The Colorado Mesa University’s men’s soccer game Friday afternoon was an offensive, competitive bananza against Fort Lewis College (FLC) as both teams settled for a 3-3 tie in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) matchup that couldn’t determine a victor after 110 minutes of play.
The Mavericks came into the match hoping to extend their win streak to three after coming off of back-to-back wins at home. CMU went 1-0-1 against FLC last season, and have already two matches that ended in ties this season, after having just one during the 2017 season.
The Skyhawks put the pressure on early for the Mavericks. Just three minutes into the match, Coleman Kane dashed past Maverick defenders and scored off a pass from Bar Hazut. Hazut was stationed to the left of the box and sent his lone assist of the game to give the Skyhawks a 1-0 lead.
The CMU offense continued to push the ball, as they have done all season, and answered right back. In the 15th minute, James McGhee kicked a lead pass to Lawan Abary, who was close to the goal, and he punched it in for his second goal of the season.
Senior Kevil Del Mazo kicked two more shots throughout the half, but FLC’s keeper Ventura Salcido collected two saves to keep the score knotted at one apiece.
Both teams kicked six shots in the half. The Skyhawks had two saves, and CMU had one. Sophomore goalkeeper Miguel Alaniz made his season debut for the Mavericks. The Boulder native had five saves in the contest and allowed three goals.
The intensity ramped up in the second half with both teams fighting to secure their first RMAC victory. CMU and FLC had multiple substitutions in the half as each team looked to generate an offensive spark. That spark was provided once again by Abary, who redirected after receiving a pass to the box where he kicked his third goal of the season, giving the Mavericks a 2-1 advantage. Redshirt freshman Nick Rizzo provided the assist.
The worst of the worst happened for the Mavericks in the 79th minute. CMU scored on their own goal which tied the game at 2-2. It wasn’t a mood killer for the Mavericks, as no more than 20 seconds later, after a Skyhawk foul, Del Mazo scored his first goal of the year on a penalty kick and gave CMU a 3-2 lead.
The Skyhawks, however, had late game heroics, and tied the game at 3-3 after Marshall Metzger chipped in his kick just past Alaniz.
The competitive affair had plenty of shots. The Mavericks kicked 18 shots (nine on goal) with the Skyhawks at 21 shots (eight shots on goal). FLC bested CMU with six saves to five.
The two teams moved to 2-0-2 on the season. CMU’s road trip continues as they play CSU-Pueblo at Rawlings Soccer Complex on Sunday at 1 p.m.
