Give Aeolus an assist on Tannor Randle’s game-winning goal for Colorado Mines.
Randle bent a free kick into the Fort Lewis College men’s soccer goal in the 58th minute Sunday at Dirks Field with a little help from blustery conditions to give the Orediggers a 1-0 win.
FLC (7-5, 5-3 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) fouled Mines on the edge of the box to set up the Orediggers’ free kick.
“The free kick coming in with that wind behind it is difficult to defend against,” FLC head coach Oige Kennedy said. “I was disappointed that we gave away the free kick in the first place, and then, obviously, we didn’t defend well. We need to be better at staying with our players and make sure we challenge those balls.”
The Skyhawks redoubled their pressure and put five shots on frame in the games’ final half hour but couldn’t force overtime.
Yannis Becker had a header cleared off the line in the 68th minute, and Luke Lawrence couldn’t wrap a shot around Mines keeper Josh Clark.
The wind affected the Skyhawks’ attempts to play the ball forward in the final five minutes.
Anytime the Skyhawks hit the ball in the air, it ran into a gusty wall and swelled upward rather than continuing forward.
“For our sport, wind is the worst; I think it kills it,” Kennedy said. “It’s the only condition you really can’t adjust to because it’s such an impact. We had the wind in the first half and weren’t able to take advantage of it, they had it in the second half and were able to capitalize.”
FLC outshot Mines (8-4, 6-2 RMAC) 8-6 in the first period and 14-11 in the game.
Both teams had six shots land on frame, but Clark made six saves, while FLC goalie Ryan Schaul stopped five shots.
The Skyhawks created chances to score but missed on the final lethal ball.
“I think we definitely had chances in the first half that we didn’t take advantage of,” Kennedy said. “I thought we had chances, probably didn’t create as many clear-cut ones as we normally would or would like. The conditions were difficult.”
The loss dropped FLC to 0-2 in its rivalry weekend against No. 18 Metro State on Friday and Mines, which leaves the Skyhawks squarely in fifth place behind Regis, Mines, Metro and league-leading Colorado Mesa.
FLC’s three home losses already matches the team’s total from last year.
“We’ve already lost to Regis, Metro and now Mines at home, and that makes it really difficult to achieve our goals,” Kennedy said. “We’ve got to refocus; we’ve got another game Friday and gotta be up for that, now.”
FLC next will host CSU-Pueblo at 3 p.m. Friday.
It’s the Skyhawks’ final home game before a brutal road stretch playing the top four teams in the conference across three weekends.
“I think we’ve got to try and get the confidence back. We’re a little deflated after that (loss),” Kennedy said. “This week’s got to be about refocusing.”
kgrabowski@durangoherald.com
