CONWAY, Ark. – The Central Arkansas men's soccer team heads to the US Air Force Academy on Friday to battle the Falcons in their third-straight home match. Playing the first of two in Colorado, kickoff on Friday is set for 7 p.m. CT.
 
Last time out for the Bears was a heartbreaking loss to Memphis, dropping the Bears to 0-3-1. The schedule has been full of NCAA Tournament teams, with each of the last three making an appearance in the national tournament a season ago. Jerry Gutierrez put the Bears in the lead in the middle of the second half, scoring on a throw-in from Deon Travis in the 65^th minute. But two goals in the final five minutes by Memphis ultimately doomed the Bears, with the last goal coming in the final 32 seconds.
 
But the series against Air Force is even, with both sides winning a match. Air Force took the first-ever meeting in 2018, the last time Central Arkansas made the NCAA Tournament. Last season, the Bears evened the series with a 3-1 win. Gutierrez scored the opening goal of the match in the 11^th minute, setting the stage for an emphatic win over the Falcons. It marked the first win of the year, and set the stage for the Bears to embark on a successful ASUN season.
 
Air Force enters the week without a win to its name, currently 0-4. The Falcons fell 3-1 to Sacramento State on Sunday, giving up two goals in the first half before letting one final score in shortly after the second half started. Luke Hill scored on a PK in the 30^th minute, capping a furious five minute span that saw three goals scored between the teams.
 
Hill is responsible for all three goals so far this season, with Remi Smith and Thaddaeus Dewing logging assists. Defensively, the Falcons have allowed ten goals this year, giving up three goals in three of their four matches. Air Force has been in two close matches, losing 3-2 to Army to start the year and falling 1-0 to Western Michigan last Thursday.
 
Friday's match is set for 7 p.m. CT at the Air Force Academy in Colorado. The match will be streamed on WAC International TV, with live stats available online.