-1, as Kyle Christensen recorded a pair of goals. Amongst other scenarios, Denver is two wins (or six points) away from an MPSF Championship. Air Force is the first to stand in the way, Saturday (Nov. 8). The Pioneers took the Oct. 11 meeting, 1-0, in Colorado Springs.

NEW MEXICO (8-5-2 overall, 4-2-0 MPSF) junior Justin Davis scored an opening goal in the 42nd-minute, and would later dish out a 77th-minute game-winning assist to lift the Lobos to an important 3-2 home win over UNLV Friday. The victory avenged a loss in Las Vegas in the last contest two weeks ago. Mike Porter delivered his first goal of the year, also a game-winner. Now in sole-possession of second-place with four to play, New Mexico visits Sacramento State Friday (Nov. 7) and San Jose State Sunday (Nov. 9).

SAN JOSE STATE (6-5-4 overall, 2-4-1 MPSF) snapped Denver's perfect conference season with a 3-3 tie on the road Friday. Efrain Burgos Jr. was involved in each of the first two goals, assisting on the first and scoring on the second as the Spartans jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first 28 minutes. Senior Richard Mann posted a career and MPSF season-high 11 saves in goal. The Spartans blanked Air Force Sunday, 1-0. Nick Cukar scored the game-winner in the 37th-minute, while Mann added six saves. SJSU hosts UNLV Friday (Nov. 7) and New Mexico Sunday (Nov. 9).

SACRAMENTO STATE (7-7-2 overall, 2-5-0 MPSF) freshman Chris Bettencourt scored a pair of goals along with one assist to lift the Hornets to a 3-0 road win at Air Force Friday. Senior Blake Nunes added one goal and two assists. Sac had lost at home to the Falcons in the first round of MPSF play, 2-1. Junior goalkeeper Ryan Kenny stopped five shots in the shutout. Coming off a 3-1 loss at Denver Sunday, the Hornets host New Mexico Friday (Nov. 7) and UNLV Sunday (Nov. 9).

UNLV (8-5-1 overall, 3-3-0 MPSF) senior and MPSF scoring leader Lamar Neagle put away two more goals Friday in Albuquerque, but it was not enough to keep the Rebels in second place in a 3-2 loss to New Mexico. He scored in the 57th and 87th-minutes, his eighth and ninth goals of the year. Third-place UNLV has two games in California this weekend, at San Jose State Friday (Nov. 7) and Sacramento State Sunday (Nov. 9).

AIR FORCE (4-11-0 overall, 2-5-0 MPSF) dropped a pair of MPSF home games, 3-0 to Sacramento State and 1-0 to San Jose State. Goalkeeper Jim Gullo totaled eight saves on the weekend. The Falcons play their final three games on the road, beginning with a visit to first-place Denver Saturday (Nov. 8).

MANN AND CHRISTENSEN MPSF BRINE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK Woodland, Calif. - Despite allowing three goals, San Jose State senior goalkeeper Richard Mann (San Jose, CA/Leland HS) was lights out between the posts in a 3-3 tie at Denver and 1-0 win at Air Force. In just his second and third starts of the year, he faced a total of 45 shots and managed one shutout in 200 minutes of net-binding. He picked up a career-high 11 saves against the Pioneers, also a 2008-high for any MPSF goalkeeper, and six more against the Falcons. Mann also moved into fourth all-time at SJSU in career shutouts.

Woodland, Calif. - Denver senior forward Kyle Christensen (Layton, UT/Layton HS) scored three goals over the weekend in a 3-3 tie vs. San Jose State and a 3-1 win over Sac State. He nailed a game-tying goal with less than 10 minutes left in regulation against the Spartans, and followed up with two Sunday strikes against the Hornets, including an 84th-minute tally to seal the win.