Fort Lewis College needed a furious rally to get past Colorado Mesa in the second half of the season opener. In the Skyhawks’ home opener, it was the Colorado Mesa Mavericks who stormed back to make the game close in the second half.
Leading 10-3 early in the second half, the FLC Skyhawks appeared to have the game in hand at Ray Dennison Memorial Field. But the Mavericks scored five unanswered goals to cut FLC’s lead to 10-8 with 8 minutes, 11 seconds still to play.
Jam Vertner ended the bleeding with a goal with less than 3 minutes to play, but the Mavericks answered once more with two goals to get within 11-10 with 1:21 remaining. But a big defensive play by Katlyne Duffey gave the Skyhawks possession of the ball, and Ellie Carpenter made one last run into the scoring area, where she passed the ball to Sara McMahon, who slammed home the game-clinching goal with 33 seconds to play. It was McMahon’s co-game-high fourth goal of the game and gave FLC a 12-10 win.
McMahon called Carpenter’s assisting pass “crisp,” as she found McMahon with a high pass right in front of goal.
“I think that was the most exciting point in the game,” McMahon said of the late goal, her 18th of the season. “I really wanted our team to come back. Win or lose by two, I’d rather it be two, so it felt really good to get the last goal.”
The two teams also squared off in the season opener March 1, with FLC coming back from a 6-3 deficit with 16 minutes to play to win 7-6.
Earning a season sweep of the Mavericks was a big bonus for the Skyhawks (6-2, 2-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference), especially with it coming in the home opener.
“It meant a lot to us to get this win, especially the first game against them in their place, we came from behind in a crazy, awesome win,” FLC first-year head coach Julia Decker said. “To have them here in our home opener, it was just awesome to get this win.”
FLC stormed out to a 3-0 lead in the first 5 minutes, with Taylor Cabrera scoring the first of her two goals a little more than 2 minutes into play.
Rebecca Miller then scored two consecutive goals, with the second assisted by Carly Smoke.
The Skyhawks took a 5-1 lead after goals by Carpenter and McMahon. Cabrera, Carpenter and Miller all had two goals each by halftime as FLC led 9-2 at the break.
FLC’s defense lost a bit of intensity with the large lead in the second half, and the Mavericks (6-5, 1-3 RMAC) took advantage.
Jenny Lange scored her second goal of the game 1:05 into the second half, and she added a third 15 minutes later. Olivia Porcaro heated up with four second-half goals.
“It helped that we had a great first half coming into that,” Decker said. “The second half, not totally sure what happened, but I think our defense fell asleep a little bit.”
Duffey made several key plays intercepting the ball on defense and running it up into the attacking area. She helped spark the defense as the Mavericks climbed back.
“We realized we couldn’t lose. They were coming back and, as a defender and as a captain, I wanted to push my team and show them that I’m still fighting and I still want them to fight and show them we can still win,” Duffey said. “Did the best I could to catch my breath and push it the whole game.”
Colorado Mesa goalie Kady Herzog played a sensational second half and made eight saves overall.
FLC started freshman Ally Gurrero in goal for the first time all season, though she has seen significant playing time in recent weeks after FLC lost RMAC Preseason Goalie of the Year Alyssa Spencer, a Durango High School alumna, to a knee injury.
Gurrero made 10 saves in the game.
“She’s been stepping up in goal in practice the last few weeks and had some playing time in Michigan (in a recent road trip) that was significant,” Decker said. “She really stepped up huge.”
FLC now is second in the RMAC standings and will play two games on the road next week at conference-leading Lindenwood (10-0, 5-0 RMAC) and then at Rockhurst (4-6, 1-4 RMAC) before finishing with three consecutive home games.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
