Lightning struck the feet of the Fort Lewis College soccer team Wednesday in Alamosa.
While dangerous weather brought a stoppage to play for nearly an hour, nothing could stop the offensive attack of the Skyhawks in a match at Adams State. FLC scored twice before the delay in the 71st minute and twice after the break to earn a 4-1 victory and three more important points in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings.
“It started to click for the team in general,” FLC head coach David Oberholtzer said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “It was our best well-rounded performance in terms of commitment from the group and the ability to get on goal and put the ball in the back of the net.”
FLC (3-4, 2-1 RMAC) received an early goal when Dana Kowachek buried a shot that was assisted by Salifu Jatta. It was Kowachek’s first goal of the season.
The score remained 1-0 at halftime, but Jatta went on to score his first goal as a Skyhawk in the 53rd minute. His shot was assisted by Alex Tillberry.
Churchill Onumonu scored twice in the game’s final 31 minutes, the first coming off an assist from Jatta and the second on a penalty kick in the 84th minute. He now has a team-high five goals this season.
“We felt like it was coming for him,” Oberholtzer said of Jatta’s two assists and first goal.
“The past couple of games, he’s been a handful but hasn’t been able to be as effective as we think he can be in terms of numbers. I think he turned the corner.”
The lone score for the Grizzlies (4-3, 1-2 RMAC) came off the boot of Symon Fabbircatore, who scored on a penalty kick in the 82nd minute.
Raul Pescador received a yellow card for FLC, while Carlos Castro and Hunter Yoksh also earned yellows for Adams State. Yoksh’s card led to the Onumonu penalty kick.
FLC outshot the Grizzlies 11-8, including 7-5 on target.
Elliot Chadderton made four saves in goal for FLC, while Austin Baumeister stopped three FLC shots for the Grizzlies.
When NCAA Division II South Central Region polls were released Tuesday, the Skyhawks were not ranked while Adams State was ranked ninth. The FLC women are ranked seventh in the region, while the Adams State women are 10th.
The FLC men won’t have to play again until 1 p.m. Sunday when they travel to face Colorado State University-Pueblo (2-4, 0-2 RMAC).
“Right now it’s next game up for us,” Oberholtzer said.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
