This season, the Fort Lewis men’s soccer team’s injury list has fluctuated like an NFL team’s before a game on Sunday.
Despite this, the Skyhawks had put together a good start to the year but didn’t have a signature win for their NCAA Tournament at-large resume. Now they do.
FLC went to the University of Colorado Colorado Springs to face the No. 4 ranked Mountain Lions on Thursday. The Skyhawks scored three goals in 25 minutes to stun UCCS and take a massive 3-1 victory.
With the win, FLC improved to 6-1-5 overall and 2-1-1 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. UCCS fell to 9-1-2 overall and 2-1-1 in the RMAC with the loss.
“We've been talking all week just about being ultra-focused in every moment,” FLC men’s soccer head coach David Oberholtzer said. “The guys were just engaged from the first second of the game, all the way through. They just played really well. We gained control of the game. We had the ball in their end and forced them to defend. Then we scored some really great goals, but also defensively, we didn't give them much.”
FLC outshot UCCS 16-15 and had an 8-2 advantage with shots on goal.
The match was tied at 0-0 until sophomore forward Anton Hjalmarsson broke through on the left side and finished in the right corner for a 1-0 Skyhawk lead 42 minutes into the game.
In the second half, an FLC player was taken down in the 18-yard box. The referee called a foul and a penalty kick was awarded. Senior Thomas Kirkham took the penalty and smashed it into the top right corner for a 2-0 lead in the 57th minute.
Shortly after, senior Tomas Duenes got a UCCS turnover in its half the field and made a move to the inside from the left side. He hit a beautiful strike that kissed the inside of the right post and went into the net in the 64th minute. The Skyhawks led 3-0.
UCCS responded with some nice combination play around FLC’s 18-yard box. Dani Barajas finished in the right side of the net in the 79th minute. But it wasn’t enough as FLC prevailed.
The Mountain Lions hadn’t allowed a goal in three games. FLC’s three goals were the most UCCS has given up this season.
“We have some of the best attacking players in the country,” Oberholtzer said. “That's something we've always known that we'll be able to score goals and be dangerous. Obviously having Anton back makes a significant difference in our attack. So that's never something that we've been concerned about producing goals.”
Sophomore goalkeeper Lucas Martin started every game this year before UCCS. But junior Aidan Hartman got the start against UCCS and had a save. Oberholtzer thought it was a good opportunity for Hartman to step in and said Martin wasn’t hurt. Both keepers are battling for playing time.
The Skyhawks have a quick turnaround and play at No. 7 CSU Pueblo on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. FLC and CSU Pueblo tied 2-2 on Sept. 26 after a late penalty kick goal by the ThunderWolves.
Volleyball sweeps New Mexico Highlands for third RMAC win
The Skyhawks volleyball team wasted no time in Las Vegas, New Mexico, Friday night and beat New Mexico Highlands 3-0.
It’s the second win against New Mexico Highlands this season for FLC and the Skyhawks moved to 7-11 overall and 3-5 in RMAC play after beating the Cowgirls 27-25, 25-17 and 25-16. New Mexico Highlands moved to 4-13 overall and 2-5 in the RMAC after the loss.
“This was our best match yet in the season,” FLC volleyball head coach Giedre Tarnauskaite said. “It was the most disciplined that I've seen our team executing on the things that we needed to execute. We stayed consistent in our play, and that's what I've been asking. So I'm really glad that we put it all together and it showed their results. There was some challenging moments, but we never really shaken. We just kept going.”
Official stats weren’t accurate, according to Tarnauskaite, but she said sophomore Alina Nunez had a strong night. She also complimented senior setter Natalia Lambos with spreading the ball out well to the Skyhawks’ hitters.
FLC is back in action on Tuesday at home against Adams State at 6 p.m.
Women’s soccer loses against Colorado Mesa for third consecutive loss
After a 6-1-1 start to the season, FLC women’s soccer has faced some of the top teams in the RMAC in the last 10 days. Unfortunately for Skyhawks fans, they’ve lost them all.
The latest loss was a 3-1 defeat at Colorado Mesa on Friday night. The Skyhawks dropped to 6-4-1 overall and 3-3 in RMAC play with their third consecutive loss. Colorado Mesa improved to 8-1-2 overall and 6-0 in RMAC play.
“We're pleased with the performance, man,” FLC women’s soccer head coach Damian Clarke said. “We were really good against a really good team. Obviously next to (Colorado School of) Mines, they’re the best team that we played. It was a really good game of football, both teams were really dynamic and fun to watch. The opportunities they finished were just phenomenal. Definitely two of their three goals were really, well-placed upper-corner shots. Goalkeepers made some big saves to keep it there on both sides of the game.”
Sauvelyne Randel opened up the scoring for Colorado Mesa in the 24th minute and the Mavericks took a 1-0 lead into halftime.
In the second half, FLC junior Abigail Nkrumah scored her third goal of the season off the bench in the 52nd minute to tie the game. Abby Fotheringham scored in the 56th minute for a 2-1 advantage for Colorado Mesa and Adessa Correa scored in the 77th minute to seal the victory for the Mavericks.
Colorado Mesa outshot FLC 13-9 including a 7-3 advantage with shots on goal. FLC fifth-year goalkeeper Riley Bravin had three saves for FLC and fellow fifth-year goalkeeper Katlyn Rosebaum had a save for the Skyhawks.
FLC heads to Salt Lake City on Sunday to face Westminster at noon.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
