One of Colorado Mesa University’s men’s soccer stars shined bright in the biggest moment for the Mavericks. Junior Lawan Abary secured a long ball forward from goalkeeper Briley Guarneri, finding himself in a one on three with two defenders next to him, and used his long legs to lunge out and push the ball past goalkeeper Max Medley to give the Mavericks a thrilling 2-1 victory six minutes into overtime in the RMAC Tournament semifinal over Westminster College.
Medley fell to the grass with his hands over his head while Abary put his hands in the air and his teammates, with their hands lifted and smiles on their faces, surrounded him, engulfing the 6’4 forward after the walk-off win.
“The experience that we’ve had this year in overtime games factored into things,“ Head Coach Todd Padgett said. “Lawan, with his timing and pace, was able to get behind and it was to Lawan’s credit a very quality finish at the end… not an easy task.”
The play was one not many could make, but Abary’s length and size allowed him to do the unthinkable and send the Mavericks into the 2018 RMAC Tournament Championship for the fourth year in a row.
“[Lawan’s] length and frame helped set himself up to finish it on the second touch, “Padgett said. “He was absolutely manhandled all game. He continued to fight and play, fight and play and fortunately for us at the tail end of things he was able to get on one.”
The Mavericks and Griffins battled all night long with both teams playing as competitive as they did in their previous two meetings. There was chippiness throughout with players from both squads talking with other players in a game that had a combined 23 fouls.
Westminster received a bevy of corner kicks early in the contest, forcing Guarneri into some early save situations. The Arizona native registered his first save of the game when Hefer sent a floater his way that he had no problem catching.
Abary’s tall frame helped CMU early. Abary won 50/50 balls in the air with high leaps and cleared the ball on a few occasions defensively on corner kicks.
Through 25 minutes of play, the Griffins played more as the aggressor as the Mavericks tried to find their footing and find opportunities to break through.
“Westminster in the first half was absolutely fantastic, “Padgett said. “They were finding gaps and seams. They were making life very difficult for us. We had to make some adjustments at halftime to negate their ability and possession and fortunately, those adjustments came to fruition. The boys put together a second half where our identity and what we like to do was instilled in the game.”
Although the Mavericks weren’t able to apply the same pressure the Griffins were in the first half, the team was patient and calm as they awaited a breakdown in the Griffin’s defensive scheme.
That patience was rewarded when the Kevin Del Mazo and James McGhee connection came alive with just under two minutes remaining in the first half. Del Mazo sent a soft corner right into the box and McGhee timed his jump with perfection and angled his header shot to the far left post to give the Mavericks a 1-0 lead.
The score was McGhee’s sixth on the season as the senior has made a living this season scoring off headers near the goal.
CMU finished the first half with just 4 shots but made them count with two on goal and the score. Guarneri finished the half with three saves. Meanwhile, the Griffins kicked eight shots but nothing to show for it.
The equalizer for the Griffins came in the 62nd minute after a corner kick led to a barrage of bodies in front of the goal. Preston McCIllece found an opening in the Maverick defense and squeezed the loose ball past Guarneri with a hard kick to knot the score at 1-1.
McIllece’s shot was kicked hard with a lot of steam on it, leaving Guarneri little to no time to react, especially with the surrounding bodies around the box.
The Griffins had opportunities throughout the contest and were inches away from taking a 2-1 lead when Erik Hubert sent a liner that went wide right past the goal.
The Mavericks finished with nine shots (four on goal) and two scores. Westminster kicked 13 shots (four on goal) and was aggressive all game, but the Maverick’s patience and ability to stay in the moment gave them another clutch victory over a worthy opponent.
“The leadership that we have on the team, whether it’s the vocal guy or whether it’s those guys leading by example, I think there’s been several instances where they’ve come together and they refuse to lose, “Padgett said. “It was an all-around excellent semifinal against two very, very good teams.”
The 2018 RMAC Championship is a repeat of last year’s as CMU will take on Colorado School of Mines for the trophy. The Orediggers defeated the Mavericks 2-1 in 2017’s Championship.
“James, Briley, Matt Miller, and Kevin have played in an RMAC final each and every year, “Padgett said. It’s almost unheard of. We’re proud of that as a group. It’s come down to a game on Sunday against an excellent Mines team with an opportunity to hoist a trophy. We’ll put our heads down, we’ll work and we’ll certainly hope to come out on top.”
After winning their last RMAC Championship in 2016, the Mavericks will hope their wait for another is short lived as that opportunity begins on Sunday, Nov. 4 at 2:30 p.m. in Golden, CO.
