UNLV did not need long to flip Saturday night’s match in Bakersfield.
Nick Legendre and Mikah Madrid scored less than two minutes apart in the first half, giving the Rebels enough separation to withstand a heavy CSU Bakersfield push and secure a 2-1 road victory at Main Soccer Field.
The win moved UNLV to 2-1-0 and gave the Rebels their first road victory of the season. CSU Bakersfield fell to 1-1-1 after entering the night unbeaten and coming off a draw against No. 17 UCLA.
Legendre opened the scoring at the 15:06 mark with his first goal of the season. Goalkeeper Hugo Lemos and freshman defender Thomas Gulbrandsen were credited with assists on the play.
Just 1 minute, 58 seconds later, Madrid doubled the advantage. The senior defender scored his first goal of the season at 17:04, suddenly putting UNLV ahead 2-0 after Bakersfield had generated some of the early danger.
That short burst ultimately decided the night.
Rebels make their chances count
UNLV did not overwhelm the Roadrunners with shot volume. Instead, the Rebels were efficient when openings appeared.
They finished with a season-high 10 shots and put a season-best five on goal. Legendre scored on his only shot on target, while Madrid converted his lone attempt of the match.
Joaquin Eisenberg provided three shots off the bench, the most by a UNLV player, while Maxim Scordo added two. Jose Mondi also put an attempt on frame during his 19 minutes.
The balance reflected a larger theme from the night. UNLV used its bench extensively, with 19 players logging double-digit minutes as head coach BJ Craig continued to rotate through his group.
That depth became increasingly important after CSU Bakersfield found a response.
Jesse Wangusi scored in the 40th minute off an assist from Armon Haghighat, trimming UNLV’s advantage to 2-1 before halftime and changing the complexion of the second half.
Defense absorbs the pressure
CSU Bakersfield controlled much of the territorial pressure after halftime.
The Roadrunners took 11 second-half shots while UNLV managed only one. Bakersfield finished with a 19-10 advantage in total attempts, an 8-5 edge in shots on goal and a 6-4 advantage in corner kicks.
UNLV, however, never surrendered the equalizer.
Lemos played all 90 minutes in goal while the back line protected a one-goal lead against a Bakersfield attack that continued to apply pressure. The Rebels also had to manage the match while committing 15 fouls and playing through first-half yellow cards issued to Jacob Miranda and Bryce Allred.
Craig pointed to the collective response afterward.
“Great win on the road tonight. I’m so proud of the team effort and the next-man-in mentality of this group. That is what you need to perform well. We had so many good plays with the ball and collective defending when the game was on the line. The key is to keep learning and move forward. Tonight we will celebrate a win against a very strong Bakersfield side and get back to work tomorrow,” Craig said after the match.
That “next-man-in” mentality showed up in more than the substitution count. UNLV shifted from making the most of its first-half chances to defending collectively once Bakersfield increased the pressure, and the Rebels did enough in both phases to protect the result.
A road result to build on
Saturday marked the second time in three regular-season matches that UNLV scored multiple goals. Both have resulted in victories, with the Rebels also beating CSUN 2-1 in their season opener.
Against Bakersfield, UNLV showed it could win without controlling the shot count. The Rebels created enough separation with their early finishing, then managed the second half against a Roadrunners side that spent long stretches pushing for an equalizer.
That gives UNLV a road result to build on as the early nonconference schedule continues.
The Rebels next travel to LMU on Wednesday, Sept. 2. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT in Los Angeles.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
