Men’s soccer opens Big 8 play with win over Modesto

The Falcons opened their Big 8 Conference schedule in Modesto on Friday afternoon and earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory over the Pirates. Neither team scored in the first half, but after making some halftime adjustments, the Falcons' offense started generating pressure and creating shots. Finally in the 72nd minute of play, Falcon freshman Erik Mattice scored the only goal of the game. Freshman Chase Gray earned "Man of the Match" honors after entering in the second half to help jump-start the stagnant offense. The Falcons will face a tough Delta College squad (7-2 overall, 1-0 in Big 8) on Tuesday afternoon at Falcon Stadium in a matchup of first-place teams.