UNLV topples 49ers

By Phil Witte
Daily Forty-Niner

A change in formation jump-started the offense as intended, but the Long Beach State women's soccer team could not counteract the University of Nevada- Las Vegas'  team speed, falling to the Rebels 4-2 at home last Friday.

The loss was the 49ers' sixth in a row and dropped their record to 3-6-1, 2-2 at home and 0-1 in conference play.

The 49ers used a 3-4-3 formation instead of the usual 4-4-2 to gain an extra attacker and the strategy worked early, with the team going up 2-1 on goals by freshman Marcia Rewoldt and senior Jennifer Reott before half an hour had elapsed.

The Rebels (7-3) fought back to tie before halftime and put the game away when junior Janae Sims scored two goals in the final eight minutes to complete a hat trick.

"What's done is done and a new season starts on Sunday," said 49er Coach Julie Cochran.

The match against UNLV began well for the 49ers, when junior Kim Domen, the extra attacker, assisted on Rewoldt's goal four minutes into the game.

Junior Kim Stempkowski crossed into the box to Domen, who passed on to Rewoldt, who knocked the ball in the right side of the goal from 15-yards out, far away from the stranded goalkeeper.

"With the 3-4-3, the forwards and midfielders are able to maintain possession better,"  Stempkowski said. "We just switched today, so hopefully we'll work into it and create more scoring chances."

The Rebels equalized in the 17th minute when sophomore Cosette Joffs' shot was saved by 49er  goalkeeper Jihan Elgazzar, but the deflection fell to Sims who put away the rebound.

"We played sluggish at the start and they took it at us," said Rebel Coach Dan Abdalla.  "We just found the space to finish and they made us earn everything we got."

Long Beach went back on top 13 minutes later when Rewoldt raced down the left sideline and crossed the ball in. Reott pounced on the pass and knocked the ball in from 12- yards out.

"I had been making runs all game and Marcia put in a great cross," Reott said. "I just happened to be at the right spot."

UNLV equalized a second time in the 37th minute when junior Anita Pedford collected a throw-in from Joffs and shot a bullet past Elgazzar from 25- yards out.

The 49ers now enter the most important part of the season with seven Big West Conference games on tap, beginning with Sunday's match against UC Irvine (5-3-2, 0-1-0) at George Allen Field.

Editor's note: The 49ers lost to UC Irvine Sunday by a score of 1-0. For complete coverage, see Tuesday's Daily Forty-Niner.